Thinking sustainably has never been more important

In a Consumer Index Survey conducted in 2021 by Ernst & Young, 61% of Canadian consumers said they will pay more attention to the environmental impact of what they consume. 64% of respondents intend to focus more on the value they get for their money, which is why communicating the high nutritional and environmental value inherent in bison meat is so important to Noble.   

We like to call bison a ‘good food story’ and in 2021, we produced three video vignettes to get that important message across to consumers. As part of our commitment to supporting our retailers and the bison industry in Canada, we focussed on where our bison are raised, how we raise them, and why it’s important to us as producers – and as a brand – to raise our animals without harm to the environment.

Consumers want to know what goes into the food they eat, and for good reason. Meat that comes from animals raised in their natural environment, with minimal intervention and inputs, is not only better for the animal, it’s better for us. Another reason why bison meat, and brands like Noble Premium Bison, is becoming the meat to eat.

The health of our planet isn’t the only reason bison is considered the meat to eat in a ‘sustainavore’ diet.

Chef and consumer interest in heritage meat like bison that is pasture-raised has started to grow. That’s because bison meat is a healthy choice for consumers looking to optimize the nutrient density of the meat they eat, while reducing their calorie or fat intake. More and more, bison is becoming known as a lean protein, with fewer calories than beef because it lacks the marbling common in beef cuts, and is lower in total and saturated fat. Making the nutritional and sustainability story of bison accessible to consumers is key to communicating the value of bison meat as a protein.

Meat, especially red meat like beef and bison, and the consumption of animal fats has long been vilified for contributing to heart disease. However, many nutritionists are pushing back on that theory, arguing that replacing whole foods, lean proteins and healthy animal fats with more carbohydrates, grains, processed foods and sugar, has increased heart disease as well as many other diet-related disorders like obesity and diabetes.

Red meat isn’t the culprit, argue science-based advocates and nutritionists like Diana Rodgers. In her movie, ‘Sacred Cow,’ Diana argues that it’s not meat, but rather, the type of meat we eat. Lean, natural (pasture-raised) red meat is a critical component of human nutrition, and Noble continues to spread that nutritional message through infographics, science-based news stories and collaborations with nutritionists and dieticians. More needs to be done to acquire relevant nutritional data, particularly with respect to the effect on Omega 3 content when grass finishing bison, but once that information is available, Noble will share it with retailers and consumers.

From Farmers Markets to Fresh Meat Counters across Canada

Chefs in Canada and Europe have long touted the taste and nutritional benefits of Canadian grass-raised bison meat, including premium cuts on their menus to their customers delight. However, for consumers in Canada, bison meat was at one time only available directly from bison ranchers, farmers markets or specialty butchers.

Noble Premium Bison has changed that landscape. Noble launched their products at retail in western Canada in February 2020. With the support of a dedicated and substantive social media marketing effort, recipe development and influencer campaigns with well-known chefs and grillmasters, retail stores across Canada got on board the bison train. In 2020 alone, sales of bison meat at retail increased almost 200%, with that upward trend in consumer interest continuing in 2021.  

Thinking sustainably has always been important to Noble, and it’s never been more important to consumers. By showing our customers that bison is not just healthy to eat but healthy for the planet too, they can make well informed decisions about the products they are buying and the brands they are supporting. And feel good that Canadian bison is meat made for a healthy planet.