Business briefs
Our monthly business report—in short
March 2008
Online instruction
Consumers can now access step-by-step instructions for braising, grilling, pan roasting, roasting and sautéing beef on the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB® ) Web site. Scott Popovic, CAB® corporate chef, simplifies popular beef cooking techniques in downloadable videos that address consumers' most common cooking questions. To view the demonstrations, go to www.certifiedangusbeef.com, click on "In the Kitchen" and select "Cooking Videos" from the drop-down menu. They are also available on YouTube. Instructional videos are a new tool in the brand's unparalleled marketing arsenal.
Shopping for selection
The annual National Shopping Behavior Study is out from The Gordman Group, and findings include that selection seems to be more important to most consumers than price.
According to the study, when consumers reported spending more in a specific store, selection was the reason 45% of the time and price was the reason 19% of the time. At the same time, when consumers reported spending less in a specific store, selection was the reason 40% of the time and price was the reason 13% of the time.
Price Chopper in Albany, N.Y. is one example of a retailer increasing its Certified Angus Beef ® selections. In addition to fresh brand cuts, Price Chopper also offers CAB ® Natural in some stores. Recently, Price Chopper introduced dry aged Certified Angus Beef ® steaks – giving customers an additional option. The strategy builds relationships with consumers and positions the retailer as the destination for a wider selection of products from a trusted brand.
Cooking in NorfolkS
In February, the Certified Angus Beef ® brand was the presenting sponsor at the Norfolk Home & Flower Show in Norfolk, Va. Chef Scott Popovic took center stage with cooking demonstrations throughout the three-day event. Chefs from Farm Fresh and Croc's 19th Street Bistro, both licensed partners, also presented demonstrations.
Consumers flocked to the Certified Angus Beef ® booth for free samples of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce and a chance to make and take their own spice blends. Promotions mirrored a similar event held in the Albany, N.Y. market the week before. Consumer events such as these provide opportunities to interact with consumers and educate them about the Certified Angus Beef ® brand.
CAB appointment
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) has appointed five representatives of the meat, livestock and grain industries to its executive committee as at-large directors. Among them is Mark Spengler, CAB director of international sales.
At Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB), Spengler and his team solicit, review and support partners worldwide to represent the brand in local markets. Spengler earned an MBA from Illinois Institute of Technology with a concentration in International Business.
Others appointed to the committee are: Mark Boyd, director of sales for Porky Products Inc.; Danita Rodibaugh, pork producer from Rensselaer, Ind. and past president of the National Pork Board who served on the USMEF executive committee in 2007; David Ross, international markets coordinator for Smithfield Foods; and Ken Stielow, owner of Bar S Ranch in Paradise, Kan. as well as past president of the Kansas Livestock Association and 2007 chairman of the Cattlemen's Beef Board.
"I am very pleased that these five outstanding individuals have consented to volunteer their time and energy to the USMEF executive committee," said Dan Halstrom, chairman of USMEF. "They each bring in-depth knowledge of their specific market segment to a board that represents all aspects that are critical to the U.S. meat export market."
Beef for charity
Certified Angus Beef ® partners feel a deep connection with and responsibility to the community around them. Recently two licensed partners teamed with the brand to benefit the needy.
SYSCO Food Services of Central California Inc., Modesto, Calif., teamed up with Holten Meat Inc. and Certified Angus Beef LLC for a beef donation with the Fresno State University football team, winners of the 2007 Roady's Humanitarian Bowl. The football team used its victory in a pre-bowl game bowling event to benefit a local charity serving the hungry and homeless.
Fresno State Coach Pat Hill and T.J. Leonard of SYSCO Food Services of Central California, the 2008 Certified Angus Beef ® Specialist of the Year, presented Poverello House with a donation of 402 pounds of Holten Meat's Thick 'N Juicy ® patties.
The team won the burgers by scoring 201 points in the Certified Angus Beef ® Bowl for Beef, which pitted Fresno State players against the Georgia Tech team. For each pin knocked down, players earned a two-pound beef donation to a hometown charity of their choice. Food Services of America-Boise organized the bowling event as part of its Humanitarian Bowl sponsorship.
"We are extremely grateful to Coach Pat Hill and the Bulldogs for choosing Poverello House as the beneficiary for this project," said Jim Connell, executive director of Poverello House. "This donation will allow us to continue to serve our mission of feeding the poor, hungry and homeless of the community. We'd also especially like to thank SYSCO Food Services for providing the beef."
In Virginia, a "Red Zone" event at Croc's 19th Street Bistro on Super Bowl Sunday netted a $300 donation to the March of Dimes Virginia Chapter.
The restaurant, which was named the first Virginia Green restaurant for promoting environmentally friendly practices, featured a combination of red meat, red wine and Red Bull during the Super Bowl. Patrons who ordered the featured red meat item, CAB ® Oriental Marinated Steak Skewers, had a donation made in their honor to the March of Dimes. CAB donated additional funds for each point scored by the New York Giants and the New England Patriots during the game.
"We're so glad we were able to support the March of Dimes on Super Bowl Sunday," said Croc's owner Laura Wood Habr. "It has always done great work, and I support its efforts to protect babies, mothers and children from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke."
Croc's 19th Street Bistro is known for its coastal cuisine with a twist. It features an award-winning wine list and is the Commonwealth's first Virginia Green restaurant. Locally owned and operated for 14 years, Croc's is located near the Virginia Beach Convention Center and prides itself on its culture of fun and camaraderie. In 2005, it was honored by the National Restaurant Association with its Good Neighbor Award for "going above and beyond in giving back to its community."
Tenderness for mom
When it comes to steak, filet mignon – also called the tenderloin – tops the list for tenderness. It's also the top-rated steak for sales strength in fine-dining, casual, family-dining and hotel categories. Filet mignon's distinctive style requires little fuss and makes it a perfect cut for Mother's Day.
"Filet mignon satisfies customers' tastes whether it's simply grilled and seasoned, or delicately sauced," says Scott Popovic, Certified Angus Beef ® corporate chef. "The beauty of the Certified Angus Beef ® filet is that it requires little preparation to simply taste great."
Filet mignon has higher demand in summer and holiday seasons, making it typically more affordable January through March.
See photo
Pan Roasted Filet with Red Wine Reduction recipe
For further information contact Jennifer Kiko, 800/225-2333, Ext. 265.
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