Marketing Activity

When Covid-19 and lockdown took hold in March 2020, it triggered one of most challenging periods in the red meat industry’s history. Demand for premium beef cuts collapsed overnight as restaurants were forced to close their doors, creating a glut of prime cuts with nowhere to go. Meat prices were falling due to an influx of foreign meat and the closure of almost all food service. Simultaneously, demand for red meat, especially mince, soared as the public stockpiled comfort foods.

Our PR, marketing and communications tactics had to change tack and, while being sensitive to the mood of the nation, there was also huge opportunity to reach consumers. Almost everybody was cooking every meal at home, and there was renewed enthusiasm for time in the kitchen and trying new dishes. They also had more time for social media, watching television and reading the newspapers.

As the pleasures of dining out were denied for much of the year, QMS focused on inspiring consumers to cook with prime cuts usually enjoyed in restaurants. Much of our activity centred on collaboration with chefs, butchers and culinary businesses to provide constant colour and ideas for cooking with red meat, as well as highlighting its nutritional benefits.

We continued to support our industry stakeholders with regular focused communications and tools to drive profitability, navigate the challenges created both by the pandemic and Brexit, and to encourage collaboration on consumer-facing campaigns.