As a Costco Canada shopper, I often wander the aisles and find myself impressed by the quality of their beef. Their bright red steaks, juicy ground beef, and tender roasts frequently end up in my cart But with hundreds of Costco locations across Canada, I’ve always wondered – where exactly does their beef come from?
As a curious Costco customer, I decided to do some digging into their beef supply chain. Keep reading to uncover the origins of the beef sold at Costco Canada
Canadian Cattle Country
Costco Canada sources their beef right here in Canada. They work directly with Canadian ranchers and beef processors to stock their meat department year-round. This ensures a steady stream of fresh Canadian beef to their warehouse stores.
The majority of Canadian cattle are raised in the Prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. These provinces contain vast stretches of prairie lands, ideal for cattle grazing.
Alberta leads the country in cattle production, home to over 40% of the national herd. Their plentiful pastureland allows ranchers to raise cattle on grass before finishing them on grain.
Meanwhile, Manitoba contains 30% of the country’s beef herd. Saskatchewan accounts for 20% of cattle raised nationally. The open prairie landscape offers excellent grazing during the grass-growing season.
Across the Prairies, cattle graze freely on pasture through the spring and summer months. They forage on native grasses and legumes. Then in fall, they move to feedlots for grain-finishing before processing. This combination of pasture and feedlot allows for well-marbled, flavorful beef.
Working With Trusted Suppliers
Costco Canada has partnerships with specific ranches and beef processors located across the Prairie provinces. By developing close relationships with suppliers, they ensure a steady supply of quality beef to their stores.
Costco sources their beef through the major meat processing facilities in Western Canada. These large plants have the capacity to handle Costco’s high beef volume needs. They also meet the company’s rigorous standards for food safety and quality controls.
Some of their major Canadian beef suppliers include:
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Cargill – This company operates a large beef processing plant in High River, Alberta capable of handling over 4,500 cattle per day. Cargill supplies both boxed beef and ground beef to Costco.
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JBS Food Canada – Headquartered in Brooks, Alberta, JBS provides Costco with halal beef and portions like briskets and ribs. Their massive facility can process up to 4,500 head of cattle per day.
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Sunterra Farms – This family-owned company in Acme, Alberta provides AAA Alberta beef to Costco. Their focus on quality over quantity means excellent, well-marbled cuts.
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Creekstone Farms – Costco sources their premium Angus beef from this company’s state-of-the-art facility in Kansas. Their Black Angus cattle are pasture-raised and grain-finished for superior marbling.
By partnering with major processors near cattle country, Costco beef spends less time in transit. This results in fresher meat on Costco shelves across Canada.
Grass to Grain: The Life of Costco Beef Cattle
Cattle that end up as Costco Canada beef enjoy a natural, humane life in the open prairie. They spend their early months grazing on pasture before transitioning to feedlots. Here’s a look at the typical lifecycle of cattle that become Costco beef:
Birth and Weaning – Calves are born each spring across the ranches that supply Costco. They spend their first 6-8 months nursing from their mothers out on pastureland. Then they are weaned off milk and transitioned to eating fresh grasses and hay.
Grazing Pasture – After weaning, cattle continue grazing on the open grasslands of the prairies. They forage on a diverse mix of native grasses, legumes, and vegetation. This diet provides important nutrients for their development. Grazing pasture also allows young cattle to grow and develop naturally.
Moving to Feedlots – As cattle reach 12-18 months of age, they move from pasture into feedlots. Here they adjust from foraging to eating a grain-based diet of blends like barley, corn, and legumes. Feedlots provide a balanced, nutrition-packed diet for cattle in their final months.
Grain Finishing – Cattle spend 4-6 months in the feedlot being “finished” on grain. This gives their meat more consistent marbling. Grain-finishing results in the well-marbled beef that Costco shoppers enjoy.
Processing – Once cattle reach their ideal weight, around 1,100-1,600 lbs., they are transported to nearby processing facilities. Costco aims to source beef from plants within 150 km from where cattle are raised to reduce transit stress. At these major plants, cattle are humanely harvested and processed into various beef cuts for Costco.
Delivery to Costco – Boxed beef is then shipped in refrigerated trucks to Costco’s distribution centers. Then it’s sent in regular shipments to Costco warehouses across Canada. From there, the beef is cut and packaged on-site at each Costco location for their fresh meat cases.
Costco’s Beef Quality Standards
Costco Canada has exceptionally high standards when it comes to their beef offerings. They go beyond government regulations to ensure all beef sold is of the highest quality:
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AAA Graded – All of Costco’s beef achieves AAA, the highest possible grade under Canadian beef grading regulations. AAA grade means the beef has the most abundant marbling, superior tenderness, juiciness, and flavor.
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Grain-Finished – Their cattle spend a minimum of 100 days on a nutritionally-balanced grain diet. This gives the beef a fine texture and extensive marbling for taste.
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Aged – Costco aims for their beef to be aged a minimum of 7 days. Dry-aging beef allows enzymes to naturally tenderize the meat.
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No Added Hormones – The cattle who end up as Costco beef are never given added hormones like steroids. Costco adheres to Health Canada’s ban on hormone use in beef cattle.
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Grass-Fed Options – Costco also sells certified organic, 100% grass-fed beef options. Their grass-fed beef comes from cattle raised on open pasture their whole lives.
These stringent standards allow Costco Canada to consistently provide extremely high-quality beef. Between their trusted suppliers and quality controls, you can feel confident biting into a juicy Costco steak or burger.
Bringing Affordable Beef to Canadians
A major part of Costco’s business model is passing wholesale savings onto their members. The company leverages their massive buying power to score discounts from beef suppliers. This enables them to sell high-quality, AAA beef at affordable prices compared to grocers.
On any given day, Costco Canada has low prices on:
- Tender aged steaks like ribeye and striploin
- Family packs of lean ground beef
- Prime roasts like beef tenderloin and sirloin tip
- Marinated steaks and roasts for quick meals
- Grass-fed ground beef for a premium option
Their Kirkland Signature house brand provides further savings on steaks, burgers, and stewing beef. With Costco’s bulk-buying model, families can stock their freezer with quality beef for just a few dollars per pound.
The next time you browse the meat department at Costco Canada, remember the care that went into bringing that beef from cattle country to your cart. It all starts with dedicated ranch families raising cattle with care on the open prairies. Through close ties with major suppliers, Costco then provides exceptional AAA beef to Canadians at a great value. So bite in and savor a taste of the prairies in every juicy burger or tender steak from Costco!
