Your Check-Off at Work: Marketing Canadian Beef
Your national check-off dollars are invested in research, marketing, and engagement to build a stronger beef industry. This article is part of a series highlighting how those investments deliver value for producers.
For Canadian beef producers, marketing is one of the most visible ways check-off dollars go to work. Marketing ensures consumers at home and abroad understand and appreciate the value of Canadian beef by building loyal customers. Through Canada Beef, check-off investments are transformed into campaigns, partnerships, and promotions that keep Canadian beef competitive in crowded protein markets.
Each year, about 56 per cent of the check-off is allocated to marketing, amounting to almost $9 million annually. When combined with government industry development funds, partner contributions and in-market support, those dollars expand into campaigns worth far more than producers could fund individually. Marketing investments are designed to increase consumer demand, strengthen brand loyalty, and build trust in Canadian beef across both domestic and international markets.
Independent analysis shows that every $1 invested in beef marketing returns $15 to the beef industry. These returns flow directly back to producers in the form of stronger prices and more stable markets. They also create opportunities to diversify market access, reducing reliance on a single region or customer base.
Domestically, Canada Beef initiatives build consumer confidence, help shoppers identify Canadian beef at the meat counter, and promote Canada’s quality beef grades in restaurants, and in digital spaces. Campaigns showcase the taste, quality, and versatility of beef, provide the latest evidence-based information on beef’s role in a healthy and nutritious diet and raise awareness about sustainability. The Canadian Beef brand mark, and campaigns like “Pick the Beef with the Leaf” reinforce the connection between producers and consumers, reminding shoppers that buying local supports Canadian farm families.
Internationally, Canada Beef delivers marketing initiatives in more than 20 countries, working with Canadian beef suppliers, importers, distributors, retailers, foodservice operators, and government partners. These efforts ensure Canadian beef maintains and grows its presence and market share in highly competitive markets, getting the right cut to the right market to maximize carcass cut-out values. Export markets contribute more than $1,421 per head in additional value than would be generated in the domestic market alone.
Partnerships with chefs, retailers, culinary and butchery institutions, and influencers amplify these efforts. In recent years, Canada Beef has leaned heavily into digital engagement, connecting with consumers through recipe content, cooking tutorials, and interactive campaigns that bring Canadian beef into kitchens around the world. These strategies allow marketing dollars to stretch further, reaching millions of consumers at relatively low cost.
The strategic impact of marketing is often easiest to see during times of disruption. When supply chains shifted during the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada Beef pivoted strategies to online campaigns, recipe development, and retailer partnerships to keep beef top of mind when families were cooking more meals at home. Similarly, when trade tensions or animal health concerns have threatened markets, marketing programs have played a critical role in maintaining customer and consumer confidence and ensuring Canadian beef remains a trusted choice.
For producers, the positive impact shows up in demand, willingness to pay, and positive consumer attitudes about Canada’s beef producers and beef. When consumers choose beef more often, and when retailers and restaurants commit to Canadian product, producers benefit from stronger markets. The collective approach allows individual beef producers to reach more markets.
The future of beef marketing will continue to evolve alongside consumer expectations. Issues like sustainability, animal welfare, and beef’s role in optimal human health will remain part of the conversation, and Canada Beef is well-positioned to tell the industry’s story in ways that resonate with modern audiences. Building trust with the next generation of consumers and new Canadians, while maintaining the loyalty of beef lovers in all ages and stages of life, will be critical to keeping demand strong.
For producers evaluating their check-off dollars, marketing remains a cornerstone of the value proposition. The dollars invested in Canada Beef fund domestic and international market development and promotion initiatives to increase demand for Canadian beef while ensuring the maximum value for producer dollars.
For more information about your check-off, visit www.cdnbeefcheckoff.ca.
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