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.