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Transparency Issues in the U.S. Food System: Kobe Beef
Apr 23
 Social Media Specialist |
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Is Kobe beef really what’s for dinner? According to a recent article by Forbes.com food writer Larry Olmsted, the Kobe beef trend we’re seeing U.S. restaurants, suppliers and storefronts advertising is misleading.
“You cannot buy Japanese Kobe beef in [the U.S.]. Not in stores, not by mail, and certainly not in restaurants. No matter how much you have spent, how fancy a steakhouse you went to, or which of the many celebrity chefs who regularly feature “Kobe beef” on their menus you believed, you were duped. You may have had an imitation from the Midwest, Great Plains, South America or Australia, where they produce a lot of what I call “Faux-be” beef.”
As Olmsted mentions, the Kobe label in this case is being used solely as a marketing ploy as it is illegal to import or even hand carry any Japanese beef into the country. He says these statements are just a con that U.S. food industry is employing to justify a higher selling price for the supposedly high-end beef.
When it comes to transparency, claiming Kobe is more than likely creating a step back for the food system as a whole. Making false claims, whether on the food label or on a menu, hinders credibility in answering the overarching consumer-driven question: “Where does my food come from?”
Just take a quick look at how Olmsted’s article is generating buzz, mistrust and influencing consumer opinion on social media:
So what do you think … is more regulation needed in the food system? Or should we rely on social-media generated transparency to force out false claims naturally? Is it necessary for the food system to further inform the general public about falsified claims? Share your stance on this issue below.
Rich Kottmeyer, Accenture
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2 Responses for "Transparency Issues in the U.S. Food System: Kobe Beef"
This is a very interesting concern that raises questions regarding are we eating what we think we are eating and who is responsible for answering the initial question.
After doing some further research, I have found that what is marketed as Kobe beef is actually produced from Wagyu cattle in the United States. Kobe Beef America or KBA is actually how Kobe-like beef should be marketed in the United States.
As the NPR story brings up, true Japanese Kobe beef comes from a breed of cattle called Tajima. Tajima cattle cannot be imported to the United States nor can their meat.
While I do not feel that more regulation is needed in the food system, I feel like it is the role of communicators and marketers to accurately let the consumers know what they are eating. Social media plays a large role in marketing products today, and allows things to easily be shared to reach several people at once. When I think about the food system having a role about educating the general public about falisified food claims, I think more than just the food system is responsible. I think the marketing agencys also play a role in this, after all they are generally what link the producers to the consumers. When agencies and producers work together, the general public will have increased awareness about what they are eating, where it comes from and how it is getting from the pasture to their plate.
Thanks for your comment and information you provided on Kobe beef in the U.S., Tiffani.
I couldn’t agree with you more that it is the role of marketers and communicators to be addressing these concerns and issues. Ultimately, a more informed public is the key to answering the question: “Where does my food come from?”
In the food system, we see many of these transparency issues covered online–whether that be a major news publication or individual activist. However, it seems that articles such as Larry Olmsted’s are becoming more common as a way to uncover transparency issues in the food system.
Do you think the impact of articles like these that influence consumer opinion will be enough to change the claims that are generating this mistrust? And to play devil’s advocate, what besides regulation will stop those who are making false/misleading claims when it comes to food labeling and transparency in the food system?
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