This week’s episode of “Yellowstone” told viewers about one of the biggest problems facing the poultry and meat industries today. Is it better to work with a processor or make plans to feed, process, and sell products directly to customers?
When Yellowstone’s patriarch, John Dutton, is worried about how much it will cost to treat brucellosis in his beef cattle, his daughter, Beth, comes up with a different idea.
Their enemy ranch, 6666, has a website where they sell more than eight million pounds of beef. 6666 says that the only catch is that you have to “have a lot of backbone,” which is something that viewers know Beth has plenty of.
I haven’t seen a chicken in “Yellowstone,” but I know that the poultry industry has similar conversations. (Also, as a side note, I love seeing a show on TV that helps people see animal agriculture in a positive light.)
Direct-To-Consumers!
Direct sales to consumers are slowly becoming more popular in the poultry business.
Perdue Farms’ website, PerdueFarms.com, came out in 2020. It has brands like Perdue, Niman Ranch, Coleman Natural, Sonoma Red, and Skagit Red.
Fans of plant-based meat may also purchase plant-based burgers and other alternative meat products from Impossible Foods online at buy.impossiblefoods.com.
Millennials, who were born between the mid-1980s and the early 2000s, use e-commerce solutions to find out more about where their food comes from. According to a 2020 survey by IDC, a global market intelligence firm, nearly half of all global consumers buy perishables like meat, produce, and dairy online.
Also Read: Is The Yellowstone Prequel 1923 Based On A True Story?
I’m sure that number is even higher now, after the pandemic, as interest in online shopping soars.
Direct-To-Consumer can be a great way for the poultry industry to make money off of the trends in local meat. Also, both the poultry industry and the consumer win because integrators can move more products and consumers pay less overall.
E-commerce websites do require some money and knowledge, but I think it’s an investment worth looking into.
