The Canadian Cattlemen's Association

April 9, 2009 - Maintaining a High Profile at Trade Shows

In today’s world, fads and trends come and go with amazing speed. That is why the Beef Information Centre (BIC) maintains a high profile presence at various trade shows and events throughout Canada and the United States.

“We continually strive to create the opportunity for Canadian beef to be front and centre,” says John Gillespie, BIC’s Chairman and a feedlot operator from Ayr, Ont. “Our continued presence at these shows and events allows BIC to ‘see and be seen’ by the influencers who attend.”

During the first three months of 2009, the Beef Information Centre (BIC) took part in no less than a dozen shows and events. For instance, over 900 people were exposed to the BIC booth at the American Meat Institute (AMI) Annual Meat Conference in Denver, Colorado. This annual conference, the largest of its kind in the United States, is geared to large retailers, processors and distributors that are seeking information on trends and consumer insights to the meat category. In addition, all major U.S. packers attended the conference.

“This is BIC’s eighth appearance at AMI’s annual conference,” notes Gillespie. “At this year’s event, the key objective was to communicate the Canadian Beef Advantage (CBA). The BIC booth included a meat case displaying Canadian beef along with a carving station sampling roasted Canada AAA rib eye.”

In addition, BIC ran a five-minute video presentation that outlines the Partners Program and how the program can enhance sales through strategic incorporation of Canadian beef content. The video, entitled Partner In Action, gives viewers a good idea of services available through BIC’s market development programs.

The CBA defines and communicates the points of differentiation that Canadian beef offers versus competitors. It leverages the systems-based approaches utilized in Canada to ensure high quality, food safety and animal health that contribute to delivering high levels of customer satisfaction and profitability.

According to John Baker, BIC’s executive director of trade marketing, in addition to the approximately 600 delegates who visited the tasting station, BIC was able to interact one-on-one with at least 25 clients who were interested in further discussions around Canadian beef.

“We were able to answer numerous questions relating to COOL, and we re-established contacts with many major clients, such as Wal-Mart and Unified Grocers of Southern California,” says Baker.

“This event is one in which we show a strong presence, and where we look to start productive and informative conversations that in the past have led to Partners Program projects that work to increase the value and volume of Canadian beef sales.”

At the North American Meat Processors Annual Management Conference in Chicago in late March, over 250 meat processors provided BIC a strong target audience given the large volumes and focus around quality that this segment is interested in securing.

As a title sponsor of the conference, BIC was able to feature Canadian beef products, including a AAA rib medallion at the opening luncheon as well as a barbecued AAA tri tip at a more casual ‘beer and pretzels’ networking event.

BIC also hosted two seminars: ‘Heavy Beef Alternatives’ was aimed at steak portioners that are looking for options to effectively merchandise heavier beef carcasses; and a ‘Financial Tools’ seminar outlined a financial program developed by BIC, demonstrating how it can be used to evaluate and communicate value between buyer and seller, and how Canadian beef supply can add value to the purchase opportunity through Canada’s superior grading and food safety systems.

At the Harvest Meats Annual Sales Summit in Palm Springs, California, also held in late March, BIC took advantage of the opportunity to interact with 56 independent retail meat distributors.

Harvest Meats is one of the largest distributors of meat to the independent retail segment in the United States. The Summit provided BIC the opportunity to learn more about independent retailers from California, Arizona and the Pacific Northwest, and to provide information about the CBA to these same retailers.

“Also, Harvest Meats services many of the large Hispanic retailers which represents a strong opportunity for Canadian beef, both from a value and volume perspective,” says Gillespie. “We found strong interest from participants to learn more about Canadian beef, and we were able to build a stronger understanding around how to communicate the CBA to customers.”

Harvest Meats has begun to engage Canadian packers with a higher degree of interest and is looking to work with BIC in the future around direct business development projects, adds Baker.

At the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Western Regional Conference in Seattle, Washington in early April, dozens of chefs from the across the western United States gathered to take in seminars and look for new educational information to take back to their local ACF Chapters.

As a sponsor of the event, BIC had an excellent opportunity to interact with the chefs, providing information and understanding of the strong role Canadian beef plays in the U.S. foodservice marketplace. For many chefs it was their first exposure to Canadian beef and they enjoyed both the product and the information provided around Canada’s systems-based approach to quality and safety.

BIC hosted the ‘Chefs Development’ luncheon featuring a AAA rib medallion and spinach stuffed rib cap that garnered many favourable comments. BIC also hosted a beef cutting demonstration that featured some unique beef cuts, such as the strip loin medallion and lesser known cuts that present a strong value, such as tri tip and chuck tail flap.

“All the information was wrapped around the message that Canada has product well suited to meet the demanding quality specifications that chefs require,” says Baker.

Since this meeting, BIC has arranged several beef demonstrations to be held at ACF’s various chapter meetings.

Finally, BIC recently teamed up with St. Helens Meats, a Canadian meat packer, to showcase Canadian beef at the recent International Foodservice Show in New York City.

This show, which attracts over 12,000 foodservice and restaurant operators and approximately 950 exhibitors, is one of the premier food shows in the United States. New York foodservice outlets are an upscale market where the CBA, especially as it relates to quality, are certainly meaningful but largely unknown to buyers in the area.

“The population base and the proximity to eastern Canadian packing facilities makes this an ideal market in which to grow,” notes Gillespie. “A big part of BIC’s work is education and connecting with buyers looking for a quality edge they can use to be competitive and consistent.”

Having a packer working with BIC at shows such as the International Foodservice Show helps to directly link clients with supply, and builds on existing supply logistics. BIC’s booth featured a meat case displaying Canadian beef and offering samples to show participants. Also, a DVD was shown, ‘The Canadian Beef Industry’.

“At all of these events, BIC remained very active in engaging participants and following up opportunities driven through discussions surrounding Canadian beef and the CBA,” adds Gillespie.

BIC also shines at Canadian events

It’s not only in the United States where BIC is making inroads. Various high-profile food shows take place annually throughout Canada and BIC is able to illustrate Canadian beef to large audiences.

In February, BIC showcased Canadian beef to over 11,000 foodservice professionals and over 4,500 retailers at two separate tradeshows in Canada.

The Canadian Restaurant and Foodservice Association (CRFA) show in Toronto is Canada’s largest hospitality industry trade show, with every segment of the foodservice and hospitality industry, from small town independent restaurant operators to the largest quick service chains like McDonald’s and Tim Hortons.

“At this annual show, we communicate the CBA by highlighting the quality attributes of Canadian beef through demonstrations and sampling as well as distribution of technical resources,” says Gillespie.

The CRFA show is heavily attended by independent operators, which make up almost 50 per cent of foodservice operations in Canada, making this a great opportunity to get face-to-face with this segment. At the show, BIC had a large, high visibility corner booth with a demonstration table in front. Two cuts of beef were demonstrated and sampled in the booth: AAA prime rib (roasted and carved in the booth) and AAA top sirloin (cutting demonstration to remove cap) roasted and served with mango salsa.

“It’s important for us to be at the CRFA show,” adds Baker. “Along with the opportunity to talk about the CBA to a wide audience, it builds profile and positions us as leaders in the industry. It was a great show and BIC had an excellent opportunity to interact with hundreds of influential industry delegates.”

Meanwhile on the west coast, over 4,500 people attended Grocery Showcase West (GSW). Produced by the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG), delegates at the show are independent grocery retailers from western Canada. While the show does attract many single store operators, it is heavily attended by smaller regional chains such as Thrifty Foods, Quality Foods and Choices Markets as well as some of the major chains like Overwaitea.

GSW is heavily attended by independent operators which make up 47 per cent of retail operations in Canada, creating a great opportunity for BIC to meet face-to-face with this segment of the industry. Besides communicating the CBA to show goers, BIC was able to showcase the new Canadian beef brand logo to retailers and talk about the importance of a Canadian beef brand.

At its booth, BIC prominently featured the new Canadian beef brand, as well as a fully stocked meat case showcasing a number of products, including rotisserie roasts – to demonstrate the increasingly popular ‘grab and go’ concept – and source grinds. In addition, in-booth demonstrations included cutting a top sirloin butt and outside flat, and serving of samples of a Philly steak sandwich using underutilized cuts including shoulder lifter and cap meats.

BIC was invited to speak to audiences at GSW’s ‘Speakers Corner’. As a result, BIC spoke to tradeshow attendees twice a day for two days, focusing on enhanced and value-added meat case presentation. The presentation touched on the CBA and included a cutting demonstration and in-depth look at some of the value-added products available today.

“Grocery Showcase West presented a great opportunity for BIC to get in front of a number of retailers in western Canada and talk about the CBA,” says Baker. “It is so important for us to be at these trade shows in order to demonstrate the attributes of Canadian beef in person. It also raises the profile of the organization and reinforces our commitment to the industry.”

For the second time in as many years, BIC appeared at SIAL (Salon International de l’Alimentation) Montréal, the largest food show in Canada. Attracting over 14,000 agri-food professionals from Canada and around the world, internationally-renowned SIAL Montréal is billed as the ‘North American Marketplace’, with buyers from the retail, foodservice and processing sectors represented.

BIC hosted six partners in their Canadian Beef Pavilion, including packers and branded programs partners. “The pavilion was branded ‘Canadian Beef, Quality That Inspires Confidence’,” says Gillespie, who adds that key goals within the pavilion were communication of the CBA, and matching buyers and sellers.

BIC distributed a comprehensive set of resources at SIAL detailing Canada’s systems-based approach to quality, safety and animal health – the factors that set Canadian beef apart from the competition. These points of differentiation form the basis for the CBA and create the brand identity for Canadian beef with trade partners.

With 550 plus exhibitors, SIAL Montréal is an annual event that enables clients of the exhibition, exhibitors and visitors alike, to stay attuned to the ebb and flow of the market and of prospective business opportunities.

“In that regard, BIC was well-promoted and highly visible at the show,” adds Gillespie. “The interest in Canadian beef both within Canada and in other markets remains high. Having the opportunity to promote Canadian beef and the CBA at such a prestigious show is highly advantageous.”

BIC’s partners within the Canadian Beef Pavilion included Cargill Meat Solutions, XL Lakeside Packers, St. Helen’s Meat Packers, Sunterra, Prairie Heritage Beef and Kobe Classic Canada. Within the booth, a fresh meat case showcased value-added beef products, and samples were provided to visitors, including AAA prime rib, served in a carving station with an attendant chef.

SIAL provided a perfect venue to meet with retail, foodservice and processors from all over Canada and internationally. “Indeed, SIAL provided a venue to show how the CBA will help support building their business and create awareness around the points of differentiation from competing import countries,” says Baker.

Return to Feature Stories listing