Red Bean Pate by Colombian Chef Alex Quessep |
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USDBC CREATES
THE “BEANS EVERY DAY” COMMUNITY IN BRAZIL
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Supported by USDA/FAS funding, in June USDBC contracted Agencia PRO, a Brazilian communications firm, to activate Portuguese-language social media focused on the concept of “beans everyday” (feijao todo dia) and develop a community of interest in 2020 as the first step in building a positive identity for US dry beans in the Brazilian market. |
“I love this page!
It has all the best for a healthy taste, wonderful congratulations!
Beans Every Day!!!!! Thanks!!!”
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Facebook and Instagram (@feijaotododia) were initiated at the end of June and a blog (www.feijaotododia.com.br) was added in August. Posts were designed to create a “beans everyday” movement by encouraging
reaction to our main themes, such as the comfort of eating beans, their environmental sustainability, healthy living with beans, new ways to eat beans, and bean diversity.
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Beans with potato shared by a @feijaotododia viewer. |
Preliminary data are exciting, they show that we are well on our way to achieving our “community of interest” goal. From the end of June through September, Facebook posts attracted 245,922 reactions (likes, shares, comments) and Instagram had 64,250 reactions.
Examples of several posts:
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Facebook: “We are crazy about beans”
Reach, 131,601; Clicks, 11,633; Reactions 16,416
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Facebook: “One of the best vegetable sources of iron”
Reach, 78,863; Clicks, 11, 678; Reactions 13,592
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Instagram: “Beans are delicious in a salad”
Reach 31,680, Clicks, 5,417; Reactions 6,227
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Since Brazilians love beans, we create conversations and people share views and stories about their experiences with beans. |
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MEXICO HARVEST UPDATE -
PLANTING AREA AND PRODUCTION ESTIMATES LOWER THAN GOVERNMENT INTENTIONS
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Bean Field In Durango State |
Our last update on the Mexican dry bean harvest indicated that lack of rain in August had an impact on yield. Total precipitation in August was 34% lower than anticipated causing extreme drought in some states such as Chihuahua and Durango. As a result, our latest assessment projects that total hectares planted were around 1.17 million and not the 1.39 million reported by the Mexican Agricultural Information Service (SIAP). Throughout September, the precipitation did not pick up at the required pace and will likely continue to impact yield. |
As of our last assessment, we are projecting Mexico’s total bean production for the 2020 Spring Summer cycle to top out at around 749,404 MT, 21.5% less than SIAP’s estimate of 954 thousand MT but still 36.3% higher than the 592,670 MT short harvest of 2019 and 12.1% shorter than the historic average of 852,102 MT (SIAP). Harvest has been delayed by the lack of rain but will continue through October. We will be issuing our updated harvest report at the start of November. For more specifics on bean production in the 2020 Spring/Summer harvest see the full report on our members only page. |
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Dry Bean Value Proposition Study results -
Will Inform Future Global Strategies
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In March of 2020 USDBC commissioned a research project designed to identify the value proposition of U.S. dry beans. This is a critical part of our global marketing strategy to help define and tell the story of what makes U.S. origin dry beans stand out. This information will be incorporated into our future marketing plans. We have recently received the topline messages from our research in the EU only and wanted to share some of the analysis:
Consumers in Spain tend to display the strongest recognition scores of the various types of beans.
Overall, beans are perceived to be versatile, as they are used for many different occasions in each of the EU countries. In Spain and France, they are used “as an entrée/in the center of the plate. The UK scores highest “as an ingredient to use in everyday home-cooked meals”, as well as “a healthy addition to their diet/meals”.
Dry beans are frequently purchased across the EU countries, with nearly half of the shoppers buying them “once a month or more often” – highest (by far) in Spain (79%). The primary reason for not buying dry beans more often is due to “inconvenience/takes a long time to prepare” – especially among those in Spain and Italy.
When asked to single out their top three favorite statements (in terms of motivation to buy dry beans), consumers in each market rated – “dry beans are more natural and provide more health benefits than canned beans”, followed closely by “value”, “yield”, “shelf stability” and “superior taste”.
While lower among those in the UK, the vast majority of the consumers in the EU rate the country of importance when buying dried beans as being at least “somewhat important”. Furthermore, most consumers either don’t know where the dry beans they buy come from or have no preference.
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EU consumer awareness of origin of dry beans purchased. |
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These are only a few of the many observations, full report available upon request. Data from other regions of the world will be coming in separately over the remainder of 2020. |
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Keeping up with USDBC Around the World - |
Highlights from our Global Promotional Programs |
SIAL Shanghai:
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Our last and only in person trade show in 2020, SIAL Shanghai, was also our first participation in a China specific trade event. The event wrapped up early this month with only our local staff on the ground in China in attendance. Although both visitors and exhibitors were only 60% of the expected audience, the USDBC booth was visited by more than 150 company representatives. We have already received a trade lead as a result of the show and look forward to more trade events in China.
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USDBC China staff at SIAL Shanghai |
Americas:
- Our promotional programs in Colombia and Central America continue to innovate with two exciting Chef campaigns. The #freejolchallenge features known Colombian chefs making innovative dishes with beans and challenging viewers to do the same at home. Lo Hice Saludable con Frijol (make it healthy with beans) recipe contest runs throughout the Americas with our Todo Con Frijol program and includes well known chefs and their best recipes with dry beans and asks viewers to send in their best recipe.
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USDBC and Harvest Plus Collaboration –
- We have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with Harvest Plus to work together to promote the production and consumption of beans of all varieties. The idea is to focus on beans as a key element in nutritious diets among vulnerable populations in emerging market economies as well as among consumers in developed economies as a contributor to healthy, active lives. Harvest Plus works to improve nutrition and public health by developing and promoting biofortified foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals as well as global leadership on biofortification evidence and technology.
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November 15 - 21, 2020 Virtual
Colombia, Panama Trade Mission
December 6 - 12, 2020 Virtual
Central America Trade Mission
Was originally set for December 9 - 11, 2020
(Due to COVID19, rescheduled to September 7 - 9 of 2022)
February 21 - 25, 2021
March 2 - 4, 2021/March 3 - 5, 2021 (Virtual Event)
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