Trump Steaks

Trump Steaks was a branded line of steaks and other meat products licensed by Donald Trump in the United States. The brand represented an attempt to extend the Trump name beyond real estate, hospitality, entertainment, and other commercial ventures into premium food retail. Trump registered the Trump Steaks trademark in August 2006, and the products were introduced on May 8, 2007. The launch was structured as an exclusive retail arrangement with The Sharper Image. During an initial three-month trial, the products were offered through the retailer's catalog, stores, and website. The product line was also introduced through promotional appearances involving Trump and contestants from his reality television program The Apprentice. Trump appeared on the cover of a June 2007 Sharper Image catalog, and the launch received additional exposure through a promotional event at the retailer's Rockefeller Plaza store. The meat was supplied by Buckhead Beef, an Atlanta-based meat distributor and a subsidiary of Sysco. Buckhead Beef also supplied meat to several Trump hotel and casino properties. The line included USDA Certified Angus Beef steaks, burgers, and sausages. Product bundles were positioned at the luxury end of the mail-order food market. Reported packages ranged from $199 to $999 and included combinations of bone-in rib-eye steaks, filet mignons, and burgers. A gift card was also offered at a reported price of $1,037. The brand used the slogan “The World's Greatest Steaks.” Trump Steaks expanded its distribution in June 2007 when it debuted on the QVC home-shopping channel. Trump appeared on QVC to promote the products, including a package of sixteen six-ounce Certified Angus Beef steakburgers. The venture received considerable media attention, but sales did not meet The Sharper Image's expectations. The retailer discontinued the product line in July 2007, approximately two months after its launch. QVC also stopped offering the products around the same time. Media and consumer reactions were mixed. Some blind taste tests and food reviewers gave particular Trump Steaks cuts favorable marks for flavor and tenderness, while other reviewers described the products as mediocre. Across the coverage, the high prices were a recurring criticism. The brand was also treated as a subject of satire, including a parody in a 2007 episode of Saturday Night Live. Trump Steaks remained part of public discussions about Donald Trump's business record during the 2016 United States presidential campaign. In March 2016, steaks from a West Palm Beach butcher were displayed at a Trump news conference and described as Trump Steaks, even though the products were sourced from a local supplier rather than being an active national retail line. Trump said that he did not process the meat himself and instead purchased steaks from local suppliers. By April 2016, reporting indicated that Trump-branded steaks could be obtained only at some Trump properties. The Trump Steaks trademark was canceled in December 2014, according to the reference material cited for the subject. The brand is therefore regarded as defunct.

Trump Steaks emerged from Donald Trump's broader strategy of licensing and applying the Trump name to consumer products. The trademark was registered in the United States in August 2006. The brand was introduced on May 8, 2007, through an exclusive arrangement with The Sharper Image, a retailer known for catalog, online, and specialty-store sales. The arrangement was initially described as a three-month trial. The launch emphasized celebrity, luxury, and direct association with Trump. Trump and contestants from The Apprentice appeared at a promotional event at a Sharper Image store in Rockefeller Plaza, and Trump was featured on the cover of the retailer's June 2007 catalog. The brand's slogan was “The World's Greatest Steaks,” and its packages were priced substantially above ordinary supermarket meat. Reported packages ranged from $199 to $999, while a gift card was offered for $1,037. Buckhead Beef supplied the meat. The Atlanta-based company, a subsidiary of Sysco, also supplied meat to many Trump hotel and casino properties. Trump Steaks products included USDA Certified Angus Beef steaks, burgers, sausages, and steakburgers. The assortment included premium cuts such as bone-in rib-eyes and filet mignons, along with bundled products intended for gifting or home entertaining. On June 5, 2007, the brand expanded onto QVC, where Trump made a promotional appearance. One QVC offering consisted of sixteen six-ounce Certified Angus Beef steakburgers. The QVC launch gave the brand access to a large home-shopping audience, but it did not produce a durable retail business. The Sharper Image withdrew the product line in July 2007, roughly two months after its introduction. The company's chief executive, Jerry W. Levin, later characterized sales as extremely limited. QVC discontinued its offerings around the same period. The brand received a disproportionate amount of publicity relative to its commercial lifespan. Reviews were divided: some testers praised the flavor and tenderness of particular cuts, while others found the products unexceptional. Reviewers repeatedly questioned whether the quality justified the price. The launch was also parodied in a 2007 Saturday Night Live episode. Trump Steaks resurfaced during the 2016 presidential campaign. A political advertisement supporting John Kasich mocked the brand, and journalists cited it in assessments of Trump's discontinued or unsuccessful ventures. At a March 2016 news conference in Florida, steaks from West Palm Beach's Bush Brothers Provision Co. were displayed alongside other Trump-branded products and presented as Trump Steaks. Trump explained in a subsequent interview that he bought steaks from local suppliers rather than processing them himself. Reporting later indicated that the products were no longer broadly available through ordinary retail channels and could be purchased only at certain Trump properties. The trademark was canceled in December 2014 according to the cited reference material. Trump Steaks is consequently a defunct brand rather than an active national meat business.

• 2016

  Brand reappeared during the presidential campaign

  [1]Trump Steaksen.wikipedia.org

  Trump-branded or Trump-presented steaks were displayed at a Florida news conference, prompting renewed reporting about the discontinued business.

• 2014

  Trump Steaks trademark canceled

  [1]Trump Steaksen.wikipedia.org

  The trademark was reported as canceled in December 2014.

• 2007

  Brand launched through The Sharper Image

  [1]Trump Steaksen.wikipedia.org

  Trump Steaks entered the market on May 8 through The Sharper Image's stores, catalog, and website under an initial trial arrangement.

• 2007

  QVC distribution began

  [1]Trump Steaksen.wikipedia.org

  The brand debuted on QVC on June 5, with Trump appearing to promote the products.

• 2007

  The Sharper Image ended the product line

  [1]Trump Steaksen.wikipedia.org

  The Sharper Image discontinued Trump Steaks in July after reported sales fell far short of expectations.

• 2006

  Trump Steaks trademark registered

  [1]Trump Steaksen.wikipedia.org

  Donald Trump registered the Trump Steaks name as a United States trademark.

A luxury, celebrity-endorsed mail-order meat brand marketed under Donald Trump's name, with premium pricing and an emphasis on Certified Angus Beef.

• Beef · 2007

  Premium steak packages

  The core offering consisted of bundled shipments of premium steaks, including bone-in rib-eyes and filet mignons. Reported packages ranged from $199 to $999 and were marketed as luxury food gifts or special-occasion purchases. The packages used Trump branding and the slogan “The World's Greatest Steaks.”

• Ground beef · 2007

  Certified Angus Beef steakburgers

  QVC offered a package of sixteen six-ounce steakburgers described as Certified Angus Beef. The product broadened the line beyond whole premium cuts and was designed for home preparation and larger household or entertaining occasions.

• Processed meat · 2007

  Trump Steaks burgers and sausages

  Burgers and sausages were also sold under the Trump Steaks name. These products complemented the premium steak assortment but did not establish a lasting independent retail range.

• Gift product · 2007

  Trump Steak Gift Card

  A Trump-branded gift card was offered in connection with the meat line. The reported price was $1,037, reinforcing the brand's luxury and novelty positioning.

• 2016Campaign-era political advertising

  United States

  A super PAC supporting John Kasich used Trump Steaks as a subject of an advertisement criticizing Donald Trump's business record during the 2016 presidential campaign.

  Outcome. The brand became a recurring example in public discussion of Trump's discontinued ventures.

  Source
• 2007The Sharper Image launch promotion

  United States

  Donald Trump and contestants from The Apprentice appeared at a Sharper Image store event, while Trump was featured in the retailer's catalog to promote the new meat line.

  Outcome. The promotion generated substantial publicity, but the retail trial ended after weak sales.

  Source
• 2007QVC on-air launch

  United States

  Trump appeared on QVC on June 5 to introduce Trump Steaks and promote a package of Certified Angus Beef steakburgers.

  Outcome. QVC discontinued the products around the time The Sharper Image ended its distribution.

  Source

• 2016

  Present Trump-branded steaks during the presidential campaignOther

  Background

  Trump Steaks had already disappeared from the principal retail channels, but the name was used in public discussions of Trump's business history.

  Action taken

  Steaks supplied by a West Palm Beach butcher were displayed at a Florida news conference alongside other Trump-branded products.

  Aftermath

  The presentation prompted questions about sourcing and availability; Trump said he purchased the meat from local suppliers rather than processing it himself.

  Source

• 2007

  Enter the premium mail-order meat marketProduct launch

  Background

  The Trump name was extended into consumer food products through a branded assortment of steaks, burgers, sausages, and steakburgers.

  Action taken

  The brand launched exclusively through The Sharper Image and later added QVC as a distribution channel.

  Aftermath

  The Sharper Image discontinued the line after approximately two months, and QVC ended its offerings around the same time.

  Source

• 2007

  Use premium pricing and celebrity brandingStrategy

  Background

  The product was positioned as a luxury food purchase rather than an ordinary supermarket meat line.

  Action taken

  Packages were sold at reported prices from $199 to $999 and marketed with the slogan “The World's Greatest Steaks.”

  Aftermath

  Reviewers and consumers gave mixed assessments, with price frequently identified as a weakness.

  Source

1. 1Trump Steaksen.wikipedia.org