Palatability. Palatability is influenced by the tenderness, juiciness and flavor of the fat and lean.
Attractiveness. The color of the lean, the degree of fatness and the marbling are leading factors in determining buyer appeal.
Moderate amount of fat. Fat finish and marbling were considered indicative to better eating quality. These factors affect the juiciness.
Tenderness. Consumers want fine grained, tender beef in contrast to coarse-grained, less tender meat. Pasture-fed beef is generally les tender and less desirable to consumers than beef from concentrate-finished cattle.
Pasture finishing cattle typically takes longer period of time and therefore results in greater age of the animal harvest which leads to decreased tenderness.
Small cuts
Repeatability. Housewife wants a cut of beef just like the one that she purchased last time, which calls for repeatability.
Ease of preparation.
Consumers who preferred Choice beef did so because of its advantages in palatability while those who preferred Select beef did so because of its advantages in leanness.
Higher quality beef products are desired in the hotel-restaurant and retail markets. Fast-food industry firms on the other hand, purchase lower quality beef products.
Quality beef desired by consumers