BEEF CHECKOFF SEEKING ENTRIES IN HIGH "STEAKS"
COMPETITION
BEDFORD (July 16, 2012) – The Beef Checkoff Program has issued the call for entries for the National Retail and Foodservice Beef Backer Awards, two prestigious national award programs designed to honor retailers and restaurants that creatively merchandise and menu beef.
The PA Beef Council annually coordinates retail and foodservice contests in the Commonwealth. Now through Sept. 10, retailers and foodservice operators can enter to win the PA Beef Backer Award contests. State winners will then be submitted for national judging by Oct. 1.
The Retail Beef Backer Awards program features four categories and is designed to honor retailers who have executed impressive initiatives to promote beef:
• Independent Retailer (fewer than 11 retail stores)
• Mid-Size Chain Retailer (11-99 retail stores)
• Large Chain Retailer (100 or more retail stores)
• Innovator of the Year (The winner of this category can be a chain or independent retailer)
The 2011 National Retail Beef Backer winners included Safeway as the Innovator of the Year, Broulim’s Fresh Foods in the Independent category, Haggen Food & Pharmacy in the Mid-size Retailer category and Harris Teeter as the Large Chain Retailer winner.
The 2012 retail entry form and contest details can be found at www.BeefRetail.org, or by contacting the PA Beef Council.
The Foodservice Beef Back Awards honor independent restaurants and chains that creatively promote and menu beef, and foodservice operators can enter to win in one of three categories:
• Chain Operator (10+ units, commercial or noncommercial)
• Independent Operator (commercial or noncommercial)
• Innovator of the Year (chain or independent, commercial or noncommercial)
The 2011 National Foodservice Beef Backer winners included Little Apple Brewing Company in the Independent Restaurant category, Hawaiian chain Zippy’s Restaurants in the Chain Restaurant category and the Coeur D’Alene Casino Resort as Innovator of the Year.
The 2012 foodservice entry form and contest details can be found by visiting www.BeefFoodservice.com, or by contacting the PA Beef Council.
An independent judging committee of retail and foodservice industry professionals will select winners based on submission criteria and winners will be honored at the 2013 Cattle Industry Annual Convention in Tampa, FL. In addition to industry recognition, winners receive publicity in national and local media, and customized promotional support to market the award to their patrons and shoppers.
Media Contact: Kristi Rooker Kassimer, 412-691-0262; kkassimer@pabeef.org
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The Pennsylvania Beef Council is a producer-controlled and funded organization, which administers the Beef Checkoff program in Pennsylvania. The Beef Checkoff Program assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. Checkoff revenues may be used for promotion, education and research programs to improve the marketing climate for beef.