Contact:    Stephanie Darling                  303/850-3359       sdarling@beef.org
                AllisonWenther, NEBPI         717/939-7000       awenther@pabeef.org

                                     Guess Who Came To Dinner?

A Beef Checkoff Brigade Serves Stew For 8,000 At Boston Marathon

CENTENNIAL, CO (April 27, 2006) The Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative (NEBPI) has brought the traditional beef stew — some 1,000 pounds of it — back to the Boston Marathon.  

While manning a beef checkoff-funded booth April 16-17 at the world’s most famous marathon, the NEBPI, a collaborative group of Northeast state beef councils, sponsors and volunteers, served 8,000 samples of Provencal  Beef Stew to race spectators. A bowl of beef stew historically was a part of finishing the grueling, 26.2- mile race since it began in 1897. Over the past 110 years, as race entries grew from a few dozen to 20,000-plus, the stew went only to the winners, along with prize money and the time-honored crown of laurel leaves.    

“We really had great exposure because the Boston Marathon is a world-class event. Our booth was only about 100 yards from the finish line so we had lots of samplers and rave reviews,” said Allison Wenther, director of NEBPI  retail marketing and public relations.  

The NEBPI also enjoyed manpower from members of the 2006 National Beef Ambassador Program, which is partially funded by the beef checkoff  and coordinated by the American National CattleWomen Inc., on behalf of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board.  

“Many came back twice and were impressed to hear the recipe was from the checkoff-funded ‘Healthy Beef Cookbook,’” said Peter Scharpe, an ambassador from Minnesota.  

The beef industry event even had its own representative runner, Brian Briner, a veteran marathoner and veal producer from Wisconsin.  

Briner ran in a shirt sporting the “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner/Veal. Eat Smart, Eat Well.” tag lines and remembers hearing encouraging shouts of “Go beef!” from the 200,000 spectators lining the course. His first meal after the race?  Beef filet, a protein athletes favor because it helps repair miniscule muscle tears caused by endurance events, Briner explained. (He should know: Beef is on the training table as he prepares now for the Wisconsin Ironman Triathalon.)    

Chef Timothy Harris, senior culinary instructor at Harrisburg Area Community College, used the “The Healthy Beef Cookbook” to prepare Provencal Beef Stew, using chuck shoulder roast. The beef was donated by Cargill Meat Solutions, Taylor Packing, in Wyalusing, Pa.  Sysco Central PA and Sygma foodservice distribution centers volunteered transportation services to deliver the 25 five-gallon containers of stew to Boston. 

Prior to the annual spring race, NEBPI partnered with the morning show on local radio station WZLX, taking the beef message to its 400,000 listeners. The station ran the Sam Elliot enjoyment spots and aired contests to win “The Healthy Beef Cookbook” and summer grilling sets, Wenther added.  

The American National CattleWomen Inc. is a trade association of U.S. women in the beef cattle industry, with the primary focus of promotion and consumer education regarding beef as a safe and nutritious food and the promotion of beef cattle as an industry.