Certified Angus Beef Recognizes Retailers, Distributors

Retailers and distributors were honored by the Certified Angus Beef brand for leadership in product quality, marketing and sales at the CAB conference in Nashville last month. “Quality and integrity unite their focus on delivering the finest beef,” said John Stika, the beef brand’s president. “They are stars in their markets for bringing the Certified Angus Beef brand’s ranching heritage and focus on quality and integrity to their customers, and ultimately, consumers.”

Several awards were given out in recognition of these promotional efforts.

• DeMoulas Market Basket, Tewksbury, Mass., is the Retailer of the Year. The retailer offered bold product features, generous point-of-sale displays and team training to provide customer assistance at the meat case. Through the retailer’s all-around focus on quality and value, DeMoulas also received the Top Retail Sales Volume Increase award.
• K-Va-T Food Stores, Abingdon, Va., is the Retail Large Chain Marketer of the Year. Food City chefs share beef recipes on television shows to bring fresh ideas to customers. Promotions, like Fresh Fridays, encourage trust in Food City’s dedication to quality and service.
• Cermak Fresh Market, Chicago, is the Retail Small Chain Marketer of the Year. Cermak excels at serving customers with fun promotions and attention to detail. Training at the Certified Angus Beef Culinary Center energized the team for a meat manager contest that helped Cermak also receive Top Average Volume Retail Store with more than 10 stores.
• Longo’s, Vaughan, Ontario, is the International Retail Marketer of the Year. Beef 101 training for Longo’s meat managers supported a successful summer promotion. Cooking classes and ads in the retailer’s Experience magazine also offered beef meal solutions to customers.
• Caraluzzi’s, in Bethel, Conn., is the Independent Retail Marketer of the Year. Caraluzzi’s has grown over the past two decades with the Certified Angus Beef brand in three stores. It offers the brand’s Prime, Natural and deli meat items for the ultimate selection of superior quality.
• Angus Best, Hermosilla, Sonora, Mexico, is the International Retail Independent Marketer of the Year. Angus Best dedicates its entire meat case to the brand, displays signage storewide and posts billboards. The retailer’s grab-and-go meat case offers beef cuts for easy dinners.
• ShopRite, Edison, N.J., is the Retail Value-Added Products Marketer of the Year. ShopRite offers a wide selection of premium beef items in the deli case and has ready-to-prepare meals. Frequent product features, social media posts and videos give customers more dinner ideas.
• Gelson’s, Encino, Calif., is the Retail Brand Extension Marketer of the Year. Gelson’s excels at marketing the Certified Angus Beef brand and the brand’s Prime products. Seasonal promotions, product sampling and social media interaction explain product quality to shoppers.
• Quality Food Centers, Bellevue, Wash., is the Retail Social Media Marketer of the Year. QFC used online contests, coupons, the brand’s Roast Perfect app and meat staff selfies to connect with customers. Food blogger events shared holiday roasting ideas to coincide with roast promotions.
• Weis Markets, Sunbury, Pa., is the Retail Rising Star. Weis Markets focused on the brand in its Fresh magazine and offered six items in the circular every week. Through social media posts and training, the team shared its pride in its beef offerings.
• Associated Retail Operations, in Salt Lake City, is the Retail Rookie of the Year. Associated Retail powered up promotions to launch the brand in stores. Weekly features and in-store videos led customers to the meat case, where staff were trained in beef knowledge to assist them.
• Meijer, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., is the Top Volume Large Chain Retailer. Meijer excelled at marketing the brand in stores, at community events and through a comprehensive digital campaign. Success is guided by ongoing training of their meat managers and specialists.
• H-E-B Mexico, Escobedo, Nuevo Leon, is the Top Volume Small Chain Retailer. H-E-B secured growing sales through extensive promotions online, on billboards, in television appearances, with in-store product sampling, in local lifestyle magazines and every week in its own publication.

Additional companies recognized for their success and dedication to offering Certified Angus Beef brand products were:

• Crest Foods, Edmond, Okla.: Top Average Volume per Store, with fewer than 10 stores
• Dekalb Farmers Market, Decatur, Ga.: Top Volume Single Store Retailer
• Topco Associates, Elk Grove Village, Ill.: Top Volume Cooperative
• Associated Wholesale Grocers, Oklahoma City: Top Volume Retail Distributor