Kansas State University researchers are looking more closely at the dynamics of marketing beef directly to consumers. In an initial survey of 198 consumers and 66 beef producers, they found the COVID-19 pandemic greatly increased consumers’ interest in purchasing Kansas-raised beef directly from the farm. Of the producers surveyed, 61% said their business-to-consumer marketing, known as B2C, had increased in 2020 and 2021.
Although the interest is there, researchers found some gaps may exist in the information available to the producer and consumer that could be preventing some from selling and buying locally. According to K-State Research and Extension Farm Management Economist Gregg Ibendahl, for producers, there are concerns about the true profitability of direct marketing.
“I think there is a perception that direct marketing is profitable, but when you're not doing detailed enterprise analysis accounting … it's hard to say that direct marketing is more profitable,” he said.
For consumers buying local beef, the researchers said there are misperceptions about what they are actually purchasing. K-State meat scientist Travis O’Quinn said there can be a lot of surprises for first-time consumers making these purchases. For example, he said, when a customer buys a 1,200 lb. animal, a lot of them think they are going to get 1,200 lbs. of beef, which “certainly is not the way it is.”
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