Omaha Steaks: Focus on Fulfillment
Omaha Steaks continued its technological pioneering as the country sped into the Information Age. As early as 1990, the company offered customers who were connected to CompuServe the opportunity to order products electronically, and in 1995 it established a Web site. In 1999 it combined its global and technological reach with a Japanese Web site.
Keeping It in the Family
Today, three members of the fourth generation of the Simon family and two of the fifth are involved in the business.
According to Simon, all the members intend to keep the family business traditions alive, and often look to their elders for advice. “They tell us every day: ‘Don’t get complacent. Keep innovating and keep customers happy.’ That’s what we tell everyone here, and it seems to have worked.”
Omaha Steaks at a Glance
Headquarters: Omaha, NE
Primary Products: Aged beef, pork, lamb and veal
Employees: 1,800, with 1,000 more hired during the Christmas season
Annual Company Revenues: $300 million
Sales Generated from Direct Mail: 50 percent of consumer business
Number of Retail Stores: 75
Number of Divisions: Five
Spinoffs: A la Zing, an online prepared-foods retailer
Action Tips
Todd Simon, senior vice president, outlines for other catalogers of perishable products two strategies that have contributed to Omaha Steaks’ success:
- Ensuring both the high quality and availability of your product gains customer trust and boosts repeat business.
- Good quality photography in any catalog is crucial, and even more so for catalogers who sell perishable items. Allot a relatively significant portion of your creative budget to expert photography.
Omaha Steaks Buyers
24-month Buyers: 1,828,262
Median Household Income: $50,000
Age: 55 and older
Gender: about evenly split
Average Order Size: $75
List Manager: Direct Media
Contact: Sheryl Benjamin, (203) 532-2449
- Companies:
- Omaha Steaks International
