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PC/GF/DB?

Blkbuckaroo,

I am just starting to partner. The big thing is to find someone who knows what they are doing and doing it similar to you....

Grassfarmer,

I started where you are and swore I'd never do cuts. Then, I started buying Butcher cows for a local Mexican Grocery and had to find a USDA Inspected plant. He no longer buys from me, but it sparked an idea. I had gotten tired of families not buying after the kids moved on because they just don't eat that much.

So, I started out doing 50 Lb variety packs that were basically 1/8 of a Beef. It went ok and did boost my sales. Next step was simply to venture out and sell cuts. I won't kid you, I have donated a lot of Round to Food Shelters. It was/is the learning curve. I am currently turning round to seasoned meats.

Funny story..I used to have a hard time selling Short Ribs. I was only having them done every 4th buthering and still had too many. I started donating to local church based shelter and thought,"What the heck, they use them, I will just do them each beef and donate what I don't sell." Shortly thereafter, I started selling them all and now I have a single restaurant that wipes me out of them. Smae thing happened with Soupbones. I started donating them all to the same place. Shortly thereafter, they became a favorite of Dog Owners and now I can't keep them in stock.

Since I started selling cuts, my Bulk and Side of Beef sales have gone way up. peple buy a few packs and like the beef a lot. Then they decide to get a freezer and go...Ummmm.."Whole Cow" LOL
 
Oh Yeah..Grass Farmer, if you can..Be the first to tap that Populous. There will only be a few chefs that are interested, but there is a thing called "Lip to Tail Chef" I think. It is a local concept they sell as supporting local ranchers. I was late. I am 3 hours away from Portland, Or. A lady almost 6 hours away was the first to tap into this. She has the market pretty much. And she does a good job. You won't take her customers away.

Start the cuts deal slow. Just a few and work it. Do Frozen and sell it as a positive. It allows you to harvest the animals at peak Flavor and maintain that. It allows us to Dry age,

Also, find an inspected plant that does seasoned meat well. It is where you sell excess,

PPRM
 
I should have mentioned we do the 1/8th of a beef thing too - trialled a few last year and it went quite well. The main reason I do it is that we get charged an extra $25/quarter to cut and wrap quarters versus halves "extra handling charge". So by ordering a whole beef and dividing it up ourselves we save $100 processing cost and charge a little extra for the smaller quantities in addition.
 
Don't mean to horn in on ya'll. We direct market our beef as well. Afterall there are almost 2 million people on the wasatch front in Utah. Sold 22 head last year and havent begun to get serious. We offer whole,half or quarter. But lately lots of folks are asking for smaller packages. My deal is space until I get a whole steer sold. Might have to buy 4 freezers to store it in till it sells. I know that providing safe, delicious, local beef is a market that has no limit. It just takes the willpower and determination to jump in. Great beef sells itself by the forkful. Congrats to all of you who are having success doing this. :D
 
leanin' H said:
Don't mean to horn in on ya'll. We direct market our beef as well. Afterall there are almost 2 million people on the wasatch front in Utah. Sold 22 head last year and havent begun to get serious. We offer whole,half or quarter. But lately lots of folks are asking for smaller packages. My deal is space until I get a whole steer sold. Might have to buy 4 freezers to store it in till it sells. I know that providing safe, delicious, local beef is a market that has no limit. It just takes the willpower and determination to jump in. Great beef sells itself by the forkful. Congrats to all of you who are having success doing this. :D
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I have eleven Freezers, generally 8 in use... I can buy used ones so cheap it just doesn't pencil with energy savings to buy a walk in.


I know of people in your area.... Actually, my fulltime job boss told me Whole Foods was looking for a supplier. I am wary of them. Especially with the new standards. However, I bet there are other alternatives. Look for locally owned small seafood shops. They are basically forcing customers to buy Beef elsewhere by NOT offering it. Work an agreement that works for both of you. Sell Quality.

Also, Learn to talk to Restaurants. There will be some wanting to feature local.

There is another thing to watch on national retailers. It is like a 5 year cycle and they use you as the "Token Local Farmer". The first two years are great. You go borrow money to grow and then they own you and start taking margin and volume away if you don't cowtow to them...

Do it right and get some variety in customers. Think of it this way. You should ad $500 value to each calf you sell. How many things are taking your time up now that a $10/hour hired person could really handle? I think it is worth it to spend time marketing your animals... LOL, one of these days I will have it figured out, LOL...

PPRM
 
Why not pre-sell it H? we are taking orders now for Oct/Nov delivery, about a third booked up already. Once the beef is ready we just deliver it straight to the customer - no on farm storage to worry about, purchase or get licensed.

PPRM, we have no plans to get into cuts or catering establishments as we are quite happy where we are at. As many customers coming along as we need so why complicate things?
 
Grassfarmer said:
I should have mentioned we do the 1/8th of a beef thing too - trialled a few last year and it went quite well. The main reason I do it is that we get charged an extra $25/quarter to cut and wrap quarters versus halves "extra handling charge". So by ordering a whole beef and dividing it up ourselves we save $100 processing cost and charge a little extra for the smaller quantities in addition.
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Try a 20 pound Ground Beef Bulk Pack and see what happens. You may have to have them start grinding some roasts, LOL
 
Grassfarmer said:
Why not pre-sell it H? we are taking orders now for Oct/Nov delivery, about a third booked up already. Once the beef is ready we just deliver it straight to the customer - no on farm storage to worry about, purchase or get licensed.

PPRM, we have no plans to get into cuts or catering establishments as we are quite happy where we are at. As many customers coming along as we need so why complicate things?
Click to expand...

I felt that way once to. Choose whatever path works. I am one who wishes I had jumped in 5 years earlier. It was new ground. There are two guys much larger than I who have taken the best accounts...

The thing with the Sides is it always felt like customers eventually had life changes such as kids moving out and simply stopped buying those volumes.

Another place very popular is Hospitals. Not just the cafeteria. Employees buy almost like a CSA...
 
I'm with Grassfarmer, I feel much more secure selling whole and halves to a loyal customer base. I don't market...my customers do it for me...they have brought me more new possible customers than I have beef to supply. Not to mention my email list of interested buyers that are on a waiting list(about 3X my total production capacity).
 
RobertMac said:
I'm with Grassfarmer, I feel much more secure selling whole and halves to a loyal customer base. I don't market...my customers do it for me...they have brought me more new possible customers than I have beef to supply. Not to mention my email list of interested buyers that are on a waiting list(about 3X my total production capacity).
Click to expand...

Good for you and whatever works for you. I entered this discussion when asked a question and just wnated to relay my experiences. I am sorry if it came accross as trying to "Convert everyone". That ws not the case. I was simply trying to address the issue completely in regard to questions on how I do things.

I just found in my market I was in a cycle I didn't like. I would love to of been able to stay with the sides program. It is easier. I just was not going to work for me.

My Customers do send me a lot of new business as well,
 
Not at all PPRM - glad to have your input - I certainly don't feel you were trying to convert me. This is the beauty of being a price setter instead of a price taker - there are many routes to take and we can all go different directions. Thanks for your input.
 
Grassfarmer said:
Not at all PPRM - glad to have your input - I certainly don't feel you were trying to convert me. This is the beauty of being a price setter instead of a price taker - there are many routes to take and we can all go different directions. Thanks for your input.
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Ditto what Grassfarmer said...I very much enjoy and value your post. I've said for a long time that there is a large segment of the public that trust producers and don't trust the large food corporations to provide a safe product...too many recalls!!!! The market is there for those willing to do a little extra work and there are many ways to get there. According to Grassfarmer, I'm selling at below commodity grocery store prices, but I'm making money because I'm keeping all the money that is being skimmed off a calf as it goes through the "system".
 


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