If you’re a fan of Carl’s Jr. , you know that their burgers are a cut above the rest. But have you ever wondered where they source their beef from?.
It’s a question that more and more people are asking as sustainable and moral meat production grows. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Carl’s Jr. ‘s beef supply chain and look at the problems and chances the fast food industry faces as it tries to keep up with changing consumer tastes.
From the iconic Western Bacon Cheeseburger to the latest grassfed offerings, we’ll uncover the secrets behind Carl’s Jr. ’s beef and what it means for the future of fast food.
Carl’s Jr is known for their indulgent, juicy burgers loaded with toppings The star of their menu is undoubtedly their charbroiled beef patties. But have you ever wondered exactly where those beef patties come from? In this article, we’ll explore the supply chain behind Carl’s Jr.’s signature product to find out where their beef is sourced.
A Brief History of Carl’s Jr.
Carl’s Jr. was founded in 1941 by Carl Karcher, who purchased a hot dog cart in Los Angeles for $326. Along with his wife Margaret, Carl grew the business into a sit-down restaurant, then a drive-in burger stand. Their menu focused on quality charbroiled burgers served with fresh produce.
The company rapidly expanded in the 1960s-70s. In 1981, Carl’s Jr was acquired by CKE Restaurants, which also owns Hardee’s Today, CKE Restaurants operates over 3,800 fast food restaurants globally. Carl’s Jr. has become known for indulgent burger creations like the Six Dollar Thickburger.
Vertical Integration for Consistent Supply
In the early days, Carl’s Jr. bought beef patties from local suppliers. But as the chain grew, they needed a more streamlined, consistent supply chain. CKE Restaurants now uses a vertically integrated model to control the production process from farm to restaurant.
Vertical integration gave Carl’s Jr quality control and traceability from start to finish Cattle are raised on CKE-owned ranches, then processed into beef at CKE-owned facilities, before being shipped to restaurants. This ensures reliable quantity, consistent quality, and cost efficiency.
CKE Restaurants’ Ranching Operations
A key link in the supply chain is CKE’s own cattle ranching operations. They own two major cattle ranches:
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Rocking 7R Ranch – Located in HQ, Texas, this 50,000 acre ranch houses 10,000-20,000 heads of cattle. The cattle are grass-fed and pasture-raised in a free range environment.
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Metzger Ranch – This smaller ranch in MO raises 4,000 heads of cattle across 7,500 acres. The cattle are grain-finished for 120 days before processing.
The ranches supply around 20% of the beef for CKE restaurants. The majority is purchased from other ranches in the Midwest plains. Carl’s Jr. maintains strict standards for all ranch suppliers.
Processing Plants Turn Cattle into Patties
Once cattle reach 18-22 months, they are transported to CKE’s processing plants. These facilities transform live cattle into packaged burger patties:
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Cattle are humanely harvested then broken down into primal cuts.
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The trimmings are ground together and formed into patties using specialized equipment.
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Patties are flash-frozen to lock in freshness and flavor.
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They are batched, packaged, and shipped out to Carl’s Jr. locations around the country.
CKE owns two USDA-inspected beef processing facilities exclusively for their restaurants:
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Runner Foods – This plant in MO handles beef processing and packaging. They produce 50 million patties per month.
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Abbyland Foods – This WI facility processes Pat LaFrieda burger patties for Carl’s Jr. using a similar process.
Distribution to Restaurants
From the processing plants, packaged frozen patties are distributed to Carl’s Jr. locations across the country. Their distribution network ensures efficient transportation and consistent refrigeration.
Trucks ship frozen burger patties from the Midwest plants to regional distribution centers. These centers have large freezer facilities to store bulk quantities of patties.
Every few days, smaller trucks transport frozen patties from the distribution hubs to individual Carl’s Jr. restaurants. They are kept frozen until grilling.
This “farm to counter” vertical integration gives Carl’s Jr. unmatched oversight and control over their beef. From pasture to patty, they manage every step themselves for optimal quality and freshness.
Why Vertical Integration Matters
Carl’s Jr.’s vertically integrated supply chain brings important advantages:
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Traceability – They can trace every patty back to the ranch and date of processing. This enables targeted recalls and investigations if needed.
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Quality control – By owning their own ranches and plants, they control raising, feeding, harvesting and processing techniques. This delivers consistent product.
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Efficiency – Direct oversight optimizes every step from pasture to grill. Streamlining the process reduces costs.
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Supply stability – Producing their own beef protects against supply disruptions and price hikes. This ensures reliability.
Their vertically integrated model is crucial for maintaining the signature taste and quality millions have come to expect from Carl’s Jr.’s charbroiled burgers. Next time you bite into one of their juicy patties, you can be confident in the supply chain behind it!
Challenges Facing The Fast Food Industry In Adapting To Changing Consumer Preferences
The fast food industry is facing a number of challenges in adapting to changing consumer preferences. As more people want food that is fresher, healthier, and better for the environment, fast food chains are under more pressure to find ingredients that meet these standards. This can be hard for big companies with complicated supply chains because they might not be able to control how their suppliers make their products.
One major challenge is ensuring that meat is produced sustainably and ethically. Concerns about the welfare of animals raised for food and the damage that meat production does to the environment are shared by many consumers. Because of this, there is a greater need for beef that was raised on grass or pasture and does not contain hormones or antibiotics.
Another challenge is sourcing fresh produce that is local and/or organic. Traditionally, fast food chains have gotten their food from large-scale industrial agriculture. However, many customers now want food that is grown locally and without using harmful chemicals. Fast food chains may find it hard to adapt to this because they need a different supply chain than they are used to.
Finally, there is the issue of food waste. As fast food restaurants try out new items for their menus, they will have to get used to new supply lines and the possibility of more waste. This can really hurt a restaurant’s bottom line, so they’ll have to be very careful about how they handle it to cut down on waste and boost profits.
Where Does Carl’s Jr Get Their Beef?
According to the company, all of Carl’s Jr. ’s beef is sourced from all-natural, no-hormone, and no-antibiotic whole muscle Angus beef. Even though the business doesn’t say who its suppliers are, it has been said that it works with well-known American suppliers like Creekstone Farms.
On the other hand, as the fast food industry grows and more people want sustainable meat, it becomes more important to keep the supply chain open. There is a risk that large corporations could acquire smaller suppliers and change their production practices over time. This is why third-party verification of production standards is crucial.
Carl’s Jr. recently added grassfed beef options to their menu. These come from Australia right now because industrial, grainfed beef production is so common in the U.S. However, American grassfed farmers are ready and eager to supply this growing demand if given the opportunity.
Carl’s Jr. Burger
FAQ
What type of beef does Carl’s Jr use?
Where was Carl’s Jr made?
Does Mcdonalds own Carls Jr?
What is the difference between Hardees and Carls Jr?
Is Carl’s A Natural Burger?
Carl’s Jr. introduced the All-Natural Burger in December 2014, featuring a grass-fed, free-range beef patty that has no added hormones, antibiotics, or steroids. This makes it the first major fast-food chain to offer an all-natural beef patty on the menu.
Does Carl’s Jr sell a CBD-infused burger?
Carl’s Jr. has introduced the first-ever CBD infused burger. Over the last decade, Carl’s Jr. has continued to push boundaries — From being the first QSR to have a plant-based burger at all restaurants.
When did Carl’s Jr. start offering salad bars?
Carl’s Jr. was the first fast food chain to install serve-yourself salad bars in all 200 of its California outlets in 1977. This predates Wendy’s and Burger King’s veggie stations and helped kick off the salad bar fad of the 1980s.
Does Carl’s Jr. offer Beyond Meat patties?
Carl’s Jr. offered Beyond Meat patties in its selections since 2019. Despite Carl’s Jr. consistently expanding its menu beyond burgers and fries, not every new item has found an audience.