Certified Angus Beef
Certified Angus Beef is a 1978-founded, non-profit beef certification brand based in Wooster, Ohio that licenses its trademark to ranches, processors, and foodservice operators meeting proprietary marbling and quality standards, distributing premium Angus beef through nationwide retail and restaurant partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersWooster, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Certified Angus Beef does
Certified Angus Beef, founded in 1978 and headquartered in Wooster, Ohio, is a privately-held, non-profit branded-beef program that licenses the Certified Angus Beef ® trademark to ranches, feedlots, processors, retailers, and foodservice operators whose cattle and products meet proprietary marbling, maturity, and yield standards that exceed USDA Choice. Its core product is the certification mark itself, enforced through grading protocols and supported by an in-house meat scientist and corporate chef team; the company operates a 7,000-sq. ft Education & Culinary Center in Wooster that trains foodservice and retail partners.
The business model is primarily brand licensing and royalty-based: partners pay fees for the right to use the trademark, supplying beef into a nationwide network that spans steakhouses (Oak Steakhouse, Lawry's The Prime Rib), restaurant chains (Smashburger, J. Alexanders), retail grocery, hospitality (Palace Resorts, Nordstrom restaurants), and event venues (World Equestrian Center). Secondary revenue streams include direct-to-consumer e-commerce (steaks.certifiedangusbeef.com), lifestyle merchandise (shop.certifiedangusbeef.com), a licensee-branded apparel store, and adjacent consumer engagement products including the freemium Roast Perfect mobile app (iOS/Android), the Steakholder Rewards loyalty program, and content marketing such as the Bryan's Burger World YouTube series and an email newsletter.
Go-to-market combines enterprise field sales (dedicated Chef, Foodservice, and Retailer Inquiries portals, a licensee dashboard at dashboard.certifiedangusbeef.com, and a cattlemen-facing Cattlemen Connection site at cabcattle.com) with direct-to-consumer and event-driven marketing (annual BeefBash, BBQ Block Parties, Cayman Cookout sponsorship with Moët & Chandon, and Chef's Table dinners with YARA Global Steakhouse in Grand Cayman). The company participates in the Colvin Scholarship program supporting students entering the beef industry, and employs 101-250 people across cooking, marketing, culinary, and meat-science functions.
Certified Angus Beef firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Certified Angus Beef
- Legal name
- Certified Angus Beef
- Website
- https://certifiedangusbeef.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Certified Angus Beef is a 1978-founded, non-profit beef certification brand based in Wooster, Ohio that licenses its trademark to ranches, processors, and foodservice operators meeting proprietary marbling and quality standards, distributing premium Angus beef through nationwide retail and restaurant partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Certified Angus Beef industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Premium Beef Certification and Licensing
- NAICS
- Meat Retailers (445240)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Animal Welfare Auditing, Compliance & Certification Services (Non-testing Lab) (AFAEALAN)
Keywords
Where Certified Angus Beef is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wooster
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Certified Angus Beef business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Brand Licensing Fees: The company generates revenue through licensing fees charged to ranches, feedlots, and processors who want to sell beef under the Certified Angus Beef brand. Partners must meet strict quality standards and pay licensing fees for the right to use the brand trademark.
- Direct Product Sales: The company sells beef products directly to consumers through its e-commerce platform (steaks.certifiedangusbeef.com), offering steaks and beef cuts for home delivery.
- Consumer Application (Roast Perfect): The free Roast Perfect app drives brand engagement and indirectly supports sales by helping consumers prepare beef correctly, increasing consumer demand for Certified Angus Beef products at retail and foodservice.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Consumer direct-to-consumer beef sales |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Certified Angus Beef product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Certified Angus Beef operates a brand licensing and quality certification program for premium Angus beef, verifying that partner-supplied beef meets strict standards for marbling, maturity, and yield. The organization licenses the Certified Angus Beef trademark to qualifying ranchers, feedlots, processors, foodservice operators, and retailers, while also supporting direct-to-consumer beef sales through its e-commerce store, a cooking mobile app, a customer loyalty program, and culinary education resources.
Product overview
Certified Angus Beef is a premium beef certification brand that serves as the core product, verifying that beef meets strict quality standards for marbling, maturity, and yield. The brand operates through multiple supporting products and services including the Roast Perfect mobile app for cooking guidance, the Steakholder Rewards loyalty program, Bryan's Burger World YouTube entertainment content, the Education & Culinary Center training facility in Wooster, Ohio, and the Colvin Scholarship program for students. The portfolio is unified under the brand promise of delivering beef that is 'certified for flavor.'
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Certified Angus Beef Brand (Licensing Program) A premium Angus beef certification and brand-licensing program that verifies partner beef against proprietary quality standards (marbling, maturity, yield) exceeding USDA Choice. Licensing is offered to qualifying ranches, feedlots, processors, distributors, foodservice operators, and retailers that meet the program's specifications.
- Direct-to-Consumer Online Steaks E-commerce storefront (steaks.certifiedangusbeef.com) offering individual Certified Angus Beef steaks and beef cuts for direct purchase and home delivery to retail consumers.
- Roast Perfect Mobile App Free iOS and Android mobile application providing step-by-step video roasting instructions, carving tips, and cooking guidance for Certified Angus Beef products, designed to help home consumers prepare beef correctly.
- Steakholder Rewards Loyalty Program Customer loyalty program in which members earn points for purchases and engagement with the Certified Angus Beef brand, redeemable for promotional offers and rewards.
- Education & Culinary Center A 7,000-square-foot training facility in Wooster, Ohio providing interactive culinary demonstrations, meeting space, and educational programs for Certified Angus Beef foodservice and retail partners.
Companies that use Certified Angus Beef
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Certified Angus Beef technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Certified Angus Beef partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Riverbend RanchcoreOne of the largest Angus operations in the country supplying cattle for the Certified Angus Beef program. Located across seven ranch locations from California, Utah, and Texas to Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. Manages 5,500 head of cattle with 17 full-time employees.
- Moët & ChandonminorCo-sponsor of the Cayman Cookout Barefoot BBQ event and other premium culinary events. Brand partnership for champagne and beef pairing experiences.
- YARA Global SteakhousecoreInternational partner hosting Chef's Table Volume I dinner featuring Certified Angus Beef brand cuts alongside other world-class chefs. Located in Grand Cayman.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Certified Angus Beef competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Certified Hereford Beef: Direct peer operating an analogous breed-based premium beef certification and licensing program. Targets the same foodservice and retail channels with comparable quality-grading standards, making it CAB's closest head-to-head competitor.
- Niman Ranch: Premium, sustainably raised meat brand sold through foodservice and retail. Competes with CAB on the high-end beef and pork positioning and shares a values-driven family-farmer supply narrative.
- Snake River Farms: American Wagyu and premium Angus beef brand sold direct-to-consumer and through premium retailers and restaurants. Comparable premium positioning, DTC motion, and chef-driven marketing approach.
- Omaha Steaks: Iconic direct-to-consumer premium beef and meat company selling to households and gifting customers. Overlaps with CAB's DTC e-commerce strategy and premium consumer target.
- Allen Brothers: Chicago-based premium steakhouse supplier and DTC meat retailer serving fine-dining restaurants. Similar customer base of steakhouses and high-income consumers, with overlapping product assortment.
- Kansas City Steak Company: Midwest-based premium steak and meat retailer selling direct to consumers and to foodservice operators. Comparable DTC catalog, premium pricing strategy, and Midwestern supply chain heritage.
- Creekstone Farms: Premium beef processor producing Black Angus and specialty programs for retail and foodservice. Competes with CAB on premium Angus supply and on quality certification that exceeds USDA baseline grades.
- Brandt Beef: Family-owned California beef producer specializing in premium Angus programs supplied to retail and foodservice. Comparable family-rancher narrative and premium Angus product positioning.
Emerging players
- Crowd Cow: Online marketplace for traceable, farm-direct beef and other proteins. Competes with CAB on the consumer-facing premium/traceable narrative and uses a similar direct-to-consumer digital motion.
- ButcherBox: Subscription-based DTC meat company specializing in grass-fed and antibiotic-free beef. Targets a similar premium-conscious household consumer with a digital subscription model that overlaps CAB's e-commerce ambitions.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Certified Angus Beef social profiles
Digital presenceCertified Angus Beef financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Certified Angus Beef leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Certified Angus Beef funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Certified Angus Beef M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Certified Angus Beef
What does Certified Angus Beef do?
Certified Angus Beef operates a brand licensing and quality certification program for premium Angus beef, verifying that partner-supplied beef meets strict standards for marbling, maturity, and yield. The organization licenses the Certified Angus Beef trademark to qualifying ranchers, feedlots, processors, foodservice operators, and retailers, while also supporting direct-to-consumer beef sales through its e-commerce store, a cooking mobile app, a customer loyalty program, and culinary education resources.
Is Certified Angus Beef a public or private company?
Certified Angus Beef is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Certified Angus Beef founded?
Certified Angus Beef was founded in 1978. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Certified Angus Beef based?
Certified Angus Beef is headquartered in Wooster, United States, in the North America region.
How does Certified Angus Beef make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Brand Licensing Fees are the primary driver. The others are direct Product Sales and consumer Application (Roast Perfect).
Who are Certified Angus Beef's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Certified Hereford Beef, Niman Ranch, Snake River Farms, Omaha Steaks, Allen Brothers, Kansas City Steak Company, Creekstone Farms and Brandt Beef. Emerging players are Crowd Cow and ButcherBox.
Does Certified Angus Beef have an API?
No public API is recorded for Certified Angus Beef.
What industry is Certified Angus Beef in?
Certified Angus Beef's product category is Premium Beef Certification and Licensing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAEALAN, Animal Welfare Auditing, Compliance & Certification Services (Non-testing Lab). Its NAICS code is 445240.