US beef is back in Central's freezers
Central Food Retail Co Ltd, operator of Central Food Hall and Marketplace by Tops, is importing US beef for sale in its five branches following the lifting of the ban on imports.
The Thai government banned the import of US beef since the mad-cow scare in mid 2004 and lifted the ban only on February 15 this year. Central Food Retail's vice president for international food and wine, Nick Reitmeier, said that US beef would be available at Central Food Hall-Chidlom and Marketplace by Tops at Thong Lor, Bang Na, Sukhumvit 19 and Phuket Festival branches. "Most of our customers have been waiting to buy US beef since the government ban," he said. The company believes that its US beef sales this year will be more than two tons, worth up to Bt6 million - nearly the sales in 2003 before the ban. Reitmeier said that most customers would switch from buying Australian beef to US beef. Since the ban, sales of Australian beef rose from one ton a year to three tons last year, worth Bt5 million.
Somluck Srimalee The Nation
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