Introducing Corey Meyer

We are thrilled to welcome Corey Meyer to ABP. This issue, we ask: “Hey Corey, what’s popular at the meat counter these days?“

Customers. No, really. Right now we find many customers coming back to the meat counter to talk one-on-one with their butcher. They have questions. They want to be more involved, connect with the sources of their food, prepare it themselves, and understand how it’s produced.

New technology has actually played a role in this. People are hearing messages encouraging them to support local farmers, butchers and artisans, and they’re going back to the old ways of doing things because of it. This shift began pre-COVID, but people are now preparing more meals at home, and selecting cuts that allow them to use their extra time to experiment in the kitchen, getting more creative and involved in meal preparation.

So, yes, we tend to notice demand spikes for different cuts based on what’s featured on the cooking shows. People see what the chefs are preparing and want to try it at home. It’s actually a big win for the beef industry, I think.

New technology also means people are also hearing more about the health benefits of beef. Physicians and digital content recommends they increase iron and mineral uptake. This has our customers gravitating toward organ meat, liver and kidneys, and also requesting bones to make broth. They ask us to grind liver in with their beef, to increase its nutritional benefit and make consuming it pleasant.

But hey, hands down? Ground beef is still our biggest seller. It’s simple, versatile and everybody’s familiar with it. Sometimes we can’t keep up with demand, and that was especially true in the major spike that occurred when this pandemic started.

Whatever the cut or grind, I’m just thrilled to support Alberta beef producers. You’ve supported our business by developing a phenomenal product, a frontrunner in healthy food production, making it easy to be a beef guy in Alberta.

Follow “coreythebutcher” online or visit acmemeatmarket.ca.

---

This article was first published in Volume 1 Issue 1 of ABP Magazine (February 2021) under “Hey Corey.” Watch for more digital content from the magazine on ABP Daily.