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On September 12th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) hosted Sabor USA Fest at the U.S. Embassy here. The festival attracted approximately 3,000 attendees, providing a high-visibility platform to showcase and promote U.S. food and agricultural products in Peru.

As part of the event, IMR South America participated in a booth alongside Ichiban and Meshi-Ya, promoting U.S. rice through product display, direct consumer sales, and prepared food offerings. Botan rice was showcased at the booth, allowing visitors to learn more about the product and experience its versatility across different preparations.

The activity generated direct consumer engagement and sales throughout the event. U.S. rice was sold in the form of sushi offerings, including Onigiri, Onigiri with Nori, Onimaki, and Maki.  These preparations provided consumers with an opportunity to experience U.S. rice through different cooking styles and applications. While sushi in Latin America may sound out of place, Peru is the second-largest home to Japanese-descent people in South America and much of the cuisine in Peru has incorporated Japanese-fusion dishes.

The booth attracted interest from attendees, with visitors asking questions about the origin, characteristics, availability, and uses of U.S. rice in Peru. These interactions provided valuable insights into consumer interest in U.S. rice and its applications. 

“Peru is a relatively untapped market for U.S.-origin rice,” said USA Rice Senior Director of International Promotion, Western Hemisphere Asiha Grigsby. “We are excited to expose Peruvian consumers to U.S.-grown short and medium grain rice as an alternative for other foreign options available in the market. Participation in activities hosted by USDA and FAS immediately boosts public perception of U.S. rice, which will allow our market share to increase over time in this region.”

Sabor USA Fest combined product visibility, direct sales, and consumer engagement within a high-traffic event. The activity supported ongoing efforts to strengthen awareness of U.S. rice and demonstrate its versatility to Peruvian consumers.

As part of the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement that entered into force on February 1, 2009, U.S. rice can be exported to Peru duty-free.

Source : usarice