The first beef processing plant to open in Winnipeg in a generation is turning to online marketing to reel in customers.
Keystone Processors Ltd. has opened an online store to sell Manitoba-raised hormone-free beef direct to consumers. The beef processing plant, which opened earlier this year on Marion Street in St. Boniface, is working with Natural Prairie Beef to bring NPB’s brand of premium, locally raised, hormone-free beef to the Winnipeg market. Consumers can now purchase steaks, burgers, hamburger and wieners by the box. Orders can be placed online at www.keystoneprocessors.com or by phone for pick-up or city-wide delivery.
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“It’s like having a rancher and a butcher in your family. You get the best of both and can fill your freezer,” said President Kelly Penner in a release. “This is some of the best beef you’ll find and we’re making sure we’re selecting only the best cuts. Winnipeggers will be hard-pressed to find anything tastier to put on their barbeques, and they’ll like our prices too.”
The company is offering a variety of steaks including ribeyes, striploins, sirloins and T-bones through its website. It is also selling lean ground beef, boxes of hamburger patties and all beef premium wieners. The company said that because it is selling directly to consumers, the prices are competitive to stores.
“Ordering food online is common in many parts of the continent and we think it will take off here in Winnipeg,” said Penner. “This is a great way for a family to order its beef in bulk and know they’re getting the best quality and best taste possible. We’re also welcoming friends and family to bundle their orders together.”
The new service is also ideal for business functions, charity fundraisers, church picnics and community groups.
Natural Prairie Beef is a farmer-owned Manitoba company committed to raising cattle without the use of hormones. The European Union has banned imports of hormone-raised beef out of concerns for food safety and the long-term health effects. Both Keystone Processors and Natural Prairie Beef follow extensive food safety protocols including full gate-to-plate traceability, so each order can be traced back to its original farm.
Keystone’s Natural Prairie Beef steaks are aged a minimum of 21 days, the company says. Aging is important because it makes the meat more tender and flavourful and gives it a soft, juicy texture. Most steaks sold in grocery stores are aged only seven to 14 days.
