And in this corner… Ground BeefWithin the beef category, ground beef is the heavyweight. Sales data from FreshLook Marketing confirmsground beef’s share was 45% of total beef pound sales and 35% of total beef dollar sales nationally for thefirst quarter of 2007.

WHY THE GLOBAL APPEAL?The key reasons that ground beef is so popular are the same points that you should continue to drivehome to your customers. Ground beef is:

A GREAT VALUE – on average, the price per pound of ground beef is lower than that of other popularbeef cuts like Top Round Steak and Bottom Round Roast.

CONVENIENT – ground beef lends itself well to countless recipes that are ready in under 30 minutes.

VERSATILE – whether your customers are looking to prepare dishes from Asia, Latin America or Europe,ground beef is a delicious part of many cuisines and works well as an ingredient in a variety of recipes.

NOT SEASON-SPECIFIC – although sales spike during Summer Grilling season, ground beef is a champion year-round.

During back-to-school season, ground beef’sconvenience and versatility make it a popular

choice during a busy time of year for parents and kids.

Simplify your customers’ weekly meal planner bycreating a Theme Dinner Headquarters, completewith theme ideas for every night of the week andrecipe cards to fit each night’s theme:

• MONDAY is “Cajun Night” with Kickin’ CajunDirty Rice

http://www.beefretail.org/uDocs/BRRecipes/Ground_11.DOC

• TUESDAY is “Little Italy Night” with Spaghettiand Meatballs

http://www.beefretail.org/uDocs/BRRecipes/Ground_22.DOC

• WEDNESDAY is “Discover the Far East Night”with Asian Beef & Noodles

http://www.beefretail.org/uDocs/BRRecipes/Ground_05.DOC

• THURSDAY is “Mexican Fiesta Night” withConfetti Beef Tacos

http://www.beefretail.org/uDocs/BRRecipes/Ground_17.DOC

• FRIDAY is “Pizza Night” with Spicy Nacho Beef Pizza http://www.beefretail.org/uDocs/BRRecipes/Ground_13.DOC

Co-merchandise with other departments and stockitems in your meat case that go with each theme. Forexample, stock taco seasoning and taco shells for“Mexican Fiesta Night.”

Don’t forget about burgers! Tailgatingseason is here, and burgers are always a

popular item at tailgating events. Take these stepsto make sure your customers are prepared for theirpre-game festivities:

• Include signage in your meat case with messageslike “This Year’s Number One Pick: Ground Beef,A Guaranteed Performer on Game Day.”

• Tying back into the weekly meal planner, providerecipe ideas for the weekend that work within thetailgating theme:

– Sweet Hawaiian Mini Burgers, like all burgers,will be a hit at any tailgating event – they’redelicious, and they’re the perfect size for apre-game party.

http://www.beefretail.org/uDocs/BRRecipes/Ground_06.DOC

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MERCHANDISINGWith a little extra effort, you can capitalize on ground beef's popularity and keep it at the top of yourcustomers' shopping lists week-in and week-out. Here's four strategies that can help send your bottom linethrough the roof!

BEEF INFORMATION FOR MEAT RETAILERS AND THEIR CUSTOMERS

WHO INVENTEDTHE BURGER?WHEN?It is most widelybelieved that theburger wasintroduced byFletcher “Old Dave”Davis from Athens,TX, who beganselling the groundbeef patty sandwichat the St. LouisWorld’s Fair in1904.

SOURCE: TOLBERT, F. X. 1983.THE HENDERSON COUNTYHAMBURGER. IN TOLBERT’STEXAS. GARDEN CITY, NY:DOUBLEDAY & CO

BEEFRETAILFACTSHEET

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– Skillet Chili Beef with Corn Biscuits is perfect fortailgating at home – chili is always a gamedayfavorite, and this one won’t disappoint.

http://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/recipes/rcp_10212_00.asp

Now is a great time to feature familypacks of ground beef. Family packs are

perfect for weeknight theme dinners or tailgatingevents. Include recipe cards for great family meals

featuring ground beef, so customers recognize theversatility of the family pack.

Here’s an idea to get your whole meatdepartment staff involved in your ground beef

merchandising. Create a “Staff Favorites” series ofrecipe cards to feature in your meat case. Have eachmeat department employees select a favorite groundbeef recipe from the Beef and Veal Ad Planner orBeefItsWhatsForDinner.com. Then create recipe cardsfor each staff member. For example, one recipe cardwould be for “Manager Mike Jones’ Favorite –Chipotle Sloppy Joes with Crunchy Cole Slaw.”

http://www.beefretail.org/markground.aspx

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ASK THE EXPERT

Q: Why does uncooked ground beef often havea two-tone color—bright red outside and adarker color inside?

A: Fresh ground beef is naturally a bright cherry-redcolor. The interior of packaged ground beef mayturn a darker purplish-red or brown color if notexposed to oxygen. Once opened and exposedto air, ground beef will turn bright red again.A surface purplish-red color is also typical ofvacuum-packaged ground beef.

Q: Why is the center of the meatloaf still pinkeven when my meat thermometerregisters 160°F?

A: The color of burgers and meatloaves mayremain pink even when a 160°F internaltemperature has been reached. This is due tothe natural nitrate content of certain ingredients,such as onions, celery and bell peppers, orthrough the use of red or brown sauces mixedinto the ground beef. Always check the internaltemperature with a thermometer if theseingredients have been used.

SAFE STORAGE OF GROUND BEEFA common customer question is “What is thebest way to store ground beef?” Be prepared toanswer this question, so your customers can safelyenjoy fresh ground beef at home.

• Refrigerate ground beef immediately uponarriving home.

• Place it in the meat compartment or the coldestpart of the refrigerator for up to two days.

• Freeze ground beef wrapped in transparent filmfor up to two weeks.

• For longer storage, repackage in airtight heavy-duty aluminum foil, freezer paper or plasticfreezer bags and freeze for up to four months.

GROUND BEEF’S TOP 5

When stocking the ground beef section of yourmeat case, refer to the following ground beefcategory ranking to get an idea what yourcustomers are looking for.1. Ground Beef (70-77%)2. Ground Chuck (78-84%)3. Ground Sirloin (90-94%)4. Ground Round (85-90%)5. ≥95% Lean Ground Beef

SOURCE: FRESHLOOK, RANKINGS ACCORDING TO TOTAL U.S. GROUND BEEFDOLLAR AND POUND SALES, LAST 52-WEEKS ENDING 5/27/07.

DID YOU KNOW?It turns out that ground beef holds the title belt inthe natural/organic division. According to the latestdata, natural/organic ground beef dollar and poundsales respectively account for 59% and 69% of totalnatural/organic beef sales.

SOURCE: FRESHLOOK, TOTAL U.S. BEEF DOLLAR AND POUND SALES FOR 52-WEEKSENDING 4/1/07.

WIN WITH BEEF FAST FACTS!The first 50 people to submit a correct answerto the following trivia question will win a Beef It’sWhat’s For Dinner ballcap! Submit your answerat www.beefretail.org/PrizeSubmissionForm.aspx.Who is widely credited as the inventor of theburger in 1904?

Funded by the Beef Checkoff Copyright ©2007 CATTLEMEN’S BEEF BOARD and NATIONAL CATTLEMEN’S BEEF ASSOCIATION www.BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com

TACO TALKIn the Southwesternregion of the U.S.,particularly inTexas and southernCalifornia, the tacohas become agourmet affair.Handed downby the Mexicanimmigrants, itconsists of an over-sized friedcorn tortilla (not ahard shell) filledwith seasonedground or shreddedbeef, cheese, lettuceand sometimestomato.

SOURCE:HTTP://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/TACO