Direct Marketing

[cakadu]

MGH - it has also been alluded to about cuts - with your wanting to sell just sides - your customers will have to understand what they are paying for. If it is the side "on the rail" or "hot weight", then they need to be made aware that if the side weighs 500 lbs - they won't end up with 500 lbs of meat, they will likely end up with about 60 to 70% of that (maybe even less depending on the cuts they want and the amount of trimming that has to be done.)

Many of the people that you may be dealing with do not understand the concept of hot weight and will want to buy on what ends up in the freezer.

(Incidentally whiteface, I really wouldn't want to be driving a Ferrari, even if I could afford one. Seems to me that is an awful lot of money to pay for the same view of the road that everyone else gets.)

[whiteface]

Beauty and practicality cakadu, I like you!

[cowman]

Whiteface: If you have those added expenses of course you need to add them to the bottom line. And if you have a clientele that is willing and able to pay more for the "sizzle' than actual meat then that is a good thing. I guess it's all how people view it? If you look at it like a commodity or like a "specialty" type of food.
I do agree with your assessment of the majority of consumers, however. Most people don't want to be bothered with having to run around shopping? They prefer to just buy at Safeway and they expect a level of quality and safety they can live with? I suspect a good portion of the people who have time to run around to the farmers markets and specialty shops are boomer/yuppies with way too much money and time on their hands! But that is just my personal opinion(And yea, I like farmers markets!)
You see lots of ads(or at least you did!) for homeraised, no anti-biotics, no hormones etc.etc., in the papers in that $2.25/lb. range? Now maybe they never sold any or something because you don't see them as much now? There is a guy who sells beef every Saturday at Canadian Tire. I never checked him out, or his prices, because I'm one of those Safeway types right now! Actually come to think of it, I hardly ever bother with Safeway! Mostly just eat at the restaurant! No time.
Hey I wasn't ripping you! If it works for you, you go for it! I was just trying to point out the bottom line for the new guy.

[nerves]

Cowman the most important thing here is cost of production. How much did it cost you to raise that animal? Then how much is it going to cost you to sell that animal? This idea of following the aution mart price or the fat price is an illusion we all know that this is a no win situation. Cowman you are sharp with a pencil lets see the number you come up with when you apply cost of production verses cost of selling. cowman we also sell in Calgary canadian tire on wednesday, Friday, Sunday, and in Red Deer thursday and Saturday come on down and get some real Alberta Beef.