The challenge facing those marketing our lamb was soon obvious.
Walk into the meat section of any Los Angeles supermarket and there is a plethora of choice. Usually stuck off to one side there is a small space allocated to lamb and there are multiple brands and cuts competing for that space.
For a newcomer, securing a spot in the cabinet means pushing someone else out.
Point-of-sale promotion is difficult due to space restrictions, so endorsements and product information are confined to the labels on the packaging.
It is a similar challenge trying to get a meeting with buyers for restaurant chains. How do you stand out from the crowd, how do you break through the noise?
Reputation, perseverance and a bit of luck all play a part.
The Lamb Company has been operating in North America for 55 years.
Owned by New Zealand and Australian meat companies, it operates as a co-operative, processing, selling and distributing meat for its owners.
It has recently started processing beef and venison.
With cutting plants in Los Angeles, Toronto and New Jersey, it is the largest importer of lamb in the United States.
The company’s chief executive, Shane O’Hara, describes the US market as currently stable but with plenty of potential.
It’s easy to see why in California alone.
With a population of 40 million and a GDP in 2023 of NZ$6.1 trillion, California is an economic powerhouse. If it were a country, it would be the fifth-largest economy in the world.
There is a large migrant community that has a history of eating lamb. One supermarket in a community with a large migrant population offers packaged lamb heads and lamb feet.
O’Hara said there are plenty of opportunities for lamb in NZ, and it is easy to understand why. But first you have to be noticed.
More: Wallace is visiting seven countries in six weeks to report on market sentiment, a trip made possible with grants from Fonterra, Silver Fern Farms, Alliance, Beef + Lamb NZ, NZ Meat Industry Association and Rabobank. Read more about his findings here.
