Angus is a breed of beef cattle. In fact, it is the most popular beef breed in the United States. A supermarket can label any cut from an Angus cattle as Angus beef.
“Certified Angus Beef” is a different subject. This is an actual standard created in 1978 by The American Angus Association. To qualify, cattle must be 51 percent black, exhibit Angus “influence” and meet a list of 10 criteria including a higher degree of marbling, a 10 to 16 square inch ribeye area; less than 1-inch fat thickness, less than 1,000-pound carcass weight and a neck hump not exceeding two inches.