Beef Industry Answers Demand with New Beef Value Cuts Resources

DENVER (July 29, 2003)—To encourage further expansion and incremental sales of Beef Value Cuts, America’s Beef Producers through their $1-per-head checkoff program have released updated educational materials for their most requested reference tool – the Beef Value Cuts Guide.

For the first time, these materials, along with the entire Beef Value Cuts Guide are now available free of charge to beef industry professionals. 

The updated materials include a laminated cutting guide featuring updated photos and more-detailed instructions, and a Spanish-language version instruction video.  Additionally, the beef industry is taking on a new venture to educate consumers on the new steaks with a take-away piece available to retailers and state beef councils. 

“Beef Value Cuts Guide materials are regularly updated to provide industry professionals with the most clear and concise instructions on how to create these new steaks,” said Betty Hogan, director of new product marketing for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). “Now at no charge, retailers can access these resources in order to better create and market the new cuts.”

The new laminated cutting guides and Spanish-language video are additions to the complete Beef Value Cuts Guide, which also includes an instruction manual, a VHS training video, and a comprehensive CD-ROM combined in a multi-tab three ring binder. The Guide provides a complete turnkey program with several tools designed to make it easy for processors, manufacturers, retailers and foodservice operators to understand and implement Beef Value Cuts.

“The tools found in the Beef Value Cuts Guide have helped us to more efficiently create and sell these innovative cuts from the chuck and round,” said Mike Stout, director of marketing for Tyson.  “By educating us on these new steaks, the Guide has helped us successfully take this product to market quickly and efficiently.”

With the grilled taste of beef being the number one reason Americans enjoy grilling (NPD Group 2001), America’s Beef Producers created the consumer take-away piece to capture that new steak smell. The car “dangler,” can be hung from a car’s rear-view mirror and is intended to entice consumers’ taste buds and eyes with the aroma of grilled beef and a delicious color photograph of a grilled steak.

The “dangler” features photos and information on the six most popular cuts in the program. The piece directs consumers to their local retailer and the Web site www.BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com for further information. Retailers are encouraged to feature the “dangler” at their meat counters, demonstrations and sampling sessions. State beef councils are being asked to provide the “dangler” to consumers during state-run events such as fairs, and other sampling opportunities.

Beef Value Cuts are steaks cut from the chuck and round that are the result of a new cutting approach, taking the best portion of what used to be sold as larger roasts and cutting these into individual steaks. These cuts were selected for their palatability, tenderness and flavor. Because of the new cutting method, they have no wasteful fat trim or connective tissue. The cuts offer the consumer many positive benefits, including convenience, affordability and versatility.

To order the FREE Beef Value Cuts materials, please contact the NCBA Customer Service Department at 800-368-3138 and request them by their item numbers (as listed below).

The Laminated Beef Value Cuts Cutting Guide Insert (Item 24704) is a 2 piece insert that details how to create Shoulder Tender, Flat Iron and Ranch Cut Steaks using step-by-step instructions and color photographs. Designed for use in cutting rooms, these laminated cutting guides are made from a food safe plastic that can be wiped off and cleaned.

The Beef Value Cuts Training Video – Spanish Language Version (Item 24629) is a 26-minute step-by-step cutting and training video that includes detailed demonstrations and Spanish-narrated instruction for each cut in a clear, concise and simple way.        

The “New Steak Smell” Dangler (Item 24705) is a scented dangler that can hang from a car’s rear-view mirror. A descriptive over-wrap features photos and information about the new cuts and the dangler smells like steak grilled to perfection, designed for State Beef Councils to distribute at events and retailers to feature at their meat counters.   

The Complete Guide to Beef Value Cuts (Item 24623) is a multi-tab three-ring binder with sections covering retail cut information, cooking instructions and consumer recipes, foodservice cut information, menu suggestions and recipe cards, costing and profit information, a list of packer raw material sources and summaries of checkoff-funded research.  Each binder includes a Beef Value Cuts Training Video and a Beef Value Cuts CD-ROM.

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