Convenience driving new U.S. pork snack products in Mexico 

Mexico is the leading export market for U.S. pork, with purchases already topping a billion dollars this year. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) staff continue to build on that success, searching for new niches and markets within that market. 

In the past year they have found success working with processors to develop convenience snacks made from U.S. pork with support from USDA and the National Pork Board. It’s all about making protein easy to consume on the go. 

“I’m talking about more U.S. read meat products in convenience stores, in stadiums, in catering events, weddings, anniversaries, conferences,” explained USMEF Mexico Trade Manager Rigoberto Treviño. 

The effort started in 2024 with the development of Snack-Atelas, made with dried U.S. ham. USMEF worked with one of the largest convenience store operators in the country, OXXO, to produce and promote the product in the chain’s 22,000 outlets. Snack-Atelas are now available all across Mexico. 

USMEF worked with processor Carnes Ramos to develop Chicha-Ramen, an instant ramen noodle soup that is made with chicharron produced from U.S. pork jowl. It is available not only at various events in Mexico and Ramos retail outlets but is also served on Viva Aerobus flights. 

Next up was an easy-to-prepare, easy-to-carry snack designed for soccer matches, music festivals and other outdoor events. 

“We started that idea with a cone that is filled with bites of pork jowl chicharron, because if you are in a festival, in a concert, or in a soccer match or something like that, you want to eat something that is very easy to buy and to eat,” Treviño said. 

The “chicharron in a cone” was introduced at the Pal Norté music festival in Monterrey and was served alongside Chicha-Ramen and other U.S. pork snack items where it was exposed to more than 80,000 fans per day over the three-day event. 

The cones are also now being served at soccer matches in Mexico. 

“We have some numbers that in every soccer match in Monterey, Mexico, they sell between 2,000 to 3,000 cones of chicharron,” Treviño said. “You put some salsa on it, and you can eat it on the go. It’s like $6 each cone, and it’s a great success – the vendors are selling a lot of these products.” 

In Aguascalientes, a central Mexican city known for its vibrant cantina scene and casual dining culture, USMEF recently showcased a range of U.S. pork variety meats to 150 foodservice customers in three different events, positioning these items as innovative additions to local menus. 

“We developed special recipes for several variety meat items and shared cost and pricing estimates for each item,” Treviño said. “We provided tasting samples and demonstrated how each product could be promoted and presented to their customers.” 

The featured variety meat items included: Pork jowl, pork tongue, pork stomach, pork snout, pork brains, beef sweetbreads and beef small intestines. Expanding demand for these items in Mexico has long been a priority but has taken on heightened importance due to trade obstacles that are limiting exports to China. 

Even in well-established markets like Mexico, USMEF continues to search for new areas to build demand for U.S. red meat. Developing consumer-friendly products utilizing cuts that command little attention in the domestic market is a great example. 

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