Shooting in the foot

[Hpacres440p]

Went to a local farmers market today, 3 local beef sellers there. I saw one price for brisket-$6/lb. there is a point when the chasing of the "niche" market is making a lot of folks really reconsider home-grown beef, I would think...I charge $5/lb HW, processing included, and easily sell out. To triple or quadruple the store price seems ludicrous though-especially in the middle of beef country. I can profit approximately $500/head depending on grass supply at this price. Are people who sell individual cuts really able to sell at those prices? Thoughts?

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

"Are people who sell individual cuts really able to sell at those prices?"

yes

 

[Hpacres440p]

"Are people who sell individual cuts really able to sell at those prices?"

yes

PT Barnum was right

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

PT Barnum was right

Not everybody wants an entire freezer full of beef.

 

[KAstocker]

Retail costs more to produce. We sold our steers for $2.50/lb hanging weight. The take home meat ended up being about $4.80/lb. $6 doesn't seem too bad for an individual cut.

 

[Buck Randall]

Went to a local farmers market today, 3 local beef sellers there. I saw one price for brisket-$6/lb. there is a point when the chasing of the "niche" market is making a lot of folks really reconsider home-grown beef, I would think...I charge $5/lb HW, processing included, and easily sell out. To triple or quadruple the store price seems ludicrous though-especially in the middle of beef country. I can profit approximately $500/head depending on grass supply at this price. Are people who sell individual cuts really able to sell at those prices? Thoughts?

What retail store sells brisket for $1.50 or $2.00 a pound? $6 seems reasonable to me, especially at a farmer's market. People aren't there looking for a deal; they're looking for better quality and willing to pay for it.

 

[Hpacres440p]

What retail store sells brisket for $1.50 or $2.00 a pound? $6 seems reasonable to me, especially at a farmer's market. People aren't there looking for a deal; they're looking for better quality and willing to pay for it.

In this area brisket is $1.99-2.50/lb. just seems way high to me, especially for a large cut (typically). I don't hang in the right crowds apparently...

 

[Buck Randall]

In this area brisket is $1.99-2.50/lb. just seems way high to me, especially for a large cut (typically). I don't hang in the right crowds apparently...

You should buy all the $2.00 brisket you can find and start a mail order business. I just checked the website for the closest Wal-Mart and brisket is $4.46.

 

[Hpacres440p]

Since you mentioned that, I checked online price. Ignore this whole thread. Apparently prices jumped for July 4- 2 weeks ago $2/lb was the price. I just don't buy meat at the store since we have our own-when I look, brisket prices are my barometer. Rookie mistake-forgiveness please.

 

[Ky hills]

The farmers markets around here are niche markets in and of themselves. It is fairly costly to set up and sell anything then with selling meat there are regulations and have to have freezers in trailers and a way to power them. The meat vendors at our market said they did more sales of pork than with beef. Each market and clientele is different.
Once we had some fellow vendors aggravated because we were selling eggs cheaper. The reality was there were folks there that had organic eggs and produce and others had brown eggs. At the time we had white eggs from Leghorns and were new comers to the market and people were not buying them.when we dropped the price others caught wind of it. There is usually a lot of pressure behind the scenes to price products the same.

 

[sstterry]

Since you mentioned that, I checked online price. Ignore this whole thread. Apparently prices jumped for July 4- 2 weeks ago $2/lb was the price. I just don't buy meat at the store since we have our own-when I look, brisket prices are my barometer. Rookie mistake-forgiveness please.

You cannot get a brisket in my area for anywhere near $2.00/lb

 

[annmariemz23]

You cannot get a brisket in my area for anywhere near $2.00/lb

My neighbor sells to people in the San Francisco Bay area and gets $12/lb for his grass fattened meat. However, he has to find someone to kill and hang it, and then drive 2 hours to a slaughter facility and then deliver to the people. He is starting to wonder if it is worth it. Not enough kill facilities in this country. You can get grass finished ground beef from a local guy in our local grocery store for $6 a pound while chuck steak in the meat case is $9 a pound. I went up to buy steaks for a barbecue one day and, after looking at that steak, went back home to dig through the freezer to see what I could do with what I had.

 

[Dave]

You cannot get a brisket in my area for anywhere near $2.00/lb

I don't see any beef for $2.00 a pound. Chicken is more than that unless it is on sale.

 

[bigbluegrass]

If you are selling at $5/lb hanging weight, you are selling for well over $6 per pound packaged weight. Even if you got 70% from HW to package, that is over $7/lb in packages ($7.14 per pound to be exact). That is the average for hamburger, steak and everything. I bet brisket wouldn't be the cheapest cut if you sold by the package. In reality, you are selling brisket for far more than $6 per pound.

 

[sstterry]

I stopped by a Sam's Club yesterday and I checked the Brisket price. It was $7/lb.
Edit: I know it was $7 at Sams, but the Walmart website says they are selling it for $4.46/ right now.

 

[Hpacres440p]

If you are selling at $5/lb hanging weight, you are selling for well over $6 per pound packaged weight. Even if you got 70% from HW to package, that is over $7/lb in packages ($7.14 per pound to be exact). That is the average for hamburger, steak and everything. I bet brisket wouldn't be the cheapest cut if you sold by the package. In reality, you are selling brisket for far more than $6 per pound.

I guess that balances out the ribeyes for $7/lb then...you're right of course. I really don't "see" beef prices by the package anymore. Only pay attention to how much the calf was if I bought it and price per pound to get it processed. I won't be an individual package seller, so I can justify the price per pound of all cuts to myself I suppose. It seems that when mass-produced beef prices are catching up with small guy prices, something is off kilter.

 

[sstterry]

I guess that balances out the ribeyes for $7/lb then...you're right of course. I really don't "see" beef prices by the package anymore. Only pay attention to how much the calf was if I bought it and price per pound to get it processed. I won't be an individual package seller, so I can justify the price per pound of all cuts to myself I suppose. It seems that when mass-produced beef prices are catching up with small guy prices, something is off kilter.

Just for reference, I Just looked up some other prices at Walmart (I don't shop there but it is easy to find on the internet). Ribeye's- $12.07/lb; Strip Steak- $11.97/lb; T-bone $ 14.47/lb. And these are all graded 'Choice". I am sure glad I have two steers held for my freezer.

 

[hillbilly beef man]

Just for reference, I Just looked up some other prices at Walmart (I don't shop there but it is easy to find on the internet). Ribeye's- $12.07/lb; Strip Steak- $11.97/lb; T-bone $ 14.47/lb. And these are all graded 'Choice". I am sure glad I have two steers held for my freezer.

2? Really big freezer or small steers? The one I kept for ourselves this year was 800lbs hanging weight. We have two uprights and a small chest and we had to get creative to get it all to fit.

 

[sstterry]

2? Really big freezer or small steers? The one I kept for ourselves this year was 800lbs hanging weight. We have two uprights and a small chest and we had to get creative to get it all to fit.

I have a large extended family. Plus I have 2 Freezers and access to another if I need it.

 

[Davemk]

Went to a local farmers market today, 3 local beef sellers there. I saw one price for brisket-$6/lb. there is a point when the chasing of the "niche" market is making a lot of folks really reconsider home-grown beef, I would think...I charge $5/lb HW, processing included, and easily sell out. To triple or quadruple the store price seems ludicrous though-especially in the middle of beef country. I can profit approximately $500/head depending on grass supply at this price. Are people who sell individual cuts really able to sell at those prices? Thoughts?

I have been sold out for months. Have you priced brisket recently? $6lb is not triple what it cost here.