Here are a series of articles about successful beef promotions from across the country – check them out for great ideas you can use to build your business.

Milestone's Restaurants is exactly what today's customer is looking for - a restaurant that offers delicious, interesting food served in a comfortable atmosphere where guests can relax and enjoy a glass of good wine with their dinner, all reasonably priced.

Milestone's knew that their guests were looking for a great steak and they believed that they could create an interesting promotion around beef. The key to building a great steak program is consistency - delivering a great eating experience every time. Using branded beef would give them the quality and consistency they needed to ensure an outstanding beef experience every time.

After sampling many branded beef products, Executive Chef Jim Romer chose Canadian branded AAA beef for their promotion. But they decided to take a different approach - they would develop their own in house brand identity for their beef promotion and so "Grilled Perfections" was born.

"We wanted to let our guests know that they can get an outstanding steak at Milestone's," says Cathy Tostenson, Director of Marketing for Milestone's "not necessarily because they recognize the beef brand, but because they recognize our commitment to giving them a great eating experience. That's why we created Grilled Perfections."

As described on the Milestone's menus, Grilled Perfections is their signature premium quality steak program. Steaks are centre cut from the finest Canadian Angus beef, with superior marbling, and 28 days of aging. And, all Milestone's steak experiences are guaranteed.

"We felt so strongly about this," says Tostenson "that we guarantee our guest's steak experience and will make it right if they aren't happy."

The new beef product had been chosen and plans for a promotional launch were in place, but there was one thing missing - training. Milestone's knew that you can have the best product in the world, but if your server can't sell it or your staff can't cook it the way the customer wants it, you are not going to be able to deliver on the promise.

Working with the Beef Information Centre, a plan to audit their steak program was developed. Before the Grilled Perfections launch, a number
of Milestone's Restaurants were visited and evaluated. Questions were asked to determine server knowledge and steaks were ordered to check for correct doneness levels and customer satisfaction. Once the audit was completed, and results were tabulated, recommendations were made and a training program was developed.

The training program consisted of providing servers with information and handouts on the new products, how to talk to guests about the steak program and how to make sure steaks are done to the customer's satisfaction. The number one reason that customers are not happy with their steak is that it is not cooked the way they want it, but the problem is that the guest's idea of medium might be completely different from the way the grill cook prepares medium. So, servers are encouraged to confirm doneness expectations with guests. Included in the kit was a steak doneness poster for the grill staff.

Another audit took place during the promotion and the results were remarkable - over 90% of the steak eating experiences were rated good or outstanding. This was a substantial improvement over the "before" audit.

"We are thrilled with the results of our Grilled Perfections promotion," says Tostenson. "The change in focus and the work we did with the Beef Information Centre has really paid off in terms of staff training and customer awareness and satisfaction."

B.I.C. developed a kit to help independent operators merchandize beef menu items was right in front of their guests, at the table. Following are real success stories on the kit's impact.

Dave Young, Falcon Lake Resort Hotel, Falcon Beach, Manitoba reported they launched a Sterling Silver(TM) beef program but were not having much success with it until Assistant Manager and Executive Chef Young put the beef promotional kit into action.

"We put the wooden blocks on the tables, with the beef beauty shot in the holder and sales took off," said Young. "Our beef sales increased 42% over the previous period. Having the table top promotional materials and then training our staff to talk about the product made all the difference."

According to Young, a big part of the success was training servers to promote their beef items and to make sure customers got their steak cooked just the way they liked it. "You can't have your staff arguing with the customer, servers need to figure out what doneness level the customer wants and then make sure that is what they get, regardless of what they called it. BIC's staff training information and steak doneness materials have been extremely helpful."

In fact, Young developed his own steak doneness waiter cards so that his serving staff had personal doneness charts.

Tom Walsh of the Muskoka on the Rocks pub, Huntsville, Ontario used the table top POS to inform customers about his features and upcoming specials. "Customers really liked the cards and read the information on the back - they asked some great questions and this gave staff a chance to talk about our beef items."

They really emphasized their beef programs and advertised their features on chalkboards around the room. This combined with the appetizing beef photo sitting on the table was a great way to promote their beef items and gave the impression that something really big was happening in the restaurant.

"Our steak sales have tripled over the past year and I give a lot of credit to this promotional kit," says Tom. "We used the sales training info in the kit to demonstrate to staff that if they sold the more expensive menu items like steak, they would get a bigger tip - staff understood that being able to talk about steaks, and deliver a great eating experience would mean more money to them in the long run."

The Cactus Pub and Grill in Picture Butte, Alberta is situated in a very small town where the locals make up the greatest part of their business. According to Manager Greg Hoffarth, they had great success using the wooden blocks on the tables and found that if they used them to advertise their dinner features at lunch time they often had their lunch customers back in for dinner!

"We found the information really helpful," says Hoffarth. "We used some of the staff training suggestions, including grabbing a staff member and heading into the city to try different restaurants and get ideas on what others were doing."

BIC worked with Keg Restaurants to develop a number of creative new menu items to be featured on their fall feature menu through a Keg Cook Off challenge. We wanted Keg staff to feel really excited about talking to their customers about these new beef items and to motivate their customers to try them.

One of the keys to a successful steak program is to have staff motivated to sell - and providing innovative items that give wait staff something new to talk to customers about is one way to create momentum.

So, rather than a couple of chefs getting into a test kitchen to develop new menu items, we decided to invite Keg staff to come up with some creative ideas for a beef promotion.

Working with the Keg’s Director of Food Services, Marko Gotowiec, BIC developed a fun invitation for staff outlining the criteria and rules of how the program would run. We asked that the restaurant teams consist of the Kitchen Manager, Cook and one staff member and that they be prepared to come and serve the items to a judging panel. In return, there would be prizes for all entrants, with grand prizes for the winners. Plus, the winning entry from each region would be featured in a fall promotion.

To add learning and keep beef top of mind for Keg staff, BIC provided a short seminar on Canadian beef - with a quiz to follow, and marks counted against each team’s final score.

Twenty-four restaurants submitted menu ideas, including recipes, costing and plating descriptions. The restaurants were broken into three areas - Pacific Northwest, Prairies and eastern Canada.

The first judging was Vancouver where six teams presented 13 different items ranging from appetizers to dinner entrées. It was a taste extravaganza, and judging was tough. Teams went all out, coming up with delicious, creatively presented ideas. The winner was the Sherry Mushroom New York Steak from the Guildford Keg in Surrey, BC. In addition, one of the appetizers presented, an Asian Beef Wrap will be featured on the lunch menu during the fall promotion.

Next was Toronto, where we had seven teams presenting 14 items - again, it was a tough choice and the winner was the Mardi Gras Sirloin from the Keg Mansion.

Our final judging was in Calgary, where we had seven teams present 18 items. The judges were overwhelmed with all the fabulous items they sampled, and in fact, chose two items to be featured in the fall promotion - a Creole Sirloin with Fresco Salsa from the Calgary Stadium Keg and the Herb-Crusted Blue Cheese Sirloin from the West Edmonton Keg.

“It was a wonderful tasting experience and great fun to see how our staff really got into the spirit of the contest, there was friendly competition and some outstanding results,” says Marko Gotowiec of the Keg. “We were knocked out with the amount of time and effort our managers and staff put into this contest - all the entries were great, and we will have lots of creative menu ideas to pull from.”

Overall, it was a very successful venture for BIC and for the Keg, a great way to create some menu excitement and get staff motivated to sell beef.

A family operated business established in 1964, Golden Griddle currently operates 41 locations in Ontario. Their tagline reflects their roots, and the heart of their business: The Best in Breakfast, All Day.

Golden Griddle President, Bill Hood and his operators wanted to focus and build on their dinner business. Although beef has never been a large component of their menu, they felt that it offered the right ingredient to enhance their dinner menu, and grow that day part.

Working with B.I.C. and Honeyman's Beef Purveyors, Golden Griddle rolled out their Prime Rib promotion last fall with excellent results and positive feedback from franchisees and customers.

Franchisees were hesitant at first as to whether or not Golden Griddle could sustain menu items above the critical $10 mark (a higher price point than they had ever tried) but were excited at the prospect of building their business at night and increasing their sales.

The promotion was a resounding success - cheque averages increased substantially, guest comments were complimentary and staff were excited about the new item.

The Prime Rib was a precooked product using Sterling Silver beef from Cargill Foods. Over the course of the promotion, beef sales increased 700% - leveling off to an average 400% increase after the promotion.

The promotion ran for five weeks and included placemats and posters promoting the new menu item. Training on selling, cooking and serving the new product was also included for franchisees through B.I.C. and Honeyman's beef Purveyors.

To build on this success, Golden Griddle followed up with another promotion in the spring using Sterling Silver sirloin steaks. They were so committed to the program they supported the promotion with TV advertising. During the three month promotion, steak purchases increased 300% over the previous year.

"Our total beef purchases have increased dramatically this year as a result of the emphasis we have put on promoting beef" says Hood. "We know that if we continue to promote, we will create increased awareness for the quality of the product we are serving, and as a result, achieve both an increase in our customer base, and an increased frequency of their visits" says Hood.

Hood is most encouraged by the evolution of beef over the past number of years (referring to the precooked, marinated, portioned and other value added products now available in the marketplace.) Like many operations, Golden Griddle is limited in what they can offer on their menu by the skill levels in their kitchens. "Anything we can do to make the job in the kitchen easier is crucial in our operations" says Hood.

Moxie’s 38 outlets across Canada had a solid reputation for good food at affordable prices in a family-friendly environment. But in order to remain competitive in the market, management at Moxie’s knew they needed to turn it up a notch. “We really owned lunch in many of our restaurant locations,” says Frank Kaan, Executive Chef for Moxie’s “but what we wanted to do was build our dinner business. We believed that we could do that with a quality steak program.”

Moxie’s did extensive research to find the best beef to meet their needs. They knew that a branded beef program would offer them high quality, consistent products that tasted great - and it would take the guesswork out of purchasing beef. They formed a taste panel to try different products and spent a number of weeks looking for the right one.

Cargill’s Sterling Silver® beef program was the winner and is the only branded item featured on the new menu at the new Moxie’s Classic Grill. The name change reinforces the carefully planned move to a casual dining status, in which beef provides the focal point. It was a big step, and one that quickly paid dividends across the country.

Amazingly, since the introduction of the new casual dining venue and the new grill menu, steak purchases have taken a leap from $250,000 to more than $1.7 million in just two short years.

“Moxie’s has really re-defined who they are, changing their menu to a more upscale grill focus,” says Marty Carpenter, National Foodservice Manager for the Beef Information Centre. “While the entire menu is new, the focus is built around a quality branded beef program.”

“Our mandate is to position ourselves as a restaurant known for exceptional quality with great prices and our new grill menu reflects that,” says Kaan. “We want to be proud of what we serve, and to serve our customers the best.”

The Beef Information Centre, Centennial Foods (Western Distributor for Sterling Silver Beef) and Cargill Foods each provided monetary support to the marketing and promotional campaign behind the new beef-focused menu kick-off. But the buck doesn’t stop there.

“The people at Moxie’s are very pleased with the results so far, but our support of the branded beef program can’t stop with a promotional investment,” says Carpenter. “Now that the program is established and selling well, we’re going to help them maintain ongoing high quality by providing training to their staff.”

“The change to casual dining with an emphasis on steak represents a higher cost and therefore higher menu prices, but we kept our prices affordable,” Kaan says. “We knew that going with a branded beef program would ensure that our customers are getting the very best product, guaranteed every time. And they have responded very positively - our sales reflect that.”

The basic formula is simple: branded beef programs that provide the consumer with a better, more consistent product result in return restaurant visits. And return visits result in increased profits for restaurant operators.

For nearly 50 years, the St-Hubert barbeque restaurants have had an excellent reputation for the quality of their barbequed chicken, but here's a surprising fact: since 1999, a number of the chain's establishments have also offered beef on their menus. So why does a barbequed chicken specialist suddenly develop an interest in beef?

"As a matter of fact," explains Mrs. Solange Heiss, Director of Communications for St-Hubert, "beef on our menu is not new. In the early days of our operations, our menu included steak. We are returning to this option to satisfy the demands of our customers who want variety and choice."

St-Hubert has long been at the forefront in identifying and responding to changes in customer preferences. Faced with a growing market and changing customer expectations, St-Hubert carried out studies, surveys and consultations with the public. At the same time, the chain was identifying suppliers who could provide consistent, superior quality steak. The result? "Le Grillardin" - an exciting restaurant concept where participating franchisees offering steak on their menus are equipped with a special grill where specially trained chefs grill top-quality steaks in full view of the customers.

St-Hubert is very strict when it comes to quality. Rule number one: the beef used is exclusively Canadian. "Encouraging the use of Canadian products is part of the St-Hubert philosophy," Mrs. Heiss states. "Products are chosen with the utmost care and each steak is individually weighed to ensure that its weight corresponds to what appears on the menu." At the present time, St-Hubert establishments offer 10-ounce sirloin steaks and 16-ounce rib steaks. A 6-ounce sirloin steak is also available in the noon Express menu.

Last June, St-Hubert partnered with the Beef Information Centre to promote Canadian Beef. The goals were to increase awareness of the quality of Canadian Beef and, of course, to increase beef sales at the restaurants. The success of the initiative surpassed all expectations. A comparison of year-over-year sales tells the story. In June, 1999, a total of 691 steak meals were sold. In June, 2000, the numbers soared to more than 4,400 steak meals sold.

In view of these exciting results, St-Hubert is eager to explore additional beef menu offerings. "We are prepared to satisfy customer demand. Our specialty is chicken, and will continue to be so, but customers looking for top quality steak can also enjoy that at our restaurants," says Mrs. Heiss. "We are proud of our partnership with the Beef Information Centre and are very happy with the results."

The Ranches and Vineyards Festival is a partnership between the Alberta Cattle Commission, the Beef Information Centre and Serca Foodservice Inc., Canada's largest foodservice distributor. Rounding out the initiative's promotional partners were Vins Philippe Dandurand and the Quebec Liquor Board (SAQ), radio station CKAC and the journal LES AFFAIRES, with assistance from several other partners. The promotion was developed and produced by TAG Communication-Marketing Inc. out of Montreal.

"The initiative enabled us to work with a number of high-quality partners who have the ability to raise the profile and level of consumption in the beef industry," says Marty Carpenter, National Foodservice Team Leader for the Beef Information Centre. "It's imperative that we develop cooperative relationships with key influencers in the foodservice industry as they sell millions of kilograms of beef a year."

Quebec provided the perfect venue for the Festival's initiation, as rapidly increasing demand makes the province the fastest growing market for quality beef in the country. Representing 25 percent of Canadian households, the province accounted for 28 percent of beef purchases during 2000, and research reports that 90 percent of Quebec households regularly purchase beef.

The Festival launched in Montreal and Quebec City last April. Forty members of the Food Writers Press, along with a number of reporters from daily publications, joined representatives from Serca, B.I.C., Vins Philippe Dandurand and the SAQ, as well as the participating restaurateurs at a dinner to kick off the promotion.

Following the two successful launch events, restaurants across the province featured the Ranches and Vineyards promotion during the month of May. The restaurants used the supplied Point of Sale materials for their feature menu (which included at least three Canadian beef dishes paired with the feature wines). Restaurants also contributed $500 each in gift certificates for the consumer promotion. The consumer promotion consisted of a radio advertising campaign that allowed consumers to call in to win $50 gift certificates to the participating restaurants (after answering a promotion related question). There were also print ads identifying the participating restaurants, and a consumer contest where customers who chose one of the specials from the feature sheet could enter to win a week for two at Lake Louise, Alberta - and over 5,000 consumers entered to win!

"Fifty-three restaurants took part in Ranches and Vineyards, resulting in a 13% sales increase in the amount beef sold over the previous year. The restaurants and our partners were very pleased with the success of the promotion," says Mike Fournier, BIC's Foodservice Manager for Quebec. "We are looking for ways to continue and expand this program next year."

When guests arrived at an abc Country Restaurant during the recent Smokehouse BBQ Promotion, they were greeted by staff wearing T-shirts that read "Ask me what we've been smoking" or "Where there's smoke, there's flavour". They could have added one more: "Where there's smoke, there's profit".

With 31 franchised outlets in British Columbia and eight in Alberta, abc Country Restaurants have been providing quality food and friendly, efficient service for almost 30 years. The goal of the Smokehouse Barbeque Promotion, which targeted adults in the 25-54 age demographic, was to create awareness of the unique Smokehouse BBQ product available only at abc Country Restaurants. "When we tasted Smokehouse BBQ for the first time, we were really excited by the flavour and its potential as a signature line of products for our group. We wanted to find something new and exciting, something to really set abc Country Restaurants apart. Smokehouse BBQ has proven to be exactly the success that we had hoped it would be," says Joan Overin, Marketing Director. "Our guests love the product and the buzz it's creating in the industry backs up what a great concept the promotion was."

The Smokehouse menu included BBQ Beef on a Bun, Jack Daniel's Chili topped with Smokehouse Beef, Pulled Beef Quesadillas, Smokehouse Beef Ribs and a Holy Smokes Combo Platter with a variety of Smokehouse products.

This new line of products was introduced through a direct mail campaign that brought 750,000 introductory offer coupons to homes in British Columbia and Alberta. Supporting the direct mail were newspaper ads, radio spots and point-of-sale table talkers, menus and pole signs.

Enthusiastic support from the staff ensured the promotion was a success. "Staff training is very important," says Overin. "We held pre-launch Smokehouse tasting and training sessions to get the staff as excited about the product as we were. We wanted to make sure staff were well informed and knew how to prepare and talk about Smokehouse BBQ to the guests when they came in to try it."

A look at the numbers clearly shows customers gave the products their seal of approval. Almost 10,000 kgs of BBQ Beef Roast and 7,000 kgs of Smokehouse Beef Ribs were consumed during the first two months of the promotion. Smokehouse BBQ is now a permanent fixture on the abc Country menu. Overin notes that BBQ Beef Brisket is the newest menu item to be introduced to the guests. "This Smokehouse product has excellent flavour and is very tender and juicy when it comes out of the smoker." The restaurants plan on keeping the focus on Smokehouse BBQ and building on the initial success and profitability of the product line, with more new products coming out soon. When it comes to barbecue, maybe you can't have too much of a good thing.