‘EDUTAINING’ Today's Consumers - with Molly

Outside, the temperature is rising. Early mornings and late evenings are the reprieve we crave. Daylight is hanging around longer, kids are splashing in the pools and burgers are sizzling on the grill. The sights and sounds of another hot Texas summer are all around us. However, the temperature isn’t the only thing that’s heating up. In just a few short weeks, Season 3 of our popular BBQuest television series will premiere, serving up virtual helpings of delicious Texas barbecue to millions of hungry viewers. 

BBQuest is a product of Beef Loving Texans, the brand we’ve established at Texas Beef Council (TBC) to bring more people to the table over a shared love for beef. While BBQuest is certainly fun to watch, it’s also a way for us to connect with consumers and teach them about the beef industry. BBQuest is a form of what’s now commonly referred to as “edutainment” – entertainment that also educates.

In fact, the educational element of BBQuest Season 3 will be more prominent than ever. Host Kelsey Pribilski will be joined by co-host and influencer Jess Pryles, live-fire cook, author of Hardcore Carnivore and Season 1 alum. Together, the two will delve even deeper into the world of Texas barbecue. Rather than organizing this season’s episodes around a particular geographical location, we’re focusing more on the storytelling component.

For the first time, we’re taking viewers not just to Texas barbecue joints, but to the places where beef’s story begins. We’re spotlighting the unique individuals, families and cattle operations that put so much hard work into producing delicious, high-quality beef consumers can feel good about purchasing.

The Texas cattle operations featured this season – Saunders Ranch in Weatherford; Graham Land & Cattle in Gonzales; Caney Creek Ranch in Fairfield; and J.D. Hudgins, Inc. in Hungerford – opened their gates to our staff and production crew. While it couldn’t have been convenient to have us there, these producers are demonstrating true leadership by allowing us behind the scenes and sharing their unique stories with the world.  

And just why is it so important to share those real-life stories? For one thing, today’s consumers want to know more about where their food comes from. By taking BBQuest “beyond the pit” and to these local cattle operations, we’re highlighting beef’s story through themes like land management, animal welfare, innovation, generational legacy and ranching heritage. We’re able to show people who’ve never visited a ranch how producers handle cattle sustainably. After all, reinforcing our sustainability message is an important pillar of TBC’s  Long Range Plan. BBQuest is one way we can effectively tell millions of people about our efforts to balance environmental responsibility, economic opportunity and social diligence across the beef value chain.

Sharing our stories also allows consumers to see how humanely producers treat their cattle. We all know that beef is constantly competing with other proteins, including plant-based versions. Beef Checkoff-funded research has shown that consumers who choose plant-based proteins place greater emphasis on animal welfare and environmental concerns when purchasing food at grocery stores or restaurants. BBQuest gives us the opportunity to set the record straight and show them how cattle producers are committed to land and livestock stewardship through programs like Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) and Beef Sustainability Research.

With BBQuest, we’re continuing to build the Beef Loving Texans brand and extending our positive messages about beef and the producers who put their hearts and souls into raising it. And so far, BBQuest’s results speak for themselves. Through its first two seasons, BBQuest has been viewed 2.9 million times and watched for 620,000-plus hours. The show has generated more than 830,000 engagements on social media. News stories and media interviews have resulted in 11 million impressions. That’s an incredible amount of valuable exposure for beef, not just in Texas but worldwide.

BBQuest is another example of your Checkoff at work, finding new and innovative ways to ensure consumers make beef their protein of choice. So, this summer, take a break from the heat and fire up the TV. Beef is back, and it’s better than ever. It’s time for BBQuest.