By Clover Chang, USGC Director in Taiwan

This past week at the Taipei International Bakery Show, the U.S. Grains Council hosted a booth that focused on promoting innovative ways to incorporate barley in traditional food products. The Council met with hundreds of consumers from Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and China interested in tasting some of their favorite grocery items made with barley.

The Council’s Taiwan office partnered with major food manufacturer Kisei Foods Industry Co., to introduce and display a popular barley-rice hamburger bun. The buns were prepared with one-third U.S. barley and two-thirds rice. The Nam Chow Group, the market leader in ready-to-eat products, also helped the Council feature Ready-to-eat Barley-Rice, which uses almost 40 percent of U.S. barley in its preparation.

The health benefits of barley are well-known for lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. These facts were not missed by representatives from The Homemakers United Foundation, one of Taiwan’s leading health food companies, who attended the event and committed to selling barley noodles in their stores. As national consumption patterns evolve, Taiwan will continue to embrace barley as a healthy alternative to other whole grains, which will drive market growth in this sector. In February, Taiwan imported an estimated 5,600 metric tons (257,000 bushels) of barley, more than twice as much imports compared to last February, at just 1,300 tons (59,700 bushels).