KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The American Hereford Association and Certified Hereford Beef LLC staffs have created a new Hereford-based beef brand specifically targeting Hispanic shoppers.
In 31 Hispanic grocery stores throughout the Los Angeles area, shoppers now have the opportunity to buy Hereford beef labeled Nuestro Rancho™, from a service case cut just the way they like it.
Through research, Certified Hereford Beef LLC staff members learned Hispanics purchase three to four times as much beef as other consumers, and most of the beef they purchase is underutilized cuts from the chuck and round.
Nuestro Rancho
They seized the opportunity to sell Hereford beef to these consumers, and after careful consideration and planning, launched the new brand. The name of the brand, “Nuestro Rancho” means “our ranch” in Spanish.
“We really wanted a name that would quantify in the minds of Hispanic people in America what the brand was about and would portray the overall feeling of the brand,” said Shonda Anderson, Certified Hereford Beef LLC account manager.
The Nuestro Rancho logo can be found on the meats’ packaging as well as on other promotional materials in the stores where the brand is sold.
Also with the logo, is the brand’s tagline: “American Hereford Beef.”
The Certified Hereford Beef LLC staff chose Harvest Meat Co. Inc. to distribute the product. Harvest Meat has large distribution operations in nine U.S. markets, so the next decision was which grocery store group would offer the Nuestro Rancho brand meats.
After testing in three different store groups, they chose Superior Grocers, which is now selling Nuestro Rancho in the 31 stores in the Los Angeles area.
The product is sold in a service case, which means the customer asks for a specific amount of each cut.
Cuts
At this time, the only cuts offered under the Nuestro Rancho brand are from the chuck and round.
American Hereford Association Executive Vice President Craig Huffhines explains, “This is the type of beef cuts Hispanic families prefer.”
He adds, “The Hispanic shopper is focused on value and getting more for their dollar. Our Nuestro Rancho strategy is a fantastic complement to those food service accounts that prefer exclusively steak cuts from the rib and loin and enhances overall carcass utilization.”
Good outlook
Although it’s too early to say conclusively, demand looks good for the product in these first few stores. Judging by the initial orders from the stores, Arden Gremmert, Certified Hereford Beef LLC general manager, says, consumers are buying three to four times more than the average retail customer in other demographic areas.
