Sharing Aussie beef and lamb knowledge in China
04 March 2025
The Chinese Lunar New Year period has officially ended, leaving behind the year of the dragon and moving into the year of the snake. Conditions across China are tough for many in the food and beverages sector, with slowing growth and many economic indicators sitting at low levels compared with previous years.
Tonnages of Australian meat exports to greater China have remained strong, albeit with some softening of prices. The Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) team has continued to create innovative promotions to strengthen the Australian red meat industry in the Chinese market.
Aussie Meat Academy
MLA China has held customised Aussie Meat Academy (AMA) workshops in the cities of Xi'an, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, and will host two more in Chongqing and Zhengzhou. Calvin Gung (MLA Senior Technical Specialist) and Oscar Ling (MLA Business Development Manager – Hong Kong, Macau and China) shared their knowledge of beef and trained butchers on-site in cutting, displaying and cooking.
Caption: AMA customised workshop
MLA continues to work closely with celebrity chef and long-standing Lambassador Clinton Zhu by providing in-service training to young foodservice professionals including chefs, retailers, importers and exporters. All participants who complete the courses will be issued certificates by the World Chef’s Association. So far, five AMA workshops have been conducted in three cities, with three more to come in Nanjing and Shanghai in the coming months.
Caption: AMA-FAN Workshop
Local chef's table
MLA China has organised a series of chef's table events. These aim to demonstrate the diverse cooking applications of Australian beef and lamb products and offer an immersive experience for industry professionals.
The events have been held in Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Fuzhou, and Kunming, with another event scheduled for March in Beijing. These events will help identify potential Aussie Beef Mates and Ambassadors in the market. Through extensive media posts and publications, they are also expected to enhance the brand awareness of Aussie beef and lamb among consumers.
Caption: Aussie beef cooking demonstration
Sino-Australia Cold Chain Seminar
As the shelf space for chilled Aussie beef and lamb expands in major retailers like Sam's Club, Costco and other local retailers, it presents an excellent opportunity to brand chilled Aussie beef and lamb throughout the supply chain. This effort will highlight the advantage of Aussie meat in terms of consistent quality and offer technical support for businesses.
MLA China will hold the Sino-Australia Cold Chain Seminar on 18 March 2025 at the Kimpton, Qiantan Hotel. The seminar targets 150 industry professionals, including exporter representatives, importers, retailers and foodservice professionals. MLA China will also invite Aussie technical specialists from Australian Meat Processor Company (AMPC) and a consulting company to the seminar to strengthen clients' and consumers' trust in Aussie beef and lamb.
At the seminar, 13 key importers, who were recruited as co-exhibitors, will have independent simple booths. A five-hour livestream will be carried out via the Aussie beef and lamb WeChat account to reach as many clients and consumers as possible, enhancing the awareness of chilled Aussie beef and lamb.
