Cheap Aukobe beef may come from stock nearing expiration, while red devil shrimp from the Mediterranean, priced at $150-200 per kilogram, is making its way into Tet (Lunar New Year) markets to cater to Vietnam's affluent.

The reality of cheap Aukobe beef flooding the Tet market

Marketed as the “cousin” of Japan’s Kobe beef, Aukobe beef is drawing attention with its marbled fat patterns and affordable pricing.

Despite being promoted as "excellent quality," Aukobe beef from Australia is surprisingly cheap, costing only 220,000-270,000 VND ($9-11) per kilogram. In the final days of 2024, this beef is in high demand.

Trần Văn Cuong, manager of a food retail chain in Hanoi, explains that the low price of Aukobe beef may be due to it being near its expiration date and thus sold off by warehouses. Additionally, technologies such as fat injection are used to create the marble-like fat veins commonly associated with high-quality beef.

This technique, also applied to Australia’s Hokubee beef, involves injecting fat into lean meat, giving it the marbled appearance prized by consumers.

However, because of the injected fat, thawed and cooked Aukobe beef tends to be less cohesive than naturally marbled meat, which explains its lower cost.

Red devil shrimp: The priciest shrimp on the market

The luxury seafood market is buzzing with activity as Tet approaches. Alongside traditional favorites like lobsters, king crabs, and abalone, stores are now stocking exotic imported seafood at premium prices.

Among these, red devil shrimp from the Mediterranean is a standout. Despite being similar in size to large tiger shrimp found in Vietnam, it commands a steep price of 3.5-4.7 million VND ($150-200) per kilogram for sizes ranging from 10 to 20 shrimp per kilogram.

With this pricing, red devil shrimp surpasses even lobster as the most expensive shrimp on the Vietnamese market this season.

Hanh Nguyen