The Missouri Beef Industry Council (MBIC) has shifted its focused in recent years towards reaching millennial consumers and placing an additional focus on consumers dedicated to an active and healthy lifestyle. There are many misconceptions held within the fitness community that beef does not fit in a healthy and active diet. Beef checkoff funded research has disproven these claims against beef’s healthy qualities, and MBIC is committed to erasing that stigma among consumers.

MBIC participates in several marathon and fitness events throughout the year, including their sponsorship of the Hospital Hill Run & Expo, and their participation in the week-long Bicycle Across Missouri (Big BAM) from St. Joseph to Shelbina in June. Beef branding was placed throughout the Expo, including at the finish and start lines of all running events. The council also hosted a booth in the Expo, with recipes, brochures, nutrition information and cooking demonstrations made available to consumers in the booth space.

Through a giveaway sign up, MBIC has also been able to educate consumers about beef’s vital role in a healthy and active lifestyle, and address misconceptions about the beef industry. The council captured nearly 300 emails to add to the Beef Lover’s Monthly e-newsletter distribution list through the giveaway.

Several thousand runners participated in this year’s Hospital Hill Run, and several hundred riders participated in the Big BAM, enjoying scenic routes, music, and good food along the way.

MBIC also participated in the Missouri Academy of Family Physicians’ summer conference. They hosted a MBIC booth for physicians to visit and ask questions about beef and beef nutrition, and sponsored an interactive lunch, hosted by Dr. Michelle May, a physician who focuses on the technique of mindful eating. The lunch was an extreme success, and was very popular among the crowd of physicians in attendance.

Physicians play an important part in relaying the beef message to consumers, and the MBIC recognized that these conferences and partnerships with family physicians offer a variety of opportunities to accurately promote beef to consumers.