The numbers tell a story sure to warm the hearts of Canadian cattle producers.
Recently released figures show retail sales of fresh beef have hit record levels in Canada.
Retail sales during the year ending June 30 topped $1.6 billion, said Joan Perrin, the Beef Information Centre’s producer communications manager. Those sales represented 250 million kilograms of beef.
Meanwhile, more Canadian households are buying beef. Households are also making bigger purchases of beef and are spending more money for it.
Overall demand for beef increased 2.7 percent in Canada last year, according to data compiled by Statistics Canada and Canfax.
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Beef is also making gains in the food service industry. The demand increased two percent during the one-year period ending May 31. That was on top of a three percent jump the previous year.
Burgers are still king, representing more than 75 percent of the beef meals sold through the food service industry. Next were meals with steaks, roast beef, stew and chili.
Steak sales have increased almost four percent.
What is driving this increased appetite for beef?
Michael Bird, chair of the Alberta Cattle Commission’s beef promotion committee, gave part of the credit to the nation’s strong economy.
New marketing programs
However, he said efforts of the Beef Information Centre are also paying dividends.
Those efforts have included the new retail naming system, new convenient products, and improved quality and consistency from branded beef programs.
As part of the retail naming system, cooking methods are included with the beef sold by stores.
Most stores across the country have implemented the retail naming system. It has become a model that other countries are starting to adopt.
“It’s a very simple way of helping the consumer cook the product right,” Perrin said.
The Beef Information Centre has also focused positive publicity on the nutritional value of beef in a healthy diet.
The centre, funded by a producer checkoff, is the marketing and promotion arm of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association.
