ACCRA, GHANA – The three-year Global Based Initiative (GBI) that USA Rice runs with partners USA Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) and the American Peanut Council (APC) has entered its final year and kicked off 2016 activities with foodservice seminars here and in the city of Kumasi and with high impact billboards in key shopping areas of both cities.
Three hundred and fifty artisanal caterers participated in the seminar in Accra, and more than 300 took part in Kumasi’s activities. Additional outreach took place with culinary students at polytechnic schools in both cities; the GBI supplied informational booklets to the schools for use with their students and in developing curriculum.
Session participants were taken through various presentations on U.S.-grown rice, U.S. poultry and American peanut butter including short videos on the products that covered preparation and other information. A group leader was also available to answer any questions from the cooks, and there were many.
A highlight of the event was the taste testing. Attendees were given rice balls made from U.S. rice known locally as “Omo Tuo”, fried U.S. chicken pieces and American peanut butter soup with chicken, all ingredients donated by the local importers.
Attendees were surveyed at the conclusion of the seminar and reported overwhelmingly that they believe U.S.-grown rice is the highest quality for commercial cooking. This good news is offset by the fact that U.S. imports here have been declining, mostly displaced by low cost, low quality rice, mainly from Viet Nam.
“Although we don’t necessarily see the situation for U.S. rice improving significantly in this market any time soon, we do see value in educating these students – future chefs and caterers – early in their professional careers should the market shift or should they find themselves in a market more hospitable to U.S. rice,” said Jim Guinn vice president of international promotion for USA Rice. “We always leave behind useful information and recipes using U.S. rice, poultry, and peanut butter, and these materials are utilized in the culinary schools here, keeping our products top of mind.”
Guinn said the billboard campaign is designed to enhance visibility for these products with consumers. Seven billboards featuring dishes cooked with U.S. rice, poultry, and peanut butter have been put up in high traffic areas near markets and will remain up for the next five months.