need to come to... not just producing commodities, but adding value to their own product and starting to think about the consumer and how to bridge that gap," says Horgan.
After a year or two of looking for something to add value to their product, the Haags and Rupprechts came across the BYB program and decided to try it. Direct marketing training was one of many steps the two families took in starting Chosen Acres Premium Beef.
Pricing products, developing a logo, designing fliers and ordering boxes were a few details they had to address. They also worked with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to get a food handling license, and with the small business development center in Rochester, MN, for help with other business aspects.
"It's added a lot of labor, but it's been positive in that we're getting more for our steers," says Tammy.
Besides boxed assortments of steaks, roasts, kabob meat, ground beef and hamburger patties, Chosen Acres sells quarters, halves and whole beef. They offer some hormone-free beef, too.
For quarters, halves and whole beef, the consumer pays for the processing and Chosen Acres charges from $1.20/lb. to $1.35/lb. hanging weight. That's approximately 20-35 cents more than what the packer pays them per pound of hanging weight