My life has always revolved around cattle. My late father was a large-animal veterinarian, and he bought Cow Track Ranch in California’s Nicasio Valley in 1986. Now, I’m a second-generation rancher, raising Angus beef, some of which we sell directly to the guests at our on-site Airbnb. We want people who stay with us to experience what ranch life is all about, including where their food comes from.
Selling direct to consumers has changed the way I think about marketing beef. I’ve learned customers are looking for more than just a cut of meat. I quickly discovered that a beef sale with a handshake goes far, and that selling beef is often less about convincing someone to eat more meat and more about building trust through transparency and education.
Becoming a member of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and serving on the Beef Checkoff’s Promotion Committee has shown me the same basic principle holds true on a much larger scale. Before, I naturally thought about beef primarily through the producer lens — genetics, animal care, quality, sustainability and everything involved in raising cattle.
Now, I’m more aware of everything that happens between the ranch and the consumer and about the business decisions restaurants and retailers must make. Before they put more beef on the menu or new cuts in the meat case, they’re weighing price, supply, margins, consumer preferences, menu trends and what will ultimately drive a purchase.
Those decisions should matter to cattle producers because they determine whether beef is even presented as an option. We can raise an exceptional product, but if beef isn’t featured on the menu or in the meat case, we lose an opportunity to connect with consumers.
That’s why the Beef Checkoff funds the Channel Marketing program at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). The Channel Marketing team works directly with not only restaurants and retailers, but also distributors, manufacturers and even e-commerce platforms. We’re talking names like Walmart, Sysco, Costco, McDonald’s and others. Together, these businesses help determine the beef products consumers ultimately see and have the opportunity to choose.
Channel Marketing uses market research, beef expertise and marketing resources to help partners better understand, market and sell beef, keeping it visible in the marketplace.
Sometimes the Checkoff’s work involves solving a business problem — beef costs are high, so what other cuts or applications could work? Sometimes it’s creating new opportunities — what new beef menu items could appeal to this restaurant’s customers?
Recently, a burger chain wanted to expand its offerings and introduce new, high-quality menu items. They weren’t sure what to offer and how to make it fit with their current menu. The Channel Marketing team developed six new menu concepts during an on-site culinary ideation session, drawing on emerging trends, consumer preferences and relevant cuts that made sense for the chain.
These partnerships go beyond simply “promoting beef.” They’re about understanding a partner’s business, customers and challenges and finding beef solutions that make sense.
That can mean helping a partner overcome a barrier that could otherwise result in fewer beef offerings. When one foodservice partner faced higher beef costs, the Channel Marketing team helped identify alternative cuts that could work in existing dishes while addressing cost concerns.
Right now, that kind of problem solving is especially important. When prices are high, beef must earn its place in the meat case and on the menu. Businesses are under pressure to maintain margins while still giving their customers the products and experiences they want. That’s where beef’s versatility can be especially valuable, giving restaurants, retailers and consumers more options beyond the most familiar cuts.
Personally, I’ve really come to enjoy marketing unfamiliar cuts to our ranch guests, encouraging them to think creatively and step outside the norm in their own kitchens. Whether it’s a producer like me selling direct to a consumer or the Beef Checkoff working with restaurants and retailers nationwide, introducing lesser-known cuts and demonstrating beef’s versatility is a great way to showcase its value.
I think my fellow cattle producers might be surprised at just how much work goes into connecting beef with the decision-makers at the diner down the street or the grocery store in the next town. The Beef Checkoff isn’t just marketing beef to consumers. Through efforts like Channel Marketing, it’s also working with the businesses that determine if and how beef shows up in front of them.
As producers, our job starts with raising great beef. But creating demand also requires making sure consumers continue having compelling opportunities to choose it.
— Melissa Daniels is the sole owner/operator of a back Angus cow-calf operation at Cow Track Ranch in Marin County, Calif. She also has a small-scale beef label for guests to purchase during their stay at Cow Track Ranch’s Airbnb.
