Building partnerships in overseas markets is an essential part of USDEC's efforts to build markets and drive global demand for U.S. dairy. A series of programs and partnerships helped propel U.S. cheese exports to record levels in 2021 and continue to drive demand this year.
USDEC created the USA Cheese Specialist™ Certification Program to educate professionals across the foodservice, retail and importer/distributor sectors about U.S. cheese quality, varieties, tastes, applications and the industry’s commitment to exports. The goal is straightforward: build awareness and heritage of U.S. cheese to create a generation of U.S. cheese advocates and build long-term demand.
On the culinary side, USDEC has established partnerships with leading culinary schools in nine countries around the world: the United Arab Emirates (UAE), South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Mexico, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Chile. China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Chile are the latest to join, with classes having commenced or slated to commence this year.
In the importer/distributor sector, USDEC kicked off training in the Middle East in March with UAE-based Truebell Marketing and Trading.
In 2021, 474 people across all programs earned their certificates. The program has had more than 1,200 graduates since implementation in 2018, and it continues to expand, with new partnerships and curriculum in the works.
Program: Retail Promoter training
One track of the USA Cheese Specialist™ Certification Program focuses on retail promoter training. Building promoters’ knowledge of U.S. cheese helps maximize the impact of the in-store promotions.
In 2021, USDEC conducted its first promoter trainings at Costco stores in China and Korea. Personnel from the USDEC offices in each country trained 69 promoters and team leaders from Costco Demonstration Services (CDS). Participants gained a solid understanding of the cheesemaking process, cheese varieties and characteristics, the nutritional benefits of consuming cheese, and most of all, how to sell and sample cheese and confidently respond to consumers’ questions.
This year, USDEC implemented training with CDS in Mexico, covering 40 Costco stores across the country. Well-known chef Alejandro Kuri conducted the training sessions virtually due to COVID restrictions, teaching 80 CDS promoters (two from each Costco store) over the course of two days.
To date, 145 CDS promoters in China, Korea and Mexico earned certificates as USA Cheese Specialists™.
Missha Hu, USDEC China office representative (top, center), conducted the USA Cheese Specialist™ Certification Program class for Retail Promoters at the Shanghai Costco store ahead of the October promotional event.
Partnership: Costco North Asia
USDEC’s partnership with Costco North Asia provides a platform for direct outreach to consumers in major markets who are just getting to know U.S. cheese. In China, Costco shoppers lined up to taste U.S. cheeses in Shanghai as part of the USA Cheese Roadshow in-store promotional event late last year. More than 176,000 customers passed through the doors of the store over the course of 10 days. The USDEC promotional event featured a new booth display with presenters who were the first in China to take the USA Cheese Specialist™ Certification Program for retail promoters.
This year, USDEC plans to run two more roadshows at Costco China outlets, focusing on in-store sampling and promotional endcaps. The events are tentatively slated for October.
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