Less THAN 8% of beef earns the distinctive Certified Angus Beef ® Brand
Certified Angus Beef® brand
Certified Angus Beef ® brand standards exceed those of USDA Prime, Choice and Select graded beef.
• Increases sales • Grows profits • Improves customer satisfaction • Builds repeat
Within the Choice grade’s three marbling levels, the majority of beef falls into Small marbling. This is not enough marbling for Certified Angus Beef® brand.
3%
business
USDA Prime
5%
USDA Choice
15%
Moderate marbling
USDA Choice
The majority of USDA Choice misses our mark for exceptional juiciness and flavor.
Modest marbling
37%
USDA Choice Small marbling
40%
USDA Select
USDA qu
ality grad
es as a per cent of fe
derally gra
Marbling • • • • •
ded beef.
Source: U
Marbling is the main contributor of beef juiciness, flavor, and tenderness. It is the flecks of fat within the beef Beef with more marbling can be cooked to higher temperatures and still be juicy. Our standards require Modest or higher marbling. Certified Angus Beef® brand must be medium to fine marbling texture. Course marbling can negatively influence palatability.
SDA and 20
05 Nation
al Beef Q
uality Au
dit.
Maturity Beef harvested at the right time will have superior: • Color, Tenderness, Texture, Firmness • Certified Angus Beef® brand selects only “A” maturity—the most desired beef classification, which is derived from cattle harvested younger than approximately 30 months of age.* • USDA Prime and Choice can include “B” maturity cattle harvested at 30-42 months of age.* * United States Standards for grades of slaughter Cattle, effective January 31, 1997
100 Inwood Road Rocky Hill, CT. 06067
April 2013