Thought you'd enjoy this piece from the Edmonton journal,if you haven't already read it. Actually the whole section was a good one,it was a special report in Bistro on Wed.
Ranching, meat-packing team find their niche
Swiss-born Albertans seize opportunity and establish new facility ready to meet small producers' and marketers' needs
Pamela Irving, Freelance
Published: Wednesday, October 10
EDMONTON - Three years ago, Armin Mueller was a frustrated bison rancher.
After Northwest Foods Inc. of Edmonton was razed by fire on July 6, 2004, Mueller was unable to find anyone capable of processing his bison according to his specifications.
He wasn't alone. Many small producers and marketers were left in dire straits when the federally inspected meat-packing plant was destroyed.
"Let's be honest. It was a very tough period for my business," says Mueller, from his ranch, home of Canadian Rangeland Beef and Bison, located west of Bentley.
Business is back on track, however, with the August 2007 opening of Canadian Premium Meats in Lacombe, and Mueller now has a stake in an operation that can process his 500 bison cows, and 1,500 feeders (animals finished for butchering), situated just 20 minutes from the ranch.
Mueller and partners Yvo Schmucki and Werner Siegrist began construction of the abbatoir and custom meat-processing plant in June 2006. The completed federally inspected, 31,000-square-foot facility includes cooler, freezer and storage capacity.
"This is an industry-driven initiative," says plant manager Schmucki.
"The good news for Alberta meat companies is they do not need large volumes to have their products processed here. We are a niche market company and there is plenty of room for more companies to take advantage of our services."
CP Meats is currently processing up to 100 beef, bison and elk per week, with plans to process other diversified livestock in the future.
"What we really do is 'beef in a box.' "
"We slaughter, cut and package to customer specifications and work with marketing companies that brand their own products," explains Schmucki.
Existing clientele includes twenty Albertan companies, and a few Saskatchewan companies, most with an interest in exporting.
Schmucki, who worked for seven years with provincially inspected YB Quality Meats in Red Deer, says the new, federally inspected CP Meats has great potential for export and is in the process of obtaining the approvals required for exports to the European Union. "There is demand for Alberta meat products in Europe, and we have customers ready to supply the demand."
CP Meats offers a broad spectrum of processing services, from slaughter to packaging, and small volumes, such as 20 to 30 head per run, are not a barrier.
Some clients require services such as preparing the entire carcass for shipping, but CP Meats caters primarily to specialty markets with specific needs in cuts and packaging.
The facility provides cutting and trim services such as common primary meat cuts -- tenderloins, loins, rib eyes --slated primarily for wholesale markets after being vacuum-packed and boxed. Marketing companies must arrange their own shipping, but CP Meats offers storage and freezing.
The partners agree that doing business in Alberta is very attractive.
"There is a lot happening in meat processing and there is a lot of potential," says Schmucki.
There is also potential for more niche markets like certified organic, kosher, and halal. "If that's what the customer needs, we will investigate the feasibility of getting the certifications to supply it."
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Ranching, meat-packing team find their niche
Swiss-born Albertans seize opportunity and establish new facility ready to meet small producers' and marketers' needs
Pamela Irving, Freelance
Published: Wednesday, October 10
EDMONTON - Three years ago, Armin Mueller was a frustrated bison rancher.
After Northwest Foods Inc. of Edmonton was razed by fire on July 6, 2004, Mueller was unable to find anyone capable of processing his bison according to his specifications.
He wasn't alone. Many small producers and marketers were left in dire straits when the federally inspected meat-packing plant was destroyed.
"Let's be honest. It was a very tough period for my business," says Mueller, from his ranch, home of Canadian Rangeland Beef and Bison, located west of Bentley.
Business is back on track, however, with the August 2007 opening of Canadian Premium Meats in Lacombe, and Mueller now has a stake in an operation that can process his 500 bison cows, and 1,500 feeders (animals finished for butchering), situated just 20 minutes from the ranch.
Mueller and partners Yvo Schmucki and Werner Siegrist began construction of the abbatoir and custom meat-processing plant in June 2006. The completed federally inspected, 31,000-square-foot facility includes cooler, freezer and storage capacity.
"This is an industry-driven initiative," says plant manager Schmucki.
"The good news for Alberta meat companies is they do not need large volumes to have their products processed here. We are a niche market company and there is plenty of room for more companies to take advantage of our services."
CP Meats is currently processing up to 100 beef, bison and elk per week, with plans to process other diversified livestock in the future.
"What we really do is 'beef in a box.' "
"We slaughter, cut and package to customer specifications and work with marketing companies that brand their own products," explains Schmucki.
Existing clientele includes twenty Albertan companies, and a few Saskatchewan companies, most with an interest in exporting.
Schmucki, who worked for seven years with provincially inspected YB Quality Meats in Red Deer, says the new, federally inspected CP Meats has great potential for export and is in the process of obtaining the approvals required for exports to the European Union. "There is demand for Alberta meat products in Europe, and we have customers ready to supply the demand."
CP Meats offers a broad spectrum of processing services, from slaughter to packaging, and small volumes, such as 20 to 30 head per run, are not a barrier.
Some clients require services such as preparing the entire carcass for shipping, but CP Meats caters primarily to specialty markets with specific needs in cuts and packaging.
The facility provides cutting and trim services such as common primary meat cuts -- tenderloins, loins, rib eyes --slated primarily for wholesale markets after being vacuum-packed and boxed. Marketing companies must arrange their own shipping, but CP Meats offers storage and freezing.
The partners agree that doing business in Alberta is very attractive.
"There is a lot happening in meat processing and there is a lot of potential," says Schmucki.
There is also potential for more niche markets like certified organic, kosher, and halal. "If that's what the customer needs, we will investigate the feasibility of getting the certifications to supply it."
1 2 next page
