IN MARKET GROWING DEMAND Gaining US Velvet Taco dishes hitting the menu this year: Australian pasture‑raised foodservice lamb: • lamb reuben taco – corned Australian lamb leg with special sauce followers and griddled sauerkraut in a flour tortilla US population in 2018: • Moroccan lamb shakshuka taco – harissa‑braised 326.8 million Cconsumers to ‘True Aussie’ grassfedare helping to introduce North Americanhefs and foodservice managers in the USAustralian lamb shoulderin shakshuka sauce withcrispy potatoes, crumbled• 234,833 tonnesAustralian beef exportsto the US: beef and lamb. feta and scrambled eggs • miso lamb lettuce cup – shipped weight (swt), Over the past four years, more than 220 chefs miso‑marinated Australian or 26% of Australian representing >30,000 restaurant locations have lamb loin with unagi sauce shipments in 2018 participated in MLA’s ‘True Aussie’ culinary immersion and pickled watermelon • 62% was frozen and events. While 72% went on to trial the product, 57% kimchi in a lettuce cup. the remainder chilled placed Australian grassfed beef or lamb permanently on their menus. Australian grassfed beef: • 63% was • Szechuan‑style dan dan manufacturing beef “Once Aussie lamb or beef hits the menu, we’re there with taco – ground Australian • value – A$1,709 million. promotional support to ensure diners know it’s Aussie beef with chopped bok product on the menu,” Catherine said. choy in a crispy, flour Australian sheepmeat MLA is using these culinary events – as well as custom tortilla nest (pictured) exports to the US: menu development, social media engagement and • country‑style pot roast • 71,524 tonnes swt, delegations to Australia – to share Australian red meat’s taco – shiraz‑braised making the US story and build relationships with US consumers. sirloin with caramelised Australia’s second “Our custom menu influence program saw us working with onions and mirepoix slaw largest export five high‑volume national foodservice brands representing in a hibiscus tortilla customer after China more than 2,000 restaurants in the past six months,” • cheesesteak taco – • 39% was chilled lamb Catherine said. chopped ribeye with and 42% frozen; the roasted bell peppers, remainder was frozen “One of the smaller brands – Velvet Taco – has started herbed mushrooms and to release a series of Aussie tacos on their limited‑time onion two ways in a mutton only menu throughout the first half of this year. The flour tortilla. ■ • value – A$750.2 million. other brands – well, they’re still developing, testing and re‑testing to get the dishes ready for fall releases – so US consumption: stay tuned.” • 37.2kg/capita of beef • 0.5kg/capita of sheepmeat. “I can’t thank you enough for Trade agreements with everything you did to make Australia: Tacopalooza, our bi‑annual • Australia–United collaborative event, such a States Free Trade Agreement. successful event. We’re really Import tariffs: going to have some great • Beef – zero within quota weekly taco features using (428,214 tonnes swt) Aussie grassfed beef and • Sheepmeat – nil. lamb to start the year off.” Want to know more? Grant Morgan, Velvet Taco Check out mla.com.au/ market‑snapshots for a more in‑depth look at key markets. 45