How to Best Market Beef to Hispanics Manual

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How To Appeal To Hispanic
Beef Customers And Build Sales
Funded by the
Beef Checkoff
Funded by the Beef Checkoff
©2009 Cattleman’s Beef Board and
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
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How to appeal to Hispanic
beef customers and build sales.
Contrary to what you might think, it’s easy to increase beef sales to your Hispanic
customers. To help you maximize your potential for success, extensive research
funded by the Beef Checkoff among Hispanic beef shoppers and meat cutters in
2007, has revealed what truly motivates Latino beef shoppers. Not surprisingly, making beef selection, shopping and preparation easier is the best way to increase your
business with Hispanics.
The following information, based on this research, will give you a handy list of simple
tips that are guaranteed to make your Hispanic shoppers feel comfortable and
happy to shop for beef in your store. And happy customers are repeat customers.
Tip # 1
•
Did you know that Hispanics typically prepare
an average of 4-5 meals at home per week
using beef, versus 2-3 for the general market?
•
And beef consumption is steady or increasing
for a majority of Hispanics.
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Hispanics are
great beef customers.
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What are Hispanics
looking for in a meat department?
Your Hispanic customers will be looking for certain things that may be different from what
your general market shoppers look for.
•
First and foremost, Latinos want meat that looks and smells fresh. They also
look for the following as signs of quality:
•
Beef that has a bright red color.
•
The expiration date on the package.
•
A USDA Inspected stamp on the package.
To better serve Hispanics, we suggest you do the following:
Provide bilingual beef recipes
• Provide samples of dishes prepared with beef and their recipes
• Provide information on which cuts are best for a particular dish
• Use bilingual labeling
• Provide information about the nutritional content of beef
• Provide a USDA quality guarantee
•
Additionally, Hispanics are always interested in new recipes. So we’ve developed six
different Bilingual Peel-off Recipe Labels which proved very popular with the Hispanic
customers and meat cutters in our survey. They feature recipes of Latino dishes that will
be enjoyed by your Hispanic clientele, and will also appeal to general market consumers
who may be looking for Latin food ideas. For ordering information and images of all of the
labels, please visit www.beefretail.org.
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How can you communicate freshness
to your Hispanic clientele?
Fresh meat ranks first among the qualities Hispanics look for in a meat department.
To communicate this clearly, it is very important to use bilingual English-Spanish
messaging to reach both Spanish-dominant and bilingual customers.
Tip # 2
There are several ways in which you can
accomplish this, for instance:
• Post a 7” x 11” sign that says:
Cortes frescos de hoy
Today’s fresh cuts
• Include a “USDA Inspected” stamp on
the sign.
• Place a label on pre-packaged beef that has
the same information as above.
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It is very important to have quality beef
at competitive prices to attract Hispanics.
Tip # 3
•
Research shows that the following attributes
are the most important to Hispanics:
Better prices for beef
• Proximity to home
• Quality of meat
•
•
Hispanics typically are not aware that marbling adds to the flavor and
tenderness of beef. They tend to think that the redder the meat, the
better it is. Therefore, many of your Latino shoppers will choose Select
Grade (or perhaps even a slightly lower grade). Stocking this less
expensive meat may help you keep your prices lower.
•
Since price is so important to Hispanics, you may want to consider the
following suggestions:
• Pricing all or most of your pre-wrapped beef packages under $4.
• Pricing all or most of your value-packs under $8.
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It can be an advantage to have a Spanish-speaking
butcher who can cut meat the way
Hispanics like it. But it’s not absolutely necessary.
Hispanics love the expertise and opportunity for interaction with a Spanish-speaking
butcher, but they also shop from the pre-packaged meat case.
•
Our research shows that two-thirds of Hispanics shop from a butcher at
least once a month, but at the same time three-fourths also buy from the
pre-packaged meat case at the supermarket.
•
Hispanics who shop from the butcher do so because they believe the
meat is fresher and at a better price.
•
Those who shop from the pre-packaged meat case do so because they feel
they obtain better prices, and they find it a more convenient and faster way
to shop.
Tip # 4
If you have a trained butcher who speaks Spanish, let your customers
know it with a two-sided sign that reads:
Carnicero que habla español en servicio
(Spanish-speaking butcher available)
When he/she is not available, the other side of the sign should say:
Gracias por su compra
(Thank you for your purchase)
All you have to do is flip the sign to the appropriate side as needed.
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Personalized service
is the key to connect with
Hispanic shoppers.
Tip # 5
Hispanic consumers are looking for friendly
service and personalized treatment. Some
simple ideas to provide this are:
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Greeting customers by name.
•
Paying close attention to their questions
and needs.
•
Having meat department personnel with
bilingual English/Spanish language skills.
•
Addressing customers to make them
comfortable; many Latinos want to have
a brief conversation and not just someone
who sells them beef.
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To attract and retain Hispanic beef shoppers,
you have to carry the right cuts of meat.
Spanish-dominant / unacculturated Hispanics generally prefer very thin beef cuts,
cut much thinner than your regular general market cuts.
But which particular cuts should your store carry? Maybe you have limited space
or your current Hispanic clientele is not large enough for you to carry all the
different cuts that Latinos prefer.
To help you plan your Hispanic beef selection, here are three levels of Hispanic
beef assortments that you can carry according to your store’s needs:
Level I – Foundational Cuts
Our research shows that the most popular beef cuts among Hispanics are:
•
Milanesa – A thinly sliced, pounded flat steak, usually cut from 1/8” to 1/4”
thick. Can be either from the top round, sirloin tip, or other beef cuts that
may be popular for Milanesa in your store/neighborhood. (Since Milanesa
is actually a dish more than a beef cut, there is variation in which meat cut
it comes from).
•
Ground Beef (Carne Molida) – Used for picadillo (ground beef cooked in
tomato sauce), meatballs, stews and tacos.
•
Ranchera – A thinly cut steak. Can be from flank or skirt steak.
•
Ribs (Costillas)
• Beef for Shredding (Carne para Deshebrar) – Can be from flank or skirt steak.
Carry these five cuts in your meat department and you will fill the most basic
needs of Hispanic beef shoppers.
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Level II – Other Popular Hispanic Cuts
The next set of popular Latino cuts are:
Top Loin (Aguayón, Lomo)
• Flank (Falda)
• Beef for Kabobs (Trocitos de Carne)
• Eye of Round (Cuete)
• Top Sirloin (Aguayón)
• Chuck (Diezmillo)
• Skirt (Arrachera)
• Top Blade (Espaldilla)
• Round (Bola, Pulpa)
• Brisket (Pecho)
•
By stocking these additional ten cuts – many of which you probably already
have – you will cover the everyday needs of a large number of Hispanics.
Level III – Complete Additional Hispanic Beef Selection
As your Hispanic clientele grows and you have additional space in your meat case,
you can carry the following cuts to complete your Hispanic assortment:
Neck Bone (Espinazo, Pescuezo)
• Shank Cross Cut (Chambarete)
• Osso Buco (Chamorro)
• Cecina – A cured or dried thinly sliced beef.
• Oxtail (Cola de Res)
• Tongue (Lengua)
• Beef Tripe (Panza / Estómago de Res)
• Rose Meat (Suadero de Res)
• Small Intestine (Tripa)
•
With this assortment you will complete your Hispanic set and be ready to serve
practically all the needs of Latino beef customers.
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To marinate or not to marinate?
Some Hispanic customers prefer their meat marinated, as in the case of
Steak Ranchero (Carne Ranchera). They usually enjoy liquid marinades that
have a traditional flavor, like the Chef Merito® brand. However, not all Latinos like to
buy their beef pre-marinated and many would rather do it themselves.
According to the meat cutters that we
interviewed, marinated beef is typically
sold more to men and younger women.
If you currently do not offer pre-marinated
beef, you might consider starting with
Carne Ranchera as a test to see if this is
something that would appeal to your local
Hispanic clientele. The cuts of beef
commonly used for Carne Ranchera are
flank and skirt steak.
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Spanish-English Dictionary
of Beef Cuts & Dishes
To help your Hispanic customers identify the names of their favorite meat cuts
in Spanish and English, we have developed this attractive take-home piece. It
also lists the most common Latino dishes prepared with them and nutritional
information about beef, so it should become a welcome reference piece for
your customers.
Please display it prominently in its handy take-one dispensers and refill them
as necessary. We suggest that you display them in two different places:
•
On top of the meat case, in the plastic counter-top dispenser,
available to order at www.beefretail.org. Item #10803
•
In the pre-packaged beef section or the front entrance of the store, in
the T-stand holder, available to order at www.beefretail.org. Item #10804
Item #10806
For additional details and ordering information
please visit www.beefretail.org
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Bilingual Beef Cuts & Dishes Poster
This attractive poster is for you to display proudly in your meat department.
It contains the same information as the Dictionary in terms of meat cuts and
dishes in Spanish-English.
Item #10800
For additional details and ordering information
please visit www.beefretail.org
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A “Mini-Carnicería” Section in your store can
become a destination for Hispanic meat shoppers.
We strongly encourage you to create a “Mini-Carnicería” (“Mini Hispanic Butcher
Shop”) section in your pre-packaged meat case.
This special section would carry the Hispanic meat cuts referenced above. You
can tailor the number of cuts and the volume of packages to your particular
store’s needs.
To help you identify and bring to life this section for your Latino shoppers, we have
developed the following elements:
•
Case Branding Strips in Spanish and English versions:
CARNICERÍA Latina - AUTÉNTICOS CORTES de res Latinos
Latino BUTCHER SHOP - AUTHENTIC Latino BEEF CUTS
•
Section Divider Signs in four different versions call out the fact that these cuts
are especially prepared for Hispanic customers, and read:
CORTES FRESCOS de HOY - Today’s FRESH CUTS
¡Saborée sus PLATILLOS TÍPICOS! - Enjoy TRADITIONAL LATINO DISHES!
¡Como en NUESTRA TIERRA! (Like in our home country!)
LA CARNE DE RES, qué buena es - BEEF. IT’S WHAT’S FOR DINNER.
Item #10805
For additional details and ordering information please visit www.beefretail.org
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Labels for the Three Most Popular
Mexican Beef Cuts/Dishes
Because of their popularity, labeling the following three types of cuts is a strong
merchandising idea:
•
Milanesa – A thinly sliced, pounded flat steak, usually cut from 1/8” to 1/4”
thick. Can be either from the top round, sirloin tip, or other beef cuts that
may be popular for Milanesa in your store/neighborhood. (Since Milanesa is
actually a dish more than a beef cut, there is variation in which meat cut it
comes from).
•
Ranchera – A thinly cut steak usually prepared with red chile sauce. Can be
flank or skirt steak.
•
Carne Asada – A charbroiled, thinly cut steak. Can be skirt, chuck,
or top blade.
For ordering information and images of all of the labels, please visit www.beefretail.org
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Recommendations on Additional
Hispanic Beef Marketing Activites
In order to attract new Hispanic customers to your store and increase the
frequency of their visits to the meat department, it is essential to conduct
additional marketing activities that will spur customer demand for beef.
These activities can include:
•
In-store Beef Demos, providing the
corresponding bilingual recipe to consumers.
•
In-store Announcements in Spanish and
English, to increase visitation of Hispanic
consumers to the Mini-Carnicería section
and increase distribution of the Beef Cuts
& Dishes Dictionary.
•
Use Radio Remotes to promote beef.
Your Advertising Department can help you
schedule these to conduct samplings of beef
dishes and to distribute the Beef Cuts &
Dishes Dictionary, among other activities.
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Appendix
Popular Hispanic Beef Dishes
Based on our research, these are the most popular beef dishes among Hispanic
consumers, listed in order of importance:
•
Milanesa Steak (Bistec de Milanesa) – A breaded, thinly sliced, pounded flat
steak, usually cut from 1/8” to 1/4” thick. Can be either from the top round,
sirloin tip, or other beef cuts that may be popular for Milanesa in your
store/neighborhood.
•
Carne Asada – A charbroiled, thinly cut steak.
•
Beef Stock/Broth (Caldo de Res)
•
Fajitas – Usually made from sirloin cut in strips.
•
Steak (Bistec) – Usually cut thinner than American-style steak.
•
Tacos – Made with shredded, diced or ground beef.
•
Stews (Guisos) – Cooked on a stove-top, usually with vegetables
and/or potatoes.
•
Picadillo – Ground beef cooked in a tomato sauce, usually with vegetables.
•
Steak Ranchero (Bistec Ranchero) – A thinly cut steak with red chile sauce.
•
Meat Balls (Albóndigas)
•
Hamburgers
•
Tamales
•
Ropa Vieja – Shredded beef with peppers, vegetables and rice.
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