QSR Magazine -The Argument for Grass-Fed Beef

Grass fed beef is the new prime.

This is an excerpt from an article we wrote for QSR Magazine on why this fast-growing trend could become the new prime choice for restaurants.

One of the most visible food trends of 2017 is consumers’ preference for a higher quality, grass-fed beef. Our studies found that the higher the education level completed (college and above), the greater the preference for grass-fed beef among consumers. The highly educated account for the majority of revenue generated in quality meats. And with most Americans eating beef two to three times a week or more, it’s a trend that’s making restaurateurs and grocers take notice.

USDA Prime steaks have long been the pinnacle of beef. USDA Prime is a superior grade with tenderness, juiciness, flavor, texture, and the highest degree of fat marbling derived from younger beef. That's why Prime is generally featured at the most exclusive, upscale steakhouses and restaurants. 

Grass-fed beef, when raised consistently, has all of the same qualities except one—fat. Grass-fed beef contains less fat because the cows are only eating what they are supposed to eat, which is grass. No corn, grain, or sugar substitutes that make cows fat and upsets their stomachs. And the fat that grass-fed beef has is actually loaded with nutrients not found in traditional feedlot cattle.

The beef supply industry has underserviced the grass-fed beef demand because producing it is not as efficient as feedlot programs. But consumers are informed and in spite of historical low supplies, they are seeking out grass-fed beef in record numbers. Per the National Restaurant Association, consumers and chefs report a strong interest in grass-fed beef—61 percent of chefs describe grass-fed beef as a hot trend, and more than a third of consumers would pay more for grass-fed beef.

And this demand is forecasted to go mainstream quite quickly. The National Restaurant Association also projects complete this article here