This May, in honor of National Beef Month, Buona is going all in on what it does best. The iconic, family-owned brand behind Chicago’s original Italian beef is marking the occasion with a month-long celebration of the sandwich that built its legacy. Leading up to National Italian Beef Day on Saturday, May 23, a holiday Buona coined in 2015, the brand is turning a local staple into a full-scale cultural moment, anchored by the World Beef Championship, a virtual competition for Buona Rewards members where top participants can earn up to 61,400 bonus points. The month-long lineup also includes limited time offers, exclusive merch, and a bold push to cement the Italian beef as Illinois’ official sandwich. At the center is Buona’s “Better Beef” philosophy, a commitment to doing things the way Chicago’s early beef stands did. Each roast is prepared with all-natural ingredients and slow-roasted to create rich, flavor-forward gravy. No beef stock, no shortening, and no additives or fillers. Today, Buona remains the only large-scale brand still honoring that original method. Bringing that story to life for a new generation, Buona is welcoming famed foodie creator Joey Wellness (@joey_wellness) as its official Beef Month ambassador. This May, he will take followers behind the scenes, from the slow-roasting process to ingredient breakdowns, offering an inside look at what sets “The Better Beef” apart. “Beef Month is our way of celebrating not just the sandwich, but the culture and history around it,” said Joe Buonavolanto, Jr., a second-generation family member at The Buona Companies. “Italian beef was born here…
