Certified Angus Beef Celebrates 45th Year with Strong Sales
More than 1.2 billion pounds sold, the third-highest sales year for the brand.
It has been 45 years since Certified Angus Beef’s (CAB) first customer purchased a strip steak at Renzetti’s IGA grocery store. Since then, consumer demand for high-quality beef has grown, ultimately driving demand for premium Angus genetics.
“The Certified Angus Beef® brand was founded on a mission to improve the consumer’s beef eating experience and drive demand for Angus cattle,” says John Stika, president of CAB.
 In fiscal year 2023, 1.227 billion lb. of CAB product was sold in 52 countries, marking the third-best sales year to date. Angus producers have diligently selected high-quality cattle that produce premium beef, allowing for 5.82 million carcasses to qualify for the brand. [Photos courtesy Certified Angus Beef] |
Marking the third-highest sales year on record, the global beef brand sold 1.227 billion pounds (lb.) across 52 countries during the 2023 fiscal year. While down 7 million lb., or 0.6%, from total sales in 2022, this year marks the brand’s eighth year with more than a billion lb. sold. Additionally, March 2023 was the third-highest sales month in the brand’s history, logging 112.3 million lb. sold.
“It’s because of the community around this brand, their daily hard work and intentionality in leveraging the value of the Certified Angus Beef brand that we’re celebrating yet another year of over 1 billion pounds sold,” Stika says.
CAB supply increased despite lower fed-cattle numbers
“Angus producers deserve a tremendous amount of credit for maintaining their focus on marbling and continuing to improve the quality of their cattle,” Stika says.
While the total fed-cattle supply declined by 3% this year, 5.82 million carcasses were certified for the brand, increasing CAB supply 0.5%. This resulted in a 36% acceptance rate after 16.16 million cattle were identified as eligible for the brand.
The commitment of family farmers and ranchers to supplying high-quality cattle continues to be rewarded through grid premiums. As reported in March 2022, premiums paid by packers to producers for brand-qualifying cattle totaled $182 million annually, or $3.5 million per week.
Meeting consumer demand
Consumers continue to demand high-quality beef offerings at the meatcase and while dining out, both domestically and internationally.
With 414.8 million lb. sold, foodservice sales are up 2.4% from 2022 and reached their second-best year to date.
While diners enjoyed the brand at their favorite dining establishments — from Michelin-star restaurants to acclaimed barbecue joints and beyond — they also purchased the trusted beef brand in the meatcase. Retail stores recorded 521 million lb. sold in 2023, marking the fifth year of more than 500 million lb. sold across retailers, though down 4.9% in total sales from last year.
U.S. sales dipped slightly from last year, but international sales soared to 188 million lb., an increase of 5.5%. The highest growth was recorded in China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Mexico.
Looking across the marketplace, the steady increase in demand for labor- and time-saving solutions led value-added products to a new annual record. Up 9.8% from 2022, 44.7 million lb. were sold across retail and foodservice in domestic and international markets.
CAB Prime sales marked a new milestone with 41 million lb. sold, up 17.7% from last year. Given the current marketing conditions, these record sales are further indication that consumers are not backing down from quality.
As the brand further embraced consumer choice, CAB Natural saw 4.4 million lb. sold, down 6.4% from 2022.
“We are all connected through our shared commitment to quality and to fulfill the growing demand that’s out there for the brand,” Stika says. “In the process, we’ll continue to engage the entire beef community in creating a more prosperous and sustainable future for everyone involved in this brand.”
Editor’s note: Lindsay Graber Runft is the director of producer communications for CAB. Jessica Travis is associate director of communications and public relations for the brand.
