It is the co-op’s vision to support and strengthen community connections with our local producers – so here are their stories! In this Meet Your Producer series, we will highlight our neighborhood farmers, ranchers, and producers so you can see and hear what they’re all about. Support local!
Meat LLC
Michael Beard
100 Riverfront Rd. Suite B Lawrence, KS
785-840-6898
About the Producer
I’ve always had a love for good food and as a chef I worked to find local producers who raised livestock that was of the purest quality. All natural, no antibiotics, heritage breeds were all qualities I looked for in producers. After I became burned out as a chef/restaurant owner, I sold my shares and started supplying other restaurants with the same products I used as a chef with Meat LLC. I also have created my own product line of prepared products under the label Left-Handed Butcher.
I’m greatly impacted by memories of the taste and the smell of foods. I sometimes can’t remember someone’s name the minute after they tell me but I can remember the first time I had a Calabrian orange or the smell of my grandmother’s strawberry cake baking.
I like working with producers to raise better product. I like being outside on the road and not stuck in an office. I like knowing what I’m cooking and feeding to my family is the same great products that are available to area customers. I like seeing where the dollars I spend are going.
About Meat LLC & The Left Handed Butcher
Meat LLC is a distributor for local proteins while Left Handed Butcher uses those local proteins and turns in to value added products such as sausage, pastrami, and hams. My vision is to provide quality products to customers while supporting our local agriculture system
I sell to local restaurants in Lawrence, Kansas City, Topeka, Wichita and Manhattan year-round. I, of course, sell to The Merc. Just like with any new business, I feel you grow and have changes to better suit your customers. To succeed at this work, you need drive, high quality standards, patience, confidence, and ability to handle risk.
What do you imagine for your operation in the future?
I would continue to bring on new animal producers and continue to develop and make different products.
A lesson that being a local producer has taught you?
Quality and service is everything because it’s hard to compete on pricing. There’s a sign at one of my pig farmer’s house that reads “The bitterness of poor quality lives long after the sweetness of a cheap price is forgotten