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Certified Angus Beef ®
brand records high marks
Sales up nearly 4% in fifth straight year of gains
Certified Angus Beef LLC, for the fifth consecutive year, reported record sales for its
signature brand of beef, with nine out of 12 months in fiscal 2011 hitting new heights.
Efforts by the brand’s licensed partners led to sales totaling 807 million pounds, an
increase of almost 4% over 2010’s previous record 777 million pounds.
The Certified Angus Beef ® brand’s sustained growth, particularly during a period of
significant economic downturns and rising costs across all segments of the industry,
shows its value to consumers and producers, said company president John Stika.
“The brand’s growth represents a wave of momentum that took more than 30 years to
build,” said Stika. The success, he added, is a function of both demand and supply of the
high-quality Angus beef.
Increased demand is not only proven by sales success, but also documented by new
research from Kansas State University that shows since 2002, demand for the Certified
Angus Beef ® brand has risen 56%, while demand for commodity Choice beef rose 20%.
Gains across all sectors
Stika noted the brand’s growth was balanced, with increases among steaks, end meats
and ground beef. Sales were especially strong during the summer grilling season, and
buoyed by licensed partners’ promotions of premium middle meat steaks. June, July and
August each surpassed the 70 million pound mark.
The rebounding economy meant more customers were dining out at the brand’s nearly
8,000 licensed restaurants, leading to a 11% increase in foodservice division sales,
totaling 250 million pounds. While new distribution was added in 2011, partners with
more than two years of sales saw increases over 8%, indicating sustained growth in the
sector.
Demand among the brand’s 5,900 licensed retailers remained strong, with the division
posting sales of more than 395 million pounds – 49% of the total. Retail partners that
featured the brand in circulars and implemented sales promotions found strong profit
opportunities despite rising costs.
Licensed partners outside the United States also found growth opportunities with the
brand, and netted record international sales of 90 million pounds – a 13% increase over
last year. Canada and Mexico represented the strongest foreign markets.
Demand continued to grow for high-quality convenience and fully-cooked items. Sales of
branded value-added products also set a sales record of 18.5 million pounds. Popular new
offerings included cooked, frozen sliced steak for fajitas, and meatloaf sliders.
Positive trends were also apparent on the supply side. Quality-minded ranchers continued
to respond to meet the market’s needs, ramping up their efforts to reach the brand’s
target. The result: a dominance of Angus genetics in the U.S. herd, an acceptance rate
that at 24% is the highest in 24 years, and more than 3.5 million head of cattle meeting
the brand’s high standards.
Nearly 16,000 businesses partner with the Certified Angus Beef ® brand in the United
States and 42 other countries, generating an estimated $4 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 blog at
www.GoRare.com.