On a daily basis, they see Angus influenced cattle producing a much higher percentage of Choice cattle than other breeds. On the other side of their business, they see consumers demanding high-quality beef even as they leave Select grade product on the shelf to be sold at bargain basement prices. One can't argue with the figures, they are accurate. What they fail to take into account is that while overall market share for beef has declined, the demand for Certified Angus Beef product continues to grow. Sales are expected to hit 300 million pounds in fiscal 1997.
Consumer demand is outstanding.
It's the law of supply and demand. Americans love high-quality beef and are willing to pay for it, sometimes more than seems logical. Although spending may still be flat for beef in general, it's far from flat for high-quality beef like that from the American Angus Association's Certified Angus Beef Program. It's hard to say. Some experts contend there will always be a preference for USDA Select beef from some consumers.