TORRINGTON, Wyo. – Branding is a major buzzword in the world of small businesses and social media marketing.

According to a panel focused on emerging trends in agribusiness at the Wyoming Agriculture Diversification Summit last week in Torrington, it’s becoming more and more important in the world of agriculture. 

The panel focused on value-added supply chains and branding and featured four pioneers in the field: Brad Morgan of Performance Food Group, Robert Scherer of Tyson Foods, Jay Thieler of AgriBeef and Kurt James, vice president of Bimbo Bakeries. 

According to Morgan, who markets Braveheart premium angus beef to high-end restaurants, modern consumers want food “with a story.

“We want people to talk about a story and it has to be real,” he said. “You have to have some emotional components and some first-hand experience. That’s what we do.”

Providing the best story for his company, he said, meant aligning himself with the best in the business from raising cattle, to slaughter, to butcher. One of those people for Braveheart is renowned author and animal behavior expert Temple Grandin. 

“She is a unique individual, but I will tell you right now, our customer base in the restaurant trade, they know who she is,” Morgan said. “If you know the she is affiliated with our programs, you can check the animal behavior box off.”

Thieler, who oversees marketing for Snake River Farms Wagyu beef – one of the most expensive beef products in the world – told the crowd about the importance of creating a unique brand for their products. Thieler said he began marketing for SNF in the early 90s when SNF was one of the only producers of Wagyu beef products in the United States. 

“There were a lot of brands that were beginning to develop at that time,” he said. “There wasn’t a clear differentiation of what each brand was.”

What set SNF apart, he said, was the company’s goal to be memorable to its customers. 

“We had to stimulate Snake River Farms as a premier brand and stimulate the word of mouth,” he said. “We had to create demand markets and that would supposedly differentiate us from the herd.” 

For SNF, it started with a name and logo reminiscent of a western brand – and it grew from there. 

“Not only is it a geographic locator, but it’s also this east meets west,” he said of the SNF logo, which features a western-style brand beside Japanese script. “It’s mystical, and it seems like a small and intimate brand. We created a unique package.”

That is something Wyoming beef producers have been considering with the recent introduction of BeefChain to the industry. BeefChain is a technology that can track beef back to its exact origin, and producers are hoping adding that story – like Morgan mentioned – can help them sell Wyoming beef at a premium. 

The path might be rocky at times, Thieler said, but it is possible to be successful by staying the course. 

“You have to stand for something,” he said. “You have to differentiate and find those true believers – those customers that will tell our story for us.”