USGC Promotes U.S. Barley For Food Uses In Taiwan

Using Market Access Funds (MAP) funds in 2014, the Council promoted U.S. food barley to the Taiwanese food industry resulting in sales of 1,650 metric tons (76 thousand bushels) in Calendar Year (CY) 2014, valued of $412,500.  The Council invested $35,000 of MAP funds in support of this program generating a Return on Investment (ROI) of $10.78 per every $1 of MAP funding invested.

Due to an aging population and food safety concerns, the Taiwanese public is very interested in healthy food ingredients and healthy food products, creating an interest in healthy grain alternatives such as food barley from the United States.

The Council engaged in market education and promotion programs for food barley by displaying barley food products at food shows and conducting barley food contests.  This program proved to be very effective in encouraging local bakers to make barley-based food products and in helping the general public become aware of the health benefits of food U.S. barley.

The Council worked with several food companies and bakery associations in Taiwan to introduce the U.S. food barley as part of the following events in 2014:

• 2014 Taipei International Bakery Show
• USA Pavilion at Taipei International Food Show 2014
• Barley Food Product Contest and Barley Food Training Courses
• Cross-Strait Nutrition Conference and 6th Asian Congress of Dietetics
• 2014 Barley and Wheat Flour Chinese Steamed Bread Contest
• 2014 Innovative Sweet Rolls Contest

The local bakers, food nutritionists, and students used their innovative ideas in developing new barley food products and the Council delivered those attractive recipes of barley foods to the general public thru above-mentioned activities. These activities encouraged the use of barley in food products.

U.S. food barley imports to Taiwan were approximately 1,650 metric tons (76 thousand bushels) in 2014, valued at $412,000. In 2014, using Market Access Program (MAP) funds, the Council invested $35,000 on US barley promotion, estimating an ROI of US$10.78 for ever MAP $1 invested.

The Council estimates the long-term potential for food barley in Taiwan to be at 20 thousand metric tons (920 thousand bushels) annually representing a potential export value of $5 million per year.