Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Ross’ L-7 Tender Meats advertises “AAA locally raised beef” on its marketing literature.
In many ways, the store with gold-and-black-coloured walls on Estevan’s Fifth Street incarnates the perfect urban version of the farm gate. Crystal Ross is one of the store’s co-owners.
“Rosalie and I live every day with cattle and horses in our own backyards. When mad cow disease affected the agriculture industry, times became difficult for all involved indirectly and directly. We decided to do something about it.”
Crystal and Rosalie Ross opened Ross’ L-7 Tender Meats in town to give themselves a chance to market directly to consumers.
“We know that the product we raise, grow and nurture is worthy of being shared in Estevan and surrounding areas. It didn’t take us long to realize how great it really was. Two loads of fat cattle were shipped out in May and rated 96 per cent AAA.”
It was Crystal’s husband Chad Ross’s first time finishing cattle. All the cattle sold at the store is finished or raised at the Ross’ L-7 Ranch, just outside of Estevan. With four generations and over 250 years of experience, the Rosses feel they have the know-how to make this work.
“Rosalie and I enjoy our jobs. It allows us to educate consumers about an industry that is dear to our hearts. Too much damage has been caused and created by uneducated decisions about beef, and we are here to turn that around for ourselves and all of our neighbors and friends in the cattle industry.”
So far, so good. Clients walking off the street are intrigued by the store’s concept. The family operation has enjoyed success, especially with groups across the city. Supplying corporate functions where large BBQs are needed also provides a promising market.
“The public likes us because service is number one. We are able to inform our shoppers as to what they are buying and exactly where it comes from. We make our own money here and like everyone else, we spend it here too. We are 100 per cent local. We are 100 per cent Canadian.
“It is our philosophy that, in order to be successful in the agriculture industry, we are going to have to be vertically integrated within our industry. In other words, pasture to plate. By supporting Ross’ L-7 Tender Meats, you support perhaps yourselves, your neighbour, family and friends. We buy our fuel here, our parts here, our food here, and anything and everything that it takes to make it day-to-day. And we hire locally, too.”
As the Rosses themselves will say around town, “the next time you say ‘eat beef,’ say ‘L-7.’”
For more information, contact:
Crystal Ross
Ross’ L-7 Tender Meats
1-1104 5th Street
Estevan
(306)-637-2555
l7meats@sasktel.net
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