National Foodservice Beef Backer Award Winners Announced

TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2012 National Foodservice Beef Backer Award winners were unveiled today at the 2013 Cattle Industry Annual Convention in Tampa, Fla. Each year, the Beef Checkoff Program recognizes three foodservice establishments for their efforts in menuing and marketing beef. The 2012 national winners include Webster's Prime in the Independent category, Hoss's Family Steak and Sea House in the Chain category and Peacock Alley American Grill and Bar as the Innovator of the Year.

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"The annual Foodservice Beef Backer award allows us to honor the chefs and restaurant owners that lead the industry in promoting and selling beef," said Scott McGregor, an Iowa cattleman and chairman of the checkoff's 2012 Joint Foodservice Committee. "No matter the economic climate, patrons look for unique and delicious beef-eating experience away from home. This year's Beef Backers are creative and hard-working operators that understand beef's versatility and profit-building power, and we're proud to honor their commitment to building beef demand with consumers."

The 2012 award-winning Beef Backer operators:

• Independent Operator – Webster's Prime: A premium steakhouse in Kalamazoo, Mich., Webster's Prime menus a range of beef types – such as Wagyu, Angus, prime and dry-aged beef – in different ways, allowing guests to try a different cut or type of beef at every visit. Not only does Webster's Prime promote premium steaks, but menu favorites also include homemade pastrami, house-ground burgers and Wagyu bacon. Patrons love their beef tasting plate, which features side-by-side comparisons of grass fed, grain fed and Wagyu beef to highlight the different flavors and pairings for beef. Webster's Prime puts a premium on staff education by utilizing checkoff-funded training resources to ensure the entire team can create and recommend beef dishes to please every palate.
• Chain Operator – Hoss's Family Steak and Sea House: With 35 locations across Pennsylvania and West Virginia, Hoss's Family Steak and Sea House strives to stay at the forefront of the beef community and find ways to creatively promote beef.  Beef has been the star of Hoss's menu since they opened their doors in 1983, and they've stayed committed to keeping beef center of the plate. In 1995, Hoss's took their commitment to the next level by building their own state of the art beef processing facility. Cutting beef to order specifically for each location ensures top quality and freshness for Hoss's patrons.
• Innovator of the Year – Peacock Alley American Grill and Bar: This Bismarck, North Dakota-based operator is known for offering impressive and unique beef dishes you just won't find anywhere else. Peacock Alley knows the value of beef's versatility; they unveil at least five new beef dishes every month and sell beef across all day parts. By working closely with their local supplier, they create unique beef items that push the envelope. Peacock Alley understands how menuing beef translates into increased sales: In the two years since creating a new beef-focused menu, Peacock Alley's sales have increased by 102 percent.

The National Foodservice Beef Backer Award winners were selected based on submission criteria around the creativity used to menu and promote beef. A judging panel of industry professionals also took into consideration the operators' support of Beef Checkoff-funded initiatives to build beef demand with patrons such as the introduction of new beef cuts, wait staff training, promotions and limited-time offers.

Started in 2007, the National Foodservice Beef Backer Awards program was developed to recognize the partnership between America's beef producing families and their foodservice partners, and encourage other operators to become more involved in the menuing and promotion of beef. For more information, visit BeefFoodservice.com.

About the Beef Checkoff
The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The Checkoff 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. States retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national Checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.

SOURCE Beef Checkoff