Meat&Poultry - August 2013 - 76

T&E mEaTs

David Ephraimson and
Alyssa Elliot are two of the
20 employees working at
T&E Meats today.

groups and offers tours. Its transparency is aimed at being realistic about
where meat comes from, but more importantly, how sustainable agriculture
and doing things the right way can be
a major force in restoring meat to its
former socially correct place on the
center of the plate.
The foresight of the owners has
been noted in such journals as the
Washington Post and the San Francisco Chronicle, and thought-provoking blogs from Cloud on meat topics are pointed and reach audiences
nationwide. He’s even entered essay
Cloud adds. “So, we put everything

in a three-hour drive of the facility.

contests sponsored by the New York

we had into where we were seeing the

T&E Meats is also aided by a test-

Times that have been judged by anti-

greatest return on our efforts. Now

ing laboratory located one mile away

meat establishment luminaries. His

we’re seeing greater levels on fresh

and nearby Valley Protein, which picks

succinct comments are fired right

ground products like sausage and beef,

up materials for rendering up to three

into the campfires of anti-meat so-

which we do in chub packs.”

days a week, and a nearby incinerator

cial engineers.

He notes that the number-one service customers are calling for is cur-

to handle materials the renderer will
not accept.

“With our continuing emphasis
on education, we will soon be offer-

ing and smoking meats. That may be

This story thus far is one of practi-

ing opportunities for foodies to come

coming later but must await a smoker,

cal, hands-on management designed

in and learn how to process their own

design and implementation of HAC-

to sustain the local livestock industry.

animals, cut their own pork chops,

CP plans, and an improved skill set

But as we said earlier, these owners are

make their own sausage and take the

to produce quality products, he says.

thinking “outside the plant.”

finished product home,” Cloud says.

T&E Meats, named after the origi-

“We are moving into what we

The owners note that they do no

nal owners, is now sometimes referred

call agri-tourism,” Cloud emphasiz-

advertising and that word-of-mouth

to as True & Essential Meats on the

es. “Education is part of our mission

recommendations about their busi-

firm’s web site, www.temeats.com.

and we will soon be teaching classes

ness from satisfied customers has been

on meat cutting. By the fall, we expect

extremely effective. Products coming

Continued growth

to enroll two students into an appren-

from their plant are marketed by the

The resurrected company and its own-

ticeship program in conjunction with

owners and reach some of the regions

ers have grown to 20 employees and

the Virginia Bureau of Labor & Indus-

finest restaurants and can be found in

slaughter two or three days a week

try. This will be a three-year program

retail establishments as far away as

under Talmadge-Aiken inspection.

and the students will come out with

Washington, DC. ■

They serve several hundred accounts,

a journeyman certification. There is

most of which bring in their animals

a vast need for skilled kill-floor and

and pick up their finished products.

meat-cutting workers.”

Their primary customer base is with-

• Meat&Poultry • August 2013 • www.MeatPoultry.com

The plant hosts countless school

Steve Krut, an industry veteran, is a contributing
editor writing exclusively for Meat&Poultry,
specializing`in small business issues. He
resides in Marietta, Pa.

http://www.temeats.com http://www.MeatPoultry.com

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