Calgary, Alta. — The Beef Information Centre (BIC) recently took part in SIAL (Salon International de l'Alimentation), one of North America's premier food industry trade events. The show was held for the first time ever in Toronto, Ontario and hosted over 12,000 delegates from 63 countries world wide.
SIAL attendance is limited to food industry professionals and is exclusively devoted to food and beverage products, serving the needs of all market segments including large-scale distribution, import-export, wholesale distribution, specialty retail, foodservice as well as food manufacturing.
BIC presented the Canadian Beef Advantage to buyers from around the world and hosted a number of Canadian beef suppliers including Cargill, XL Beef, St Helen's Meat Packers and Canadian Beef Bacon Corporation, and gave them an opportunity to showcase their Canadian beef products.
One of the highlights at the BIC booth was the launch of Canadian beef bacon, an exciting new product that looks, smells and tastes like traditional bacon but is made from beef. Bacon-sized strips of beef are cut from the short plate then cured in a similar way to pork bacon. This new product is leaner than traditional bacon with 50 per cent less cholesterol and can also be enjoyed by people who, for cultural or religious reasons, avoid pork. Currently available in Canada at retail and foodservice locations, this product will soon be available in the United States. (more details at www.beefbacon.net).
"Participating at the BIC booth was a fantastic opportunity for the Canadian Beef Bacon Corporation," said Richard Janzen, company owner and founder. "We showcased our new beef bacon to a receptive audience, serving hundreds of samples and generating dozens of leads. We are overwhelmed with the positive response and the opportunities this partnership has provided."
In addition to providing a venue for Canadian beef vendors, BIC's team presented daily cutting demonstrations and offered a tasting that included a selection of Canadian beef products, making BIC's booth one of the most popular destinations for visitors to SIAL.
"This event gave BIC the opportunity to present the Canadian Beef Advantage to influential buyers from around the world, "says Judy Nelson, BIC committee chair and cow-calf producer from Lundbreck, Alta. "Just as importantly, it provided a venue for Canadian beef suppliers to showcase their products and build new sales opportunities."
BIC's efforts to maximize demand for Canadian beef and optimize the value of Canadian beef products is funded by cattle producers through the National Beef Check-Off, which in turn makes it possible to access beef industry market development funds provided by the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta.
Source: Beef Information Centre
