Certified Angus Beef ® Grass-Fed by Niman Ranch product will make up less than 1% of it’s total supply. A niche product, it will initially only be available through a few, exclusive restaurants and grocery stores. Consistent with all CAB products, the grass-fed beef must meet all 10 specifications to qualify for the brand.
If there was a lesson in 2022, it was that the beef market is very sensitive to declines in quality grade, as evidenced through price signals. It’s the first time in recent history where we’ve gone backwards — albeit ever so slightly — and customers are telling us they have unfulfilled demand. That’s reflected in the premiums paid, and that’s saying something after two years of extremely high premiums.
Advertised as the “Best Angus Beef” and “If it’s not Certified, it’s not the Best,” Certified Angus Beef’s reputation claims elite category status. To remain in that position, the brand must continue to deliver on that promise as customer expectations of quality evolve.
While the competition is growing, the brand’s team of 150 diligently works to differentiate CAB from the rest of the pack. Consumers can feel confident purchasing the Certified Angus Beef ® brand, a high-quality product that is the result of Angus farmers’ and ranchers’ commitment to quality.
Genetics and management are at the forefront of targeting the Certified Angus Beef ® brand but communicating beef value propositions to cattlemen guides informed business decisions. To bring the most relevant production and economic information to cattlemen, CAB hired fifth-generation rancher Lindsay Graber Runft as director of producer communications.
The brand recorded the second largest ever sales volume in fiscal 2022 with total sales culminating in 1.234 billion pounds, a 1.6% increase on the prior year. The sum was narrowly below the brand’s 2019 record 1.25 billion pounds sold.
“High Steaks” is about sharing the transformative power of food and the idea that different culinary experiences can take consumers on a journey to different destinations. In a cliff-side setting, Angus rancher Ty Walter joined actor, comedian and host Joel McHale to talk cattle production and what makes the Certified Angus Beef ® brand consistently superior – all while enjoying a four-course meal at an elevation of 8,500 feet.
Certified Angus Beef announced a collaboration with Ducks Unlimited in late 2021. Together, the two organizations assembled half a million dollars to launch the Working Grasslands Conservation Initiative, helping unlock an additional $2.5 million in grants to fund the initiatives’ work over the next three years.
CAB interns get hands-on experience, networking with professionals and putting their classroom knowledge to work. Four students join the CAB team this summer eager to learn, grow and contribute. Taking education beyond the classroom, the 2022 interns are hard at work, learning along the way.
Certified Angus Beef will award more than $50,000 in scholarships this year to students who are honing their interests through a variety of education options in the pursuit of a career in agriculture.