Beef CheCkoff News

Consumer

Demand

for Beef Remains

Strong Among Inflation Woes, New Report Shows. During historic price levels, supply chain issues, and general consumer uncertainty about the future, beef remains a top source of protein. According to the newly released “Today’s Beef Consumer” report from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, demand for beef continues to remain strong. The compilation of research from 2022, outlined below, shows that despite various challenges faced by the industry, consumers have repeatedly stated that they will continue purchasing beef, both in retail and foodservice settings.

Consumer Insights - Consumer demand for beef remains strong overall.[i] In fact, more than ¾ of consumers reportedly eat beef on a weekly basis, or more.[ii] Inflation is certainly top of mind, and more than ¾ of consumers, 78 percent, report noticing an increase in the price of food, whether at retail or foodservice.[iii] Beef, however, has experienced far lower levels of inflation when compared to other proteins in the “food at home” category[iv], which we will explore next.

Retail - During the pandemic, consumers were forced to cook at home, and many have continued to do so as it has become a popular way to make a dollar stretch and combat inflation. Analysis for the Today’s Beef Consumer report found 76 percent of meals are now cooked at home, and 94 percent of consumers who are cooking more at home say they will continue to do so.[iii] In 2022, fresh ground beef accounted for 50 percent of volume of beef sales [v] , likely due to the lower price point as well as a renewed consumer interest in comfort foods and nostalgic recipes, like meatloaf. In 2022, meatloaf was also the most popular page on BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com, with almost 1.7 million pageviews. This trend is expected to continue as a recent survey found that 20 percent of consumers say they plan to purchase more ground beef in the coming year.[iii]

Foodservice - It is no surprise that beef sales at foodservice declined sharply in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, sales in both dollars and volume rebounded to surpass the pre-pandemic level of 2019.[vi]

Online Shopping - Another pandemic trend that seems to be here to stay is online shopping, both at retail and foodservice. There are 64 percent of consumers saying they are ordering groceries online, with 44 percent of consumers including fresh beef in those grocery orders. When it comes to foodservice, online ordering has become overwhelmingly popular. There are 80 percent of consumers saying they order meals online, and 70 percent use online ordering for burgers.[iii]

Beef Substitutes - Fresh meat and beef substitutes continue to represent a small percentage of the market. When it comes to protein sources, consumers consistently rank beef as a top source of protein.[ii]

As we head into 2023, demand for beef remains strong, and consumers continue to purchase and order beef, whether in person or online. To view the entire study, visit BeefResearch.org

References

[i]USDA, Economic Research Service, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

[ii] Directions Research, Consumer Beef Tracker January-December 2022

[iii] State of the Consumer Survey, August 2022

[iv]U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index, Not Seasonally Adjusted, Data Ending December 2022

[v] NielsonIQ, Discover, Full-Year 2022 Fresh Meat Sales by Primal, Data Ending December 31, 2022

[vi] GlobalData, Beef Produce by Channel in U.S., 2019-2023

Beef filled week at Daytona International Speedway culminates with Austin Hill winning the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300. Beef took center stage during NASCAR’s opening week as drivers raced to the checkered flag - and the beef - in Daytona. Austin Hill joins a prestigious list as the back to back winner of the 2023 Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300. NCBA once again partnered with Daytona International Speedway to sponsor the 42nd annual NASCAR Xfinity Series season opening race, one day before the iconic DAYTONA 500. For the second year in a row, Austin Hill drove into victory lane, where he was greeted by a buckle and the beef to close out a week that showcased all things beef and agriculture to race fans young and old.

“The race outdoes itself every year, and continues to be a huge hit among NASCAR fans,” said Clark Price, Federation Division Vice Chair for NCBA, “It’s an honor to be here for a third year to once again showcase the values of cattle farming and ranching that resonate with fans, and bring everyone together with beef on the grill.”

The Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300 is part of DAYTONA Speedweeks, presented by AdventHealth. Throughout the week, race fans had a chance to interact with farmers and ranchers, try their hand at roping, and of course, taste some delicious beef at the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. midway tent. Additionally, campers and tailgaters who sported signs showing they were grilling beef were surprised with beef gear, from steak seasoning packets to shirts and bags.

For race fans not able to join the tailgate in person, a satellite media tour took the tailgate to them. Just two days before the race, award winning chef Ryan Clark, Tucson’s Iron Chef for three consecutive years and Executive Chef for the AAA 4-Diamond and Forbes 4-Star Hotel Casino Del Sol, was live from the track for interviews with TV and radio stations across the country. Chef Clark shared two of his favorite race day recipes – Beef, Beer & Cheese Dip and BBQ Beef Sliders – both perfect for tailgating or homegating. And it wasn’t just race fans getting in on the fun. The United States Air Force Thunderbirds and members of the media were all treated to delicious beef meals prepared by chefs from the Beef Loving Texans on behalf of beef farmers and ranchers everywhere.

Finally, the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. brand was also showcased nationwide through various advertising efforts before and during the race. In addition to signage on the racetrack, funding from several State Beef Councils allowed for commercials showcasing beef to a national audience on FS1 during the race. Ads were also featured on various digital platforms, and billboards could be seen in the Daytona International Airport and along the highway approaching the speedway.

To learn more about the race and view all of the recipes showcased at the track, visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com.

About the Beef Checkoff. The Beef Checkoff was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The Checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States may retain up to 50¢ on the dollar and forward the other 50¢ per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.