2005 News Archive
For Immediate Release
CONTACT: Joe Schuele 303-850-3360 jschuele@beef.org
Diane Henderson 303-850-3465 dhenderson@beef.org
(NOTE: Electronic photography of the Steak Fanatic Pizza advertisement is available upon request.)
BEEF CHECKOFF, DOMINO’S PIZZA JOIN FORCES AGAIN
“Steak Fanatic Pizza” makes Labor Day premiere
CENTENNIAL, COLO. (Sept. 6, 2005) – Building on previous success with specialty pizzas that feature steak, the Beef Checkoff Program and Domino’s Pizza introduced the new “Steak Fanatic Pizza” in a joint promotion this month. The Steak Fanatic Pizza features steak, mushrooms, fire-roasted onions and provolone cheese.
A previous joint promotion of Domino’s Philly Cheese Steak Pizza was a definitive success, and cattlemen who lead the Beef Checkoff Program are looking for similar results with the Steak Fanatic Pizza.
“The Philly Cheese Steak Pizza was a huge hit with consumers in the fall of 2003,” said Sid Sumner, a Florida cattle producer and chairman of the checkoff’s Joint Foodservice Committee. “When we ran the promotion with the Philly Cheese Steak Pizza, Domino’s exceeded its 12-week sales expectations in the first two weeks alone. So naturally, the Beef Checkoff Program is very excited to be back in partnership with Domino’s.”
The joint promotion for the Steak Fanatic Pizza was initiated on behalf of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and state beef councils by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA). The NCBA serves as one of the Beef Board’s contractors for checkoff-funded programs.
A medium Steak Fanatic Pizza will sell for $9.99, and customers have the option to “Heap it On” by adding an extra helping of steak for $2 more.
“Domino’s is the world pizza delivery leader and brings powerful national name recognition, advertising and marketing to the table,” Sumner said. “When we can partner with a national, visible force like Domino’s Pizza to promote beef, it’s a great leveraging of checkoff dollars.”
The Philly Cheese Steak Pizza was just one of nearly 25 foodservice partnerships for the Beef Checkoff Program during the last several years. In fact, between 2001 and 2004, the checkoff allocated a total of about $2 million in checkoff funding to foodservice partnerships, while the restaurant partners have invested more than $122 million – more than $60 for every checkoff dollar invested.
Ken Calwell, Domino’s chief marketing officer, shares Sumner’s excitement for the Steak Fanatic Pizza promotion, and the opportunity to partner with the Beef Checkoff Program.
“Our customers have responded very well to advertising using the Beef Check Logo,” said Calwell. “They know it is the mark of a high-quality product, and it is a perfect complement to a great new high-quality pizza like the Steak Fanatic Pizza.”
Domino’s new Steak Fanatic Pizza is available nationwide beginning September 5. It will be promoted in Domino’s television, radio and print advertising, featuring the headline, “Steak, It’s What’s for Pizza.” This variation on the award-winning “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner.” slogan was approved for use by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board for this promotion.
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The Beef Checkoff Program 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 retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval. The checkoff assessment became mandatory when the program was approved by 79 percent of producers in a 1988 national referendum vote. Checkoff revenues may be used for promotion, education and research programs to improve the marketing climate for beef.
Producer-directed and consumer-focused, the NCBA is the trade association of America’s cattle farmers and ranchers, and the marketing organization for the largest segment of the nation’s food and fiber industry.