Today's Date:   Wednesday January 30, 2013

1. MARKETING ISSUES

Strategy of imported meat targeting on Korean market

http://www.nongmin.com/article/ar_detail.htm?ar_id=212926

Summary : As the number of imported meat has been increased and the price of domestic meat falls consequently, there are some competes between USA and Australia advertising their meat products.

Australia starts new marketing viewing children as potential customers, focusing on “highly nutritious Australian beef”. They plan to hold events such as ‘students` cooking contest’, ‘online children model contest’, and ‘looking for healthy 3-year-old baby contest’ continuously.

USA on the other hand, tends to be more focused on promoting refrigerated pork, developing various new menus using pork. They will have regular ‘butcher`s day’, and keep supporting ‘tasting event’ in markets. 

Moreover, Canada and France also try to publicize their superiority of their meat and concentrate on differentiated marketing with others.

Accordingly, Korea also needs developed public relations to confront these active strategies of exporting countries.

2. OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES

More Cafés to Serve Meals to Attract Consumers [Korean, OSY]

http://news.donga.com/3/all/20130129/52678849/1

Summary: It is reported that growth of café industry in Korea is slowing down.  According to AC Neilson report, cash register sales of café industry in Korea totaled 1.9 trillion won in 2012, up 34 percent from the previous year.  However, the growth rate in 2012 was lower than 2011 (41 percent) and 2010 (38 percent).  For additional growth, the number of cafés that offer meal product is on an increase.  For example, Coffeebean Korea, a leading café chain, has launched 14 meal menus in its Gwanghwamoon outlet, a flagship store of the chain, to test market the meal business.