WOOSTER, Ohio – As consumer demand continues to climb for premium beef, the Certified Angus Beef ® brand honored industry leaders for their innovation and dedication to quality. Chefs, retailers, food distributors, packers and ranchers gathered Sept. 20-22 in Sunriver, Ore., to recognize their peers and discuss restaurant and supermarket trends along with successful business practices.
“Our partners have elevated the brand and their businesses with creative marketing, new product development and sales growth,” said John Stika, brand president. “Through their efforts, they are fueling the quality beef movement and building more momentum for all involved in the Certified Angus Beef ® brand as they satisfy consumer demand for great-tasting beef.”
Top awards recognized suppliers for Certified Angus Beef ® promotions and product integrity.
• National Beef Packing Company LLC, Kansas City, Mo., received the Packer Marketer of the Year and Commitment to Integrity awards. National Beef advertises the brand in trade magazines and offers point-of-sale materials on its website. Dedication to maintaining the brand’s identification through production and distribution earned the integrity award. The company also earned the Fabricator Proficiency Award for most beef sold per certified carcass.
• JBS Swift & Company, Greeley, Colo., International Packer Marketer of the Year, identifies new international customers and provides education for its sales team, customers and waitstaff.
• Dan’s Prize, Long Prairie, Minn., Processor Commitment to Integrity award, works closely with the brand’s staff for new product approvals and provides timely documentation.
• AdvancePierre Foods, Enid, Okla., was named the Processor Marketer of the Year, leading it to gain the Top Sales Volume Processor and Top Processor Sales Volume Increase awards. AdvancePierre Foods offered 140 marketing projects this year and distributed numerous pointof- sale materials dedicated to the brand.
• United Source One Inc., Belcamp, Md., Export Marketer of the Year, hosted educational programs and participated in food shows in key international markets. A new on-staff chef features the brand at events and seminars.
Additional companies were recognized for the most Certified Angus Beef ® product sold during the past year.
• Tyson Fresh Meats Inc., Dakota City, Neb., Top Sales Volume Fabricator.
• Cargill Meat Solutions, Wichita, Kan., Top Sales Volume International Packer.
• Cargill Food Distribution, Miami, Top Sales Volume Exporter.
• Wolverine Packing Company, Detroit, Top Sales Volume Ground Beef Processor.
Three companies received Million Head Awards for number of Angus-influenced cattle certified for the brand during their longevity as licensed packers. Greater Omaha Packing, Omaha, Neb., received the award for one million cattle certified. Receiving two million head awards were Cargill Meat Solutions, Ft. Morgan, Colo., and JBS Swift & Co., Grand Island, Neb.
Foodservice
Foodservice distributors were recognized for their marketing, sales and commitment to integrity.
• Newport Meat Company, Irvine, Calif., was recognized with the Foodservice Commitment to Integrity award. Team members help restaurateurs maximize profits with menu offerings and brand promotions. Their focus on quality includes Certified Angus Beef ® brand Prime and Natural products, which earned the Foodservice Brand Extension Marketer of the Year honors. The company was also recognized as the Top Sales Volume Foodservice Specialty Meat
Company.
• Comercial Norteamericana, Monterrey, Mexico, received the International Commitment to Integrity award. Staff assists premier restaurants and steakhouses nationwide with promotions and ensures proper trademark use on menus.
• DeBragga, New York’s Butcher, New York, Specialty Meat Company Marketer of the Year, held promotions at the Wine and Food Festival, Tour de Beef and through the JBF Ltd. pop-up store in the city’s meatpacking district this spring.
• PERFORMANCE Foodservice, Henrico, Va., Broadline Foodservice Distributor Marketer of the Year, offers weekly product features and monthly training programs for the sales team.
• GFS Montreal and GFS Quebec, International Distributor Marketer of the Year, features new products at food shows and training sessions for restaurateurs. Promotional tools were developed in the French language to reach new customers.
• Sysco Columbia, S.C., Foodservice Value-Added Products Marketer of the Year, offers consultation and product sampling to help customers select the best menu items. They also work with brokers to feature products at food shows.
• Sysco Houston received the Top Sales Volume Broadline Foodservice Distributor award. Adding fajita meat and offering weekly features helped Sysco Houston sell the most Certified Angus Beef ® product during the year. Promotions and food shows also attracted new business.
• Conference attendees selected Sysco Columbia and Lone Star Foodservice, Austin, Texas, to receive People’s Choice Awards for their results-driven sales contests.
Marketing awards honored four restaurants.
• Hash House A Go Go, Las Vegas, Restaurant Chain Marketer of the Year, effectively uses radio, television and social media to reach customers. Attention-grabbing promotions included a corned beef eating contest for St. Patrick’s Day, as well as steak specials for lunch and dinner.
• Jag’s Steak and Seafood, West Chester, Ohio, Restaurant Marketer of the Year, hosted a media luncheon and participated in “1 Night-12 Kitchens,” an event that benefits the Midwest Culinary Institute at Cincinnati State. Chef Michelle Brown also helped local chefs feature the brand at the city’s Spring Restaurant Week.
• L.G. Smith’s Steak & Chop House, Aruba, International Independent Restaurant Marketer of the Year, hosts dinners with U.S. chefs. Billboard advertising and waitstaff training lead customers to the restaurant and favored steaks on its menu.
• Restaurante El Diego, San Pedro, Nuevo Leon, the International Restaurant Chain Marketer of the Year, promotes the brand year-round on “to go” menus, the Web, table tents, placemats and logos placed above the grills.
Retail
Seven retail companies were recognized for Certified Angus Beef ® promotions and brand integrity.
• Foodland Supermarkets Ltd., Honolulu, Retail Marketer of the Year, leads customers to the meat case with steak promotions and in-store cookouts. Advertising, social media and the corporate chef share meal solutions and beef tips for shoppers.
• HEB, Escobedo, Nuevo Leon, International Retail Marketer of the Year, advertises premium cuts in television, print and on billboards. Promotions for frankfurters and deli meats helped the company earn the International Value-added Products Marketer of the Year award. The company’s television commercial was selected by conference attendees to receive the People’s Choice Award for creative advertising.
• The Fred W. Albrecht Grocery Company, Akron, Ohio, Retail Value-Added Products Marketer of the Year, added Certified Angus Beef ® deli meats to its lineup this year. Activities included point-of-sale materials, in-store promotions, features in the weekly circular and staff training.
• Reasor’s Inc., Tahlequah, Okla., received Retail Brand Extension Marketer of the Year honors. Reasor’s markets the brand, including Certified Angus Beef ® brand Prime and Natural, using billboards, in-store signage, weekly features and coupons.
• Quality Food Centers, Bellevue, Wash., Retail Advertiser of the Year, effectively uses weekly circulars, radio promotions and consumer events to promote high-quality beef.
• Cermak Produce, Chicago, Retail Rising Star, has made the brand a central focus of the meat case since the stores began offering it in November. The circular features items nearly every week, helping to substantiate the retailer’s focus on quality.
• Oxford Trading Company, Westwood, Mass., received the Retail Commitment to Integrity award for its focus on offering quality beef and helping retailers grow sales through promotions and new products.
Eight more companies received awards for the most Certified Angus Beef ® product sold during the past year.
• Meijer Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich., Top Sales Volume Large Chain Retailer.
• Strack & Van Til, Highland, Ind., Top Sales Volume Small Chain Retailer.
• Skogen’s Festival Foods, Onalaska, Wis., Top Retail Average Volume Per Store – More than 10 stores.
• McKinnon Butcher Shop North Inc., Danvers, Mass., Top Retail Average Volume Per Store – 10 or fewer stores.
• Baesler’s Market, Terre Haute, Ind., Top Sales Volume Single Store Retailer.
• Bi-Lo Inc., Greenville, S.C., Top Retail Sales Volume Increase.
• SuperValu – Midwest Region, Pleasant Prairie, Wis., Top Sales Volume Retail Distributor.
• TOPCO Associates Inc., Skokie, Ill., Top Sales Volume Cooperative.
Nearly 14,000 businesses partner with the brand in the United States and 46 other countries, generating an estimated $3.7 billion in consumer sales annually. Introduced in 1978, the Certified Angus Beef ® brand is a cut above USDA Prime, Choice and Select thanks to 10 strict quality standards. For more information, visit www.certifiedangusbeef.com or follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter or the www.gorare.com blog.
Source: Certified Angus Beef Brand