holidays . 3 Brand preferences have also shifted , with consumers switching to more affordable options like store brands and private labels ... 3 Additionally , shoppers are becoming more selective about where they spend their money , favoring more affordable or discounted stores to save money . 3 As they navigate these financial challenges , they are still planning holiday meals carefully . Beef remains a priority on holiday menus , with consumers looking for budget-friendly cuts and recipes to keep it included . Celebrating the Season with Beef
Food is an essential part of holiday celebrations . According to the NCBA Holiday Consumer Survey , taste is the top factor in holiday food and beverage choices ( 51 %), followed by traditions , family recipes and budget considerations (+ 40 %). 3
Beef plays a significant role in these end-of-year holiday celebrations . For many , social gatherings and special occasions would feel incomplete without beef on the menu , leading them to budget accordingly . 9 It is a well-known favorite for the December holidays and New Year ’ s celebrations . While beef continues to be a staple for dinner , it ’ s also enjoyed in various meals throughout the day , including lunch , appetizers and snacks . 3
Consumers are actively finding ways to save both time and money by showing an increasing interest in convenience , versatility and value . Beef is highly valued for its taste and versatility and consistently outpaces other proteins . 9 Its versatility allows it to fit into a variety of holiday dishes from traditional favorites to budgetfriendly alternatives . Considering the current economic landscape , consumers may choose to purchase alternate , lower-cost cuts or types of beef , explore new preparation methods , or repurpose leftover beef into new dishes . 3
While many will stick to their traditional meals , there ’ s significant interest in exploring new food and recipes . Budget and preparation time are crucial factors in these decisions , underscoring their focus on value and convenience . 3 For the December holidays , 54 % of consumers are interested in new ideas for beef meals featuring roasts , while 47 % are interested in new steak recipes for New Year ’ s . In addition to new recipes , consumers are looking for innovative ways to use leftovers or prepare meals for guests arriving before or after the main holiday events . 3
As we unwrap the holiday season , sharing tasty beef meals with family and friends is at the heart of these celebrations . Many will enjoy beef during the holidays , whether they are sticking to tradition , adjusting their budgets , or using alternative cuts and recipes . This adaptability highlights the significance of beef during the holidays , valued for its flavor , versatility and ability to bring people together — it ’ s what makes the holidays truly special .
TRENDING IN FOOD & MEDIA
RESTAURANT UPDATES
On Oct . 22 , the CDC linked E . coli illnesses in several states to McDonald ’ s Quarter Pounders . Within a week the investigation found slivered onions to be the source of the outbreak . More than 26,000 news mentions were made in the U . S . about the issue . News mentions returned to near normal levels by the end of October . Social media levels returned to normal five days after the CDC ’ s initial announcement . 1
INFLATION , PRICES & BEEF SALES
Media mentions about the latest Consumer Price Index changed in October . Along with charts of items that saw the largest price increases , CNBC and The New York Times included charts that focused on deflation . 1
More than 2,800 news mentions discussed shrinkflation and skimpflation in September and October . 1 CBS News reported one in three grocery items are smaller in size or servings since 2020 . 4 The other term , skimpflation is defined as reducing the quality of a product or service to save money .
BEEF IN THE NEWS
Ahead of Halloween , more than 500 news outlets picked up a news release from the Issues Management & Public Relations team on easy recipes that are scary good for spooky season . 1 The release included links to several recipes including one from MacKenzie Smith of Grilled Cheese Social .
Also in October , The Issues Management & Public Relations team ’ s release on tailgating recipes was picked up by 525 news outlets with the potential to reach 218 million consumers . 1
GOOD NEWS FOR BEEF
Shake Shack ’ s CEO said the company is focused on expansion after recent sales growth . 2 Chili ’ s also reported a strong increase in sales from the launch of its Big Smasher Burgers . 3
GOOD NEWS FOR BEEF
Yahoo ! Finance and Food Dive reported on data from 210 Analytics showing meat sales increased by more than 5 % in September . Fresh beef sales led the way with an 11 % increase from a year ago . 5
GOOD NEWS FOR BEEF
More than 100 news and social media mentions were made about a new study showing Ground Beef is more effective than soy-based proteins for muscle building . 6
ARMS # 110624-13 1 . National Cattlemen ’ s Beef Association . ( 2024 ). Traditional and social media listening dashboards . Retrieved from Meltwater : www . meltwater . com 2 . https :// www . cnbc . com / 2024 / 10 / 30 / shake-shack-ceo-talks-expansion-as-shares-climb-after-earnings-beat . html 3 . https :// www . restaurantdive . com / news / chilis-sees-sales-traffic-surge-on-fast-food-price-competition / 724207 / 4 . https :// www . msn . com / en-us / money / companies / shrinkflation-hits-1-in-3-grocery-items-including-these-common-products / ar-AA1soq7i 5 . https :// finance . yahoo . com / news / meat-sales-surge-led-fresh-111727532 . html 6 . https :// www . msn . com / en-us / health / other / study-finds-ground-beef-more-effective-than-soy-for-muscle-building / ar-AA1sF8GU
Resources : 1 . University of Michigan , Consumer Sentiment Index , October 2024 . 2 . Circana , Holiday Purchase Intentions Key Findings Report , October 2024 . 3 . Holiday Consumer Survey , analyzed and summarized by NCBA , on behalf of the Beef Checkoff , September 2024 . 4 . JLL , Holiday Shopping Report 2024 , September 2024 . 5 . Gallup , U . S . Consumers Plan Generous Holiday Spending . Published online on October 25 , 2024 . https :// news . gallup . com / poll / 652664 / consumers-plan-generous-holiday-spending . aspx 6 . NerdWallet , 2024 Holiday Spending Report . Published online on October 8 , 2024 . https :// www . nerdwallet . com / article / shopping / holiday-tips-news / 2024-holiday-spending-report # key-findings 7 . Federal Reserve Bank of NY , Household Debt and Credit Report ( Q2 2024 ), https :// www . newyorkfed . org / microeconomics / hhdc 8 . U . S . Bureau of Labor Statistics , Consumer Price Index , Not Seasonally Adjusted , September 2024 Release . 9 . Consumer Beef Tracker , Directions Group , analyzed and summarized by NCBA , on behalf of the Beef Checkoff .
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