English lamb hits Hong Kong after two-year promotion drive

English lamb bearing the Quality Standard Mark (QSM) will hit supermarket shelves in Hong Kong next month after two years of work by AHDB Beef and Lamb’s export team.

Fresh and frozen lamb will be sold in 50 premium supermarkets and will be supported by in-store promotional activity.

This follows the launch of QSM beef in premium outlets in Hong Kong and in the foodservice sector in Macau – an influential gastronomy sector in China – two years ago.

The Hong Kong and Chinese markets are know for being challenging to get access to and normally require lengthy and careful relationship building and negotiations. 

See also: Anger as facings of British lamb plummet at Tesco

Jean-Pierre Garnier, AHDB Beef and Lamb export manager, said the development underlined the opportunities in the region and could help exports of QSM beef and lamb thrive.

“We’ve made great strides with our exports to the region, but there is still a lot of work to be done and there is a lot of competition from the US, Australia and Japan.

“The latest developments for lamb will, however, help us continue to build on the export platform we have established to date in these markets in the Far East.

“We’ve made great strides with our exports to the region, but there is still a lot of work to be done and there is a lot of competition from the US, Australia and Japan”
Jean-Pierre Garnier, AHDB Beef and Lamb

“Exports are one of the cornerstones of AHDB Beef and Lamb’s work, helping fully use the carcass and maximising returns throughout the supply chain,” he said.

Chilled organic lamb will also go on sale to serve a growing market for these products.

Last year an AHDB Beef and Lamb delegation and group of meat exporters held activities in the region, including beef promotion in selected Hong Kong restaurants and a retail promotion in a high-end food store.