Our Story - The brand that changed beef

MOVING FORWARD
News spread throughout the state and the beef community, with the assistance of Evans and Susan
Scott, who through the Ohio Poultry Association had local media connections. Etling’s idea had come
to fruition, yet there was no formula for growing the brand and gaining consumer recognition. Some
USDA officials questioned the brand’s authenticity, and on Nov. 1, 1978, pulled the carcass roll—
essentially closing the program down.
Colvin spent his next six months, with Allen and many other Angus leaders, working with the USDA to
regain its approval. Their efforts resulted in the first USDA certified beef brand, G1, on April 2, 1979.
The process for ensuring its quality became the framework for dozens of beef, veal, pork and lamb
brands today to work with USDA to certify their own product specifications. While some of those
brands also utilize Angus-influenced cattle, the Certified Angus Beef ® brand is still the benchmark for
quality beef and the leader in the beef community.
Through the years, meat packers and processors grew their offerings of fresh and value-added
products meeting the Certified Angus Beef ® brand specifications. Production expanded into Canada in
2000, helping packers in North America today produce about 3.5 million pounds of beef per day.
Additionally, the brand’s selection of premium beef for chefs and consumers includes fresh Certified
Angus Beef ® brand Prime cuts, meeting nine more specifications than USDA Prime, and Certified Angus
Beef ® brand Natural, where cattle are never given antibiotics nor additional hormones, and only fed a
100% vegetarian diet. Restaurants and grocery stores today may also source the brand’s products from
a particular state, such as E.R. Boliantz Packing in Ashland with cattle raised on Ohio Angus farms.
The brand’s full range of premium products also includes convenience items from processors like deli
meats, fully cooked beef entrées, frankfurters, beef bacon and marinated cuts, all with the focus on
being the highest quality product in the category.
Hudson Meat Co. became one of the brand’s
first processors in 1989, and today offers
cooked prime rib roast. Meat processors offer
a wide selection of items to meet chef and
consumer needs for high-quality, easy meals.
1996
First heat-and-serve
entrées available
1997
Sales reach 1 million pounds
per working day
1998
First feedyard partner
(Triangle H Grain &
Cattle Company)
10