To more effectively target the unique demands and preferences of Northeast consumers, the Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative, a subcontractor to the Beef Checkoff, through partnership with the Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. Market Research Team, conducted the 2023 Northeast Dashboard Survey in August. The survey revealed insights surrounding Northeast consumers, residing Maine to Virginia, and their perceptions surrounding beef and beef production. 

At a glance, the key findings of the survey include:

• Consumers in the Northeast are actively eating beef, with most (72%) doing so at least once a week and are unlikely to change their consumption habits in the future. 
• These consumers may be encouraged to eat more beef by having access to easy-to-follow and healthy recipe ideas, additional cooking information, as well as knowing more about how beef is raised and grown. 
• Consumers in the Northeast seem more nutrition oriented, as their top three consideration factors when choosing a meal with protein are taste, value for the money, and a healthy choice, followed closely by protein content and nutritional benefits. Consumers are less likely to think about how the food was raised and grown when making these decisions.
• Overall, consumers are positive about beef as a protein, but are a bit more negative when thinking about how cattle are raised, which likely comes from only 29% knowing a lot about production practices.
• Twenty-nine percent of Northeast consumers have purchased beef directly from a beef producer at least once. The main driver is to receive a better-quality product, followed by the desire to support the local economy. 
• Fifty-eight percent of Northeast consumers have not previously but would consider purchasing beef directly from a beef producer, with 31% of them living in a suburban area. 

The key area of opportunity for the Beef Checkoff is to continue highlighting beef’s eating experience related to taste and versatility while incorporating information on beef’s nutrition and how it can be incorporated as part of a healthy diet. The Beef Checkoff also learned that continuing to share out beef’s positive story and highlighting information on how cattle are raised for food has the potential to boost general knowledge and improve perceptions and trust in the industry. The checkoff will also continue to highlight the Northeast Beef Directory as an online resource for locating local beef producers across the region. Sharing producer stories will also aid in humanizing the industry and show consumers where their beef comes from.

A recap of the survey findings is available here. Reach out directly to Kaitlyn Swope, director of consumer affairs, at kswope@pabeef.org to request the full report. 

Visit here for more information about beef promotion in the Northeast region. Stay connected with the Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative Facebook and Instagram pages to catch up on how the Northeast region is actively seeking to promote beef.

Source: Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative