title: Current merchandising practices and characteristics of beef wholesale rib usage in three U.S. cities.
abstract: Packers/processors, supermarket meat managers, and restaurant meat purchasers were surveyed to determine industry utilization of the beef wholesale rib. Nine packer/processors representing > 52% of the U.S. steer-heifer slaughter reported that more than two-thirds (68.5%) of the ribs were wholesaled as ribeye, lip-on (IMPS 112A) subprimals and that its predominance in the market makes it the standard for pricing. For merchandising variations of this cut (e.g., ribeye, lip-off), packer prices are adjusted to lip-on bases according to the relative yield. Excess fat was the most common complaint about ribeye steaks, reported by 78% of the packer/processors. In particular, 71% of them reported the "kernel" fat near the center of a ribeye steak between the longissimus and spinalis dorsi muscles is quite difficult to trim out and represents the greatest problem in merchandising. Forty-two percent of supermarket meat managers and 58% of restaurant meat purchasers thought the fat content of beef ribeyes discouraged consumers from purchasing all beef. Kernel fat was specifically cited by 36% of the restaurateurs. Alternative merchandising strategies should be employed to minimize the negative value effects of kernel fat. Even with excess fat being a concern to approximately half of the beef rib buyers, most still bought lip-on ribeyes and trimmed excess fat away. Apparently, they made this choice of lower price per weight, even though price per trimmed serving might be similar to lip-off ribeyes. Excess fat is being transported from packer/processor to buyers in the form of lip-on ribeyes because of the price relationships.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Range Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings 57007-0392.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wulf
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Romans
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Costello
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs / Q000191:economics; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000818:Animals; D001900:Boston; D002417:Cattle; D002641:Chicago; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling / Q000191:economics*; D005525:Food-Processing Industry / Q000191:economics*; D015141:Los Angeles; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000191:economics* / Q000592:standards; D012147:Restaurants / Q000191:economics