According to AHDB, 20% of beef is usually consumed in the eating-out market, with steak a popular choice, but current food service closures due to the coronavirus, mean there will be an estimated 2.5 billion fewer eating-out occasions between April and June this year.
Run via Twitter, AHDB is uniting industry and chefs to use the hashtags #steaknight and #makeitsteak over the next three months to show consumers how to enjoy restaurant-quality steak in the comfort of their own home.
The initiative aims to put steak on the menu for some of the additional 500 million meals (Kantar) a week which will now be consumed at home during lockdown.
AHDB strategy director for Beef & Lamb Will Jackson said: “We want to join up the supply chain and showcase the fantastic ways we can all enjoy an eating-out experience in the comfort of our living rooms by linking up communities across social media with farmers and chefs to share their expert knowledge and tips.
“We encourage everyone to prepare and share simple steak recipes to help people cook with confidence in their own home during these difficult times.”
#Steaknight is part of AHDB’s extensive consumer-focused marketing and PR programme, which also complements Great British Beef Week, taking place from 23 to 30 April. For those unsure where to start, AHDB has published a range of recipes on its simplybeefandlamb.co.uk website.
This comes following concerns from the UK meat industry over carcase imbalance due to a rise in demand for mince. The British Meat Processors Association warned that most retailers have narrowed their range to a small variety of cuts during the coronavirus situation, with a focus on mince leading to a big build-up of other cuts such as steak and hind quarter.
“Short term, some food processors (but not the ones who exclusively supply the food service industry) have seen an increase in turnover, however it’s only for certain products, particularly minced beef, and it’s causing a problem,” he said.
