46 | On the Meat Success Podcast, guest host Sierra Long, talks with Nola and Mikaela Schultz of Schultz Country Market, a family farm-to-direct meat business in Illinois, about growing their brick-and-mortar store and social media presence.

They describe researching Illinois requirements for retail meat sales, opening their on-farm market in September 2023, expanding through a freezer trailer and a busy local farmers market, and starting nationwide shipping in February 2026 after extensive testing of supplies and packaging (favoring ice blankets over dry ice). They explain how TikTok giveaways and support from a local influencer helped grow to nearly 50,000 followers, and how they use Facebook for local customers and TikTok to drive shipping sales. They emphasize consistency, authenticity, quick Facebook Lives, and being intentional with messaging to convert views into sales.

• 00:53 Schultz Market Origins
• 03:14 Launching Retail Store
• 07:11 Farmers Market Strategy
• 10:26 Farm Store Experience
• 13:22 Shipping Meat Logistics
• 18:55 TikTok Growth Giveaway
• 22:05 Influencer Events Boost
• 24:32 Family Farm Story
• 25:06 Influencer Event Boost
• 26:32 Getting Comfortable On Camera
• 30:11 Facebook Live Routine
• 32:21 Choosing Platforms
• 37:48 Turning Views Into Sales
• 39:26 Content Ideas That Convert

Learn more about ChopLocal and ChopLocal University Below!

• https://choplocal.com/
• https://www.choplocaluniversity.com/

Today on the Meat Success Podcast Katie Olthoff, Co-Founder of ChopLocal/ChopLocal University) interviews Mackenzie Wright of Kentucky’s Jones Brothers Farm about their delivery-first model, product mix, and why they use Shopify. Mackenzie shares the farm’s history since 2010, emphasizing diversification (beef, tomatoes, sweet corn, watermelons, hay, tobacco; formerly hemp) and transparent education around being a conventional farm.

The farm transitioned from selling beef by quarters/halves to beef boxes and single cuts, learning which cuts move best for their largely female, urban customer base, and building sales from an established produce email list. They sell mainly via home delivery (one local farmers market) and are exploring wholesale expansion; they do not ship. Shopify was chosen for integrated payments, apps (routing, pickup options), email via Seguno, improved website design, analytics tools including an AI query feature, subscription/advance-date ordering, and adding a checkout processing fee, with a focus on customer service and storytelling to build trust.

• 01:35 Jones Brothers Farm Story
• 02:41 Diverse Crops and Beef Practices
• 04:43 From Shares to Single Cuts
• 06:53 Delivery Model and Cut Demand
• 08:39 Know Your Customer Base
• 10:27 Produce CSA to Add Ons
• 12:12 Tomato Sizes and Sales
• 13:03 Farmers Markets Strategy
• 14:55 Wholesale Expansion and Shipping
• 16:55 Why They Chose Shopify
• 19:49 Shopify Apps for Routing
• 21:46 Do You Really Need an App
• 24:08 Subscriptions and Preorders
• 25:20 CSA vs Subscription
• 26:53 Skipping Weeks Flexibly
• 28:27 Hemp Loss Ends CSA
• 31:06 Email and Seguno
• 34:48 Shopify Design Wins
• 37:55 Analytics AI Helper
• 39:38 Processing Fee Strategy
• 42:24 Selling Trust Story
• 44:04 Farm Content Without Shock
• 46:44 COVID Delivery Shift Wrap

And learn more about ChopLocal and ChopLocal University Below!

• https://choplocal.com/
• https://www.choplocaluniversity.com/

Episode 44 | This week, Katie Olthoff sits down with Rebecca Thistlethwaite of the Niche Meat Processors Assistance Network (NMPAN), a national Oregon State University–housed extension community serving small/very small processors and direct-market producers with free membership, webinars, and no-cost technical assistance. They discuss how, since 2020’s extreme backlog, many plants now face low utilization—especially in beef—due to a smaller cattle herd, pushing processors to market for business via basic websites, online cut-sheet forms, and testimonials.

She emphasizes building long-term producer–processor partnerships, transparent yield data to reduce disputes, and feedback on carcass finish; USDA remote grading is growing mainly for larger “small” plants and retail channels. Key processor challenges include rising production costs (utilities, disposal, packaging), labor, and inconsistent volume; solutions discussed include energy upgrades, composting/digesters, labor-saving equipment, and diversification through retail counters, consignment freezers, wholesale, and value-added products. They note MPEP grant interest and a modest increase in independent poultry processing, and Rebecca highlights untapped innovation potential in U.S. pork marketing.

And learn more about ChopLocal and ChopLocal University Below!

• https://choplocal.com/
• https://www.choplocaluniversity.com/

Chapters

• 00:28 Pandemic Processing Crunch
• 01:32 What NMPAN Does
• 02:33 Top NMPAN Resources
• 04:42 Utilization Drops and Marketing
• 08:09 Websites and Online Cut Sheets
• 11:39 Building Producer Processor Trust
• 15:12 Yield Data and Transparency
• 19:15 Remote Grading and Quality
• 23:04 Today’s Biggest Processor Challenges
• 25:35 Energy Waste and Labor Solutions
• 28:30 Disposal Options Incinerators Digesters
• 30:28 Carcass Waste Solutions
• 32:22 Retail Counters Boost Margins
• 34:11 Meat Vending Machines
• 35:12 Freezer Consignment Deals
• 37:48 Wholesale Routes and Risks
• 41:16 Value Added Sausage Strategy
• 42:52 Restaurant Sales Reality
• 44:20 MPEP Grant Breakdown
• 48:55 Inspected Poultry Trends
• 51:55 Pork Innovation Opportunity