Ireland’s largest beef farmer producer group, Certified Irish Angus has unveiled a new brand identity and launched a campaign to better connect with consumers of Irish beef.

The #RaisedWithPride campaign celebrates the thriving society of 10,000 Certified Irish Angus farmers while highlighting a unique triple inspection system which guarantees the quality of the brand.

The new identity was developed in conjunction with Bord Bia’s Thinking House and builds on the strength and heritage of Certified Irish Angus while reflecting its premium positioning and sustainable credentials, ensuring that it connects with consumers in a relevant way.

Charles Smith, general manager of Certified Irish Angus said: “The Irish beef industry has been faced with big challenges in recent times but all the research tells us that, while consumers may be choosing less, they are seeking out better beef. This is the perfect time for us to tell our story. In a world where consumers are increasingly concerned about provenance, traceability and sustainability, our robust triple inspection system uniquely safeguards our premium beef from farm to fork. This guarantees that beef carrying our brand is bona fide Certified Irish Angus which is fully traceable and of the highest quality.

"However, we must also play our part in addressing some of the issues which are making consumers choose less beef – and the biggest of those is the issue of climate change. Certified Irish Angus animals naturally mature early which results in fewer carbon emissions produced from each animal. We recognise that as beef farmers we need to go even further to cut our carbon emissions and so, we encourage our members to take additional carbon reducing measures.

"Our members farm with integrity, honesty and transparency and are dedicated to caring for and protecting the Irish Angus breed. They are the linchpin of our sustainable farming movement and are committed to progress and improvement in all that they do.”

Sean Flanagan, Certified Irish Angus Farmer, Strokestown, Co Roscommon.

Connecting with consumers

The new brand and campaign has been designed to connect better with consumers by highlighting the stories of the farmer members involved in Certified Irish Angus and the care and attention that is required to rear their animals to produce premium beef. In addition to telling farmer stories, the new Certified Irish Angus website will contain recipe inspiration and information about the cuts of beef as well as details of the unique triple inspection system.

Tesco deal

The new brand hits Tesco shelves around the country this week, where it features as part of the Tesco Finest* premium range.

Speaking about the new campaign, Joe Manning, commercial director, Tesco Ireland said: “Sourcing Irish food is a hugely important part of our business, and we are proud of the role that Tesco plays in supporting the Irish agri food sector. Over the past 20 years, we have developed a long-standing partnership with Certified Irish Angus, and are very proud to source all our Tesco Finest* beef sold in Ireland from dedicated Angus producing farms. The Certified Irish Angus accreditation adds a further quality endorsement to our product which customers continuously seek out when shopping with us. We looking forward to continuing to deliver on this important partnership."

About Certified Irish Angus

Certified Irish Angus was founded in 1995 and was the first group to certify the Angus breed in Ireland. Every single animal coming from Certified Irish Angus member farms is individually inspected at partner factories, ABP and Kepak.

Visit: www.certifiedirishangus.ie or follow @CertifiedIrishAngus #CertifiedIrishAngus #RaisedWithPride