Particle.news
Download on the App Store
3 ARTICLES
·
6d ago

U.S. Beef Disappears from Beijing Menus as Tariffs Reshape Supply Chains

American-style restaurants in Beijing are switching to Australian beef and Canadian pork after steep tariffs make U.S. meat unaffordable.

A general view of Home Plate BBQ, an American-style restaurant, in Beijing, China April 17, 2025. REUTERS/Tiffany Le
Charles de Pellette, Operations Director of the restaurant, poses for a picture next to U.S. beef and pork in a smokehouse, at Home Plate BBQ, an American-style restaurant, in Beijing, China April 17, 2025. REUTERS/Tiffany Le
A staff member shows U.S. pork and beef in a smokehouse at Home Plate BBQ, an American-style restaurant, in Beijing, China April 17, 2025. REUTERS/Tiffany Le

Overview

  • Beijing's 125% retaliatory tariffs on U.S. beef, added to an existing 22%, have made American beef prohibitively expensive for restaurants.
  • Home Plate BBQ, a popular American-style restaurant in Beijing, will fully transition to Australian beef and Canadian pork by May 2025.
  • U.S. brisket prices had already risen nearly 50% between May 2024 and March 2025 before doubling further due to the tariffs.
  • Australian beef, which is 40% cheaper, has been well-received by customers during trials, according to Home Plate's operations director.
  • The loss of $125 million in monthly U.S. beef exports to China highlights broader trade war impacts on global supply chains.