Earls restaurant apologizes for ‘dumb decision’

Calgary – The president of Earls restaurant chain is apologizing to Canadian beef ranchers, taking to the stage at an industry conference in Calgary to disavow the company’s “dumb” strategy last spring to only buy beef raised in the United States.

Mo Jessa says the company now knows that it deeply offended the Canadian cattle industry in April when it announced it would buy all of its beef from an American supplier that had a “Certified Humane” designation. The move prompted outrage and threats of a boycott.

He says the company won’t make the same mistake again, a declaration met with applause from hundreds of beef industry conference delegates gathered in south Calgary.

The restaurant chain reversed its decision and in June signed supplier deals with Canadian ranchers who raise cattle without antibiotics, steroids or added hormones and who are regularly audited for animal welfare.

Alberta Beef Producers chair Bob Lowe, a fourth-generation cattle rancher and feedlot operator, says he accepts Jessa’s apology.

Lowe says he hopes the issue with Earls will result in more co-operation on beef industry promotion between Canadian producers and the restaurant industry.