Denver - This Independence Day, beef - such as T-bone steaks and hamburgers - will be a popular choice on grills across the country. Americans will eat nearly 56.6 million pounds of beef this Fourth of July, according to Chuck Lambert, chief economist of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, which is 20% more than the 1998 projected daily average of 47.2 million.
“Whether it's steaks or hamburgers, Americans clearly love to eat beef, hot off the grill.” says Clark Willingham, NCBA President. “Grilling season is in full swing, 53% of us will grill at least once a week during the summer.”
In a survey designed to explore Americans' grilling habits and preferences, Wirthlin Worldwide, found that Americans love to choose beef when they fire up their grills, with 80% of Americans selecting beef over the 32% who grill chicken.
Steak enjoys first place as the most popular meat for grilling, garnering a 49% showing over other beef cuts. The survey confirms the increasing popularity of steaks, with 49% of respondents most often grilling steaks, a 10% increase over the 39% of Americans grilling steaks in 1995. Beef steak is now the most popular beef dish served at home, accounting for nearly 20% of all beef eaten in America's kitchens.
Tender beef steaks such as T- Bone/Porterhouse, ribeye and sirloin steaks lead the pack as the top three steak cuts, with 59% of respondents selecting one of the three as their steak of choice. Americans also grill tasty and versatile filet mignon, NY strip steak, top round steak and flank steak. And when grillers serve up steaks on their barbecues, 63% choose to enhance a steak's delicious taste by marinating the beef before grilling.
The hamburger continues to be the entree of choice on the grill for roughly 40% of Americans. Versatile in preparation and moderate in price, the survey shows 41% of grillers choose hamburgers as their beef entree in 1998. Today's selective consumers consider a number of factors when they choose to cook beef on the grill. Nutrition and convenience are important considerations, with 73% of shoppers selecting lean or extra lean ground beef as part of their balanced diet. A total of 33% of consumers sometimes purchase pre-made, frozen hamburger patties.
Consumers looking for a meal deal throughout the grilling season can expect a bargain at the meat case. Prices have remained steady throughout the year and are expected to remain at nearly the same level as last year.
“Supermarkets know how much consumers love to grill beef in the summer, and they traditionally make beef even more appealing by offering great values on steaks and ground beef,” said Jerry Kelly, director of Retail Marketing for NCBA. “Consumers can expect to see value pricing for steaks, especially T- Bone/Porterhouse and Strip steaks, starting in mid-June. And, the number of ground beef deals at retail just before the 4th of July weekend increases about 25% compared to other times of the year.”
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) commissioned the grilling survey. Initiated in 1898, NCBA is the national marketing and trade association for America's one million cattle farmers, ranchers and feeders. With offices in Denver, Chicago and Washington, D.C., NCBA is a consumer- focused, producer- directed association representing the largest segment of the nation's food and fiber industry.
Meat Industry Insights News Service
P.O. Box 553
Northport, NY 11768
Phone: 631-757-4010
Fax: 631-757-4060
E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com
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