BEEF RETAIL FACT SHEET
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BEEF InFOrmaTIOn FOr mEaT rETaILErS and ThEIr cUSTOmErS
Help Your Customers Navigate the Meat Case
Todays consumers are faced with a wide variety of beef products at their local supermarkets. As the meat case evolves to include new cuts and different types of beef, you are an important resource for customers seeking information to help them make the best beef choices for their families. Learning about the different kinds of beef available can help you condently answer customers questions about the range of beef offerings in the meat case. Being knowledgeable about beef choices builds your customers condence and loyalty, and in todays challenging economy, its more important than ever to help your customers feel good about the beef they buy. Direct customers to visit the Beef Its Whats for Dinner Web site and go to the Shopping for Beef section to become familiar with beef choices. They will also nd cooking tips and recipes.
Grain-Fed Beef Most widely produced kind of beef Generally graze on pasture before moving to a feedlot where they are fed a high-energy, grain-based diet Consumers appreciate grain-fed beef because of its tenderness, rich taste and avor-enhancing marbling Grass-Finished Beef Come from cattle whose feed source was grass and/ or forage for their entire lives Cannot be fed grain or grain by-products Cannot be labeled with a grass-fed or grass-finished claim unless verified by the AMS, the USDA agency that oversees marketing agreements and orders Often described as having a distinctly different flavor than grain-fed beef Certied Organic Beef Must meet USDA standards set by the Organic Foods Production Act Must be fed 100-percent organic feed and must be certified through AMS Cannot be administered growth hormones or antibiotics Natural Beef By definition, most beef is natural Natural may be used on a beef label if the beef does not contain artificial flavor/flavoring, coloring, chemical preservatives or any other articial or synthetic ingredient, and the beef is not more than minimally processed Additional marketing claims that consumers might see on natural beef, but that arent tied to the denition of natural include: Raised Without Hormones, Raised Without Antibiotics, 100% Vegetarian Feed, etc.
GRADING BREAKDOWN
59% of the beef in the meat case is not identied by quality grade. Of the meat that is labeled according to quality grade in the meat case, 34% is Choice, 7% is Select, and less than 1% (0.1%) is Prime.
Source: 2007 National Meat Case Study Research
BEEF ChOIcES 101
Explaining the various beef options will help your customers make informed choices that best t their needs. Study these basics so you can be ready when customers have questions about the differences among beef choices:
Branded Beef Branded beef programs follow that particular brands specications. These specications often include grade (see information below), marbling scores, feeding practices, etc. Some branded beef programs span several grades (i.e., a stores brand of beef might encompass the top level of Select through the bottom level of Choice)
Q. A re any of the different choices of beef safer for my family than the others? A. The great news is that all U.S. beef, regardless of type, is a safe and wholesome food that shares the unique combination of being good for you and tasting good. All beef sold in the U.S. is subject to stringent government regulations and inspection procedures to ensure safety.
STORE BRANDED BEEF ON THE RISE
Store branding is increasing in both whole muscle cuts and ground beef: For whole muscle cuts, store brands doubled in growth from 15% in 2004 to 31% in 2007. For ground beef, store brands tripled in growth from 7% in 2004 to 21% in 2007.
Source: 2007 National Meat Case Study Research
MakIng ThE GradE
Its always a good idea to get a refresher on the A-B-Cs of beef grading. Unlike beef inspection, the meat grading program administered by the USDA is voluntary. Quality grades indicate the tenderness, juiciness and avor of the cooked beef. Muscle firmness, color, texture, maturity and marbling are the factors that determine quality grades. A high amount of marbling is desirable from a avor and tenderness standpoint, but some customers choose less marbling for leanness. While there are eight USDA quality grades, only three grades are generally identied and sold at retail: Prime: has the most marbling. It is usually sold to restaurants, although some specialty meat markets and supermarkets may carry it. Choice: cuts tend to have a little less marbling than Prime. Select: has the least amount of marbling, making it a leaner option than the other two grades. To view photos of the differences among the three grades, visit Beef Training Camp at [Link]. [Link]/uDocs/NCBABTC2S9_4.pdf
AddITIOnaL RESOUrcES
NEW Grading Brochure a handy customer guide to selecting beef at the meat case [Link]/[Link] Beef Basics for Retailers gives complete info on quality grading [Link]/uDocs/NCBABTC2S9_4.pdf Beef Basics for Consumers provides a customerfriendly overview of beef choices [Link]/uDocs/NCBABTC2S10_7.pdf From Pasture to Plate Beef Choices a fact sheet outlining different types of beef for consumers [Link]/[Link] Beef Its Whats For Dinner Shopping for Beef section includes information on beef choices and grades, plus lots of easy, delicious recipes [Link]/ [Link]
WIn wITh BEEF FaST FacTS!
Heres your chance to win a Beef Its Whats for Dinner license plate! To enter, submit your answer to the following question at [Link]/ [Link]. How many beef grades are sold at retail?
ASk ThE EXpErTS
Q. D o any of the beef choices deliver greater nutritional benets than any other choice? A. A ll beef is an excellent or good source of nine essential nutrients we need every day. Every kind of beef is naturally nutrient-rich with eight times more vitamin B12, six times more zinc, and two and a half times more iron than a skinless chicken breast.
[Link] Copyright 2009 Cattlemens Beef Board and National Cattlemens Beef Association Funded by The Beef Checkoff
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