A2B-Lancasty Firming, Saturday. February 7, 1998 Producers, Retailers Must Work Together To Provide Consumer With A ‘Satisfactory Eating Experience’ (Continued from Pago Al) that “beef still wears the crown. “But it’s tarnished, it’s been damaged,” Kober said. There ought to be a way for the producers and packagers of beef products to come up with a way to counter that “unsatisfactory” eat ing experience, which gives “no value” to anyone, he noted. “Every cattle not grading choice should be ground up for hamburger,” said Kober. Kober indicated promotion councils are essential to keeping consumers aware of what products are available. Importantly, produc ers, like any business, need to have a “personal mission statement” which defines what they are going George Wean, senior sales and marketing representative at Mopac, center, spoke about the company’s procure ment efforts. Mopac, Wean noted, has been In the beef busl- > i 4* the feeder calf marketing program at the Virginia Cattlemen’s Association, second from right, spoke about the marketing efforts of the association, which handles 150,000 head per year. Hank Maxey, feeder calf producer from Chatham, Va., second from left, sells calves from his 230-cow Angus herd near the North Carolina line. At far left Is Chet Hughes, Lancaster livestock agent and Cattle Feeder’s Day coordinator and at far right is Dr. John Comerford, Penn State beef specialist About 125 Turn Out For Cattle Feeder’s Da to do. Retail stores have their own mission statement Supermarkets have to decide: are we operating a certain department as a profit cen ter? As a traffic pull? The merchandising manager noted that the main goal of promo tions in circulars is “not to sell food,” he said. “The number one goal is to get people to come in the front door.” Kober said some supermarkets operate on the EDLP (what the industry calls “EvetyDay Low Price”) system, which doesn’t advertise specials, but consistently keeps prices low in the store. He said Clemens is a “High-Low” sys tem, which sells its high-priced products for too much money and At the Cattle Feeder’s Day, producers spoke about their efforts to upgrade their feediots during a panel. Glenn Binkley, at far left, is a cattle feeder based In Columbia, who previously worked as a dairyman. Binkley manages about 200 acres and finishes about 240 head of cattle per year. Darwin Nlssley, center, farms with his brother, Ber nard, In Mount Joy. They’ve been in partnership on the farm since 1983. Dan McFar land, Penn State ag engineer and moderator of the producer panel, far right, noted that the Edwin Hoover farm in Ephrata built an addition to a bank bam, measuring 100 foot wide and extending out to about 54 feet. The addition accommodates the 200 head of cattle that Hoover finishes per year. its low-priced products for too little money. In the end, the sales income generated from the prices balance the budget by which the stores operate. Producers, in other words, have to determine how they will oper ate: produce low-grade product for hamburger? Or turn out the finest choice cuts and market the beef accordingly? Contrary to popular belief, supermarket price of items rarely reflects the price paid for it or the price given to wholesalers or pro ducers. “What I pay has little to do with what I sell it for,” said Kober. The prices, actually, have “everything to do with promo tion,” and if stores advertise it more, “people eat it more,” he said. “It’s pretty bask.” Hie problems with consumers over whether they will purchase beef is not the expense, but their reluctance to try beef because of previous unsatisfactory eating experiences. That’s why Clemens th f t is mailed out widi a selects Choice grade products and £5P rc 9 uc “ lar ® very . Fnday. offers huge promotions on beef. The circular advertises Clemens Kober pointed out an “Advo” Turn 10 F*fl* A*l) Unlike the poultry Industry, which delivers a consistent, satisfactory product from store to store, con *J , U™ er# walk Into a supermarket, purchase five different New York strip steaks, and “some will be terrible, wme pood. and some will be excellent,” said Al Kober,.^Jandlslnoman agar tor meal and seafood al Clemens Markets. Kober holds up a circular which features a popular store beef promotion. of beef products to come up with a way to counter that “unsatisfactory” eating experience, which gives “no value” to anyone, noted Al Kober, left. At right is Cheryl Falrbalm. board chairman lor the Pennsylvania Beef Council, who spoke about the new tagline for the Industry, “Beef Is What You Want,” and showed TV ads featuring the new line. Falr balm spoke about the efforts of the Council In the past year to show how checkoff dollars work.
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