Are you a beef expert?

August 3,2011

We all fashion ourselves to be experts of some sort… personally, I consider myself an expert in airport navigation. But thinking back to some of my first solo flight experiences as a young beef ambassador, I recall how terrifying airports were to me.

I can still remember the sheer panic that gripped me when my connecting flight to California for the World Ag Expo was cancelled. I was stuck in the Las Vegas airport overnight. By myself. As a 17 year old. I cried a little bit in the airport bathroom. I didn’t know where to go or what to do. I was hungry and tired. I sat on my carryon bag for fear that if I closed my eyes for a wink of sleep, all my worldly possessions would be stolen by the zoo of strange travelers.

By the time I returned to Las Vegas on vacation four years later, I had learned a few things. Like how to select an outfit that will seamlessly disassemble to get through metal detectors. My carryon bag is strategically packed so liquids and electronics slide in and out without having to dump the contents of my bag out on the security conveyer. Terminal navigation is a breeze, airport restaurants and bars are some of my favorite social hot spots, and I sometimes show up for flights extra early because I honestly just love being in airports (most days). My experience there had done a complete 360 degree turn around.

So what changed? Traveling with other experienced fliers, keeping updated on the latest security procedures and learning through experience turned this former scared novice into an airport semi-pro.

What’s that got to do with the beef business? In many airport and sidewalk conversations, I’ve learned that one of the largest hurdle we have to overcome in clinching consumer beef purchases comes down to this: the meat case is intimidating! Most people (myself included at one time) are overwhelmed by the options and choices presented at the grocery store. Our consumers don’t feel empowered to make a good beef purchase.

They’re the terrified 17-year-old clutching their luggage in the airport, scared to make a move for fear it will be the wrong one. Except they’re clutching a shopping cart, scared to spend a big chunk of money on a piece of meat they might not know what to do with.

I’ve watched people in the grocery store pause pondering in front of a meat case, and I can only image what’s going through their heads: Why’s this so much more expensive than that? Does Select mean it’s the best selection? Maybe I could just chuck this chuck roast on the grill… ?

Our team spends a lot of time educating folks on navigating the meat case – just like navigating an airport,it takes experience and education to feel comfortable and confident. Recently,Mark and I headed to Madison, New Jersey to visit about 1,100 Pfizer Inc., employees and help them become beef experts. The company’s Madison campus houses some of its Animal Health division employees, but it’s largely focused on their human health divisions.

We participated in the company’s inaugural Ag Day there in Madison. It was an opportunity for their animal health division employees to educate their peers on the livestock industry, and we were excited to be invited to help share the beef industry’s story.  We had a meat case set up to display some of the best cuts for grilling, showcase quality grade comparisons and talk about how to navigate a beef purchase.

The touch-screen “Are You a Beef Expert?” quiz we had set up was also a hit. Folks were lining up to test their knowledge and learn more. It was so exciting to hear people say things like, “I can’t wait to go to the store and buy a flat iron now that I know what it is!”

The quiz was such a hit, I thought we’d bring it to you, too. Go ahead and give it a try:

Find the answers to the Beef Expert”s quiz on our facebook fan page in the “notes” section. Only six people had a passing grade (80%) at the Ag Day event, so let’s see how much of an expert you are! Leave us a facebook message by Monday and let us know how you did, and we’ll enter you in for a grilling set prize drawing.

Until next time,

-Laura

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