Ranch to Table
PERFECTION AT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY
We produce our beef within a complete system where we are involved at every step of the process. Sometimes we call this comprehensive integration “Ranch to Table” to make it easy to understand. That’s what happens when you have 53 years of experience in the beef industry. The Ranch to Table process thrives on precision and data as much as heart and guts. It’s as focused on animal welfare as it is on taste.
In an industry full of start-up beef companies, our patient approach is nearly unthinkable — focused, steady and concerned with the decades to come. There simply aren’t many other companies, if any, that do what we do. We’re not just pioneers of American Wagyu. We’re trailblazers of Ranch to Table.
Here's how we do it
Genetics
It all began over 30 years ago when our founder, Bob Rebholtz, visited Japan and experienced the quality of Wagyu cattle. He was mesmerized by the entire process of Wagyu development. He observed how it was documented and safeguarded, and how the well-regarded genetics were protected and nurtured.
Soon after, Rebholtz and his team began crossing Japanese Wagyu with high quality breeds, creating our first herd of American Wagyu cattle. Since then, we’ve kept genetic records that border on obsessive. We can tell you the percentage of marbling present in a ribeye in 2010 and predict the marbling performance from a calf born yesterday. This meticulous collection of data allows us to continually refine our beef so we’re always offering the highest concentration of marbling and flavor.
Ranching
The Double R Ranch covers 80,000 acres in the Okanogan region of Washington State, stretching to the Canadian border and the foothills of the Cascades. This is where we raise our herd of purebred Wagyu cattle. Calves are born here, gently weaned from their mothers and shifted to grass and natural rations.
This is a cycle that’s skillfully recreated throughout the West with other ranches where we have deep relationships. In many cases, we’ve worked with the same ranching families for multiple generations.
Working a ranch is considered idyllic by some, but it’s not an easy way of life. Prices can skyrocket and then plummet quickly. Drought, fires and other environmental changes are a constant threat. Working with family ranchers is our way of creating sustainability: We value partners who are true stewards of the land, and in turn, we create stability for their operations. That sort of trust can only be built with time.
Feeding
At the Double R Ranch, our cattle move from meadow to meadow so that we never over graze the land. When our cattle reach the right size and weight, they move to our own feed facilities where they are slowly transitioned to a balanced grain-based diet.
Our animal nutritionists carefully formulate the feed, or rations, to provide the best possible mix of nutrients for every phase of each animal’s growth cycle. Rations vary on location and season but can include alfalfa hay, grains, potatoes, vitamins and mineral supplements. We source nearly all from farmers within 150 miles of the lot for a few reasons: We get fresher, healthier feed and we support our neighbors.
Sourcing locally, also, is much better for our operations and the climate. We’re not trucking in feed from far-flung areas or shipping our cattle hundreds of miles away to feed yards we can’t monitor. Eventually, our cattle’s manure becomes the fertilizer for the next batch of feed, bringing the process full circle.
Our feeding facilities are focused on maintaining optimal health and well-being of our animals. At the same time, they allow us to increase our sustainability by using less water, less land and other natural resources.
Processing
Our state-of-the-art processing plant is located in Toppenish, Washington. Animal welfare and health are a top priority, so our facilities and procedures are designed to create a low-stress and humane environment. Our methods are strongly influenced by the facility designs and animal handling techniques of Dr. Temple Grandin, an acclaimed animal science expert. Dr. Grandin has been to our plant for multiple visits, and we took her suggestions to heart.
Of equal importance is the safety of the people who work at the plant and of our products. We take countless measures to ensure our co-workers are trained and work in a safe environment.
Our food safety standards exceed industry standards and include over 24 food safety interventions. Our plant employs a full 8-hour cleaning shift every day so all equipment and facilities are safe and sanitized. There are also 11 USDA employees on-site to inspect and advise. We do all of this so the beef that we produce is as pure and wholesome as possible.
Butchering
If you’ve ever marveled at how we’re able to supply steaks and roasts that are consistent in quality and size, thank our on-staff master butchers. They’re the ones tasked with taking our exceptional beef and transforming it into the cuts you love — all while maximizing flavor and minimizing waste. Each steak and roast is then carefully packaged and flash-frozen at -20˚F to preserve freshness and quality.
Connecting with Customers
Snake River Farms American Wagyu beef is sold online through our website, but you’ll also find it a select number of restaurants and grocery stores. We have our own direct sales team that works with food service and retail distributors to make that happen.
Our online business is staffed by a small, but dedicated team of customer care specialists. When you call our toll free line or log in to order your holiday prime rib, you’re communicating directly with Snake River Farms. There are no outsourced call centers here, no staffers who have never had a bite of our product. Our customer care team can do everything from offer a family recipe for the perfect brisket or arrange a Christmas gift extravaganza for 500 clients.
Delivered to your Door
Our customers know the excitement that comes from seeing a black Snake River Farms box on the doorstep. When our product arrives safely to your home, we’re excited too. Our job isn’t over yet. If you have any questions or concerns about your order, product or how to prepare each cut or item, we’re here to help.
Carefully sourcing our own feed, raising our own cattle, building our own feed yards and facilities — these things haven’t been easy. But that attention to detail, from start to finish, is the way we honor the vision of our founder and the work that hundreds of people put into producing the perfect Snake River Farms experience.
All you have to do is savor every last bite.