Walmart now opening up case ready beef plants..

Walmart gets beef from Cargill and Tyson as well as some smaller packers like the one in Ark City KS and the new one that’s in North Platte NE. They also have their McClaren Farms program that is premium Angus that they track from calf to carcass.

 

Which is where Kroger, Food Lion, Publix, Costco and every other purveyor gets meat from. There's what? 3 or 4 suppliers in the whole country? When you look at the processed meat packages on the wall with bacon, ham, turkey etc there's dozens and dozens probably hundreds of different brands. But they're all owned by the same 3 or 4 beef/chicken/pork suppliers that put the ground beef and ribeyes on the shelf.

 

Right. What I was getting at was that Walmart doesn’t get their meat from a kill cow plant like the one in Gibbon NE. They’re processed fat cattle same as all the other places. Their premium McClaren Farms brand tracks genetics in order to have a better quality product.

The packing plant in North Platte NE that will be supplying their facility in Olathe KS came about because ranchers were tired of getting the shaft from the Big 4 so they decided to build their own.

 

Yeah I remember a thread about that plant I hope they do well.

 

The dairy locations are milk processing plants.

 

I have hauled lots of culls into American Food groups (used be Gibbon Pack). They like the barely breathing or mean as fook no in between almost. It’s a very small plant, no room for anything. Everyone called it a crap hole but I never seemed to mind running for them. They checks cashed good. I do kinda remember McDonald’s and Walmart being their main cash cow. But that was truck driver rumor so I’m not putting stock in it

 

The dairy industry has shrunk in Minnesota and Wisconsin and before the south st paul stockyards closed most culled dairy cattle from there went to what is now American foods in green bay , Whitehall Wisconsin, Spencer iowa and robell beef in st. Cloud minn , held beef in west fargo ND.
The bulls went to Oscar Meyer in Madison wis .
Supposedly most of that went to fast food .
What I saw going to those plants in the 70s ended long ago when the usda said no more slaughter of cattle that were downers or had cancer eye and only goes to pet food now .

 

I’ve been a chef all through my 20s actually went to culinary school. Ran several restaurants and you will never convince me in 50 lifetimes that Walmart steaks are comparable to other places. I eat them all the time and when I have a time and I can stop somewhere and get a real steak. Trust me I noticed a difference immediately. Walmart produce, Walmart, seafood, Walmart, meats, suck. Bottom of the barrel. And Tyson foods. Nothing to brag about processed garbage.

 

Or, Jack In The Box.

Australian meat substitution scandal - Wikipedia

 

I mean if you really think you're getting something special at another supermarket sourcing beef from the same place, you're welcome to think it but you're wrong. Look when I want one cut specially I go somewhere and talk to a butcher too but there's nothing particularly better about beef anywhere else. Walmart sells prime rated cuts too, a lot cheaper than anyone else, but I never buy it because I think it's overrated/overpriced versus choice. If you want something special go buy a half or whole cow processed by some small family place and fill your freezer up. I agree with you on the produce not always looking the best but you just have to pick through it a little harder. I get 10% off on produce so I'll find some good.