By John Hamm
& Denise Wee, Wisconsin River Meats
& Denise Wee, Wisconsin River Meats
https://www.wisconsinrivermeats.com/
Saturday and Sunday, March 14 & 15, 2020
Started out at Wisconsin River Meats much like any March
Saturday. We were expecting some folks
to stop out to pick up their venison or custom processing orders. We figured we would also sell a bit of
sausage and our usual mix of steaks, chops, roasts and burger.
Saturday. We were expecting some folks
to stop out to pick up their venison or custom processing orders. We figured we would also sell a bit of
sausage and our usual mix of steaks, chops, roasts and burger.
The
preceding couple of weeks had been strange with talk of Coronavirus, and with
the cancellation of State Basketball, NCAA Championships and Professional
Sports. We saw quarantines of cruise
ships and reports of illnesses and deaths in Italy on the rise.
preceding couple of weeks had been strange with talk of Coronavirus, and with
the cancellation of State Basketball, NCAA Championships and Professional
Sports. We saw quarantines of cruise
ships and reports of illnesses and deaths in Italy on the rise.
I arrived to
work at 6:30 AM and had only a small handful of retail staff and our sausage
crew on hand.
work at 6:30 AM and had only a small handful of retail staff and our sausage
crew on hand.
The first
half hour was typical for a Saturday morning in March, slow. We received a strange phone call at around
7:45 AM. “Are you still open?” The caller asked. “Why yes of course, until 4 o’clock,” we
said. “Do you have any meat left?” they
asked hopefully. “Of course,” we
answered, somewhat perplexed at the question.
His last question to us, “Will you run out?” We replied, “No.”
half hour was typical for a Saturday morning in March, slow. We received a strange phone call at around
7:45 AM. “Are you still open?” The caller asked. “Why yes of course, until 4 o’clock,” we
said. “Do you have any meat left?” they
asked hopefully. “Of course,” we
answered, somewhat perplexed at the question.
His last question to us, “Will you run out?” We replied, “No.”
All of us at
Wisconsin River Meats that day thought that the call was very odd. We were puzzled when within a few minutes we
received several more calls. Each caller
inquired the same as the first. They
wanted to know if we were still open, if we were out of meat, and if we would
run out of meat.
Wisconsin River Meats that day thought that the call was very odd. We were puzzled when within a few minutes we
received several more calls. Each caller
inquired the same as the first. They
wanted to know if we were still open, if we were out of meat, and if we would
run out of meat.
I told our boys
that we had better make an extra round of fresh ground beef, just in case the
store got busy.
that we had better make an extra round of fresh ground beef, just in case the
store got busy.
Customers
began to trickle in, many we had never seen before and had trekked an hour or
more. The store quickly filled with
people. The influx of hoarders had hit, they were coming and going in
droves. They began buying ground beef;
20, 40, 50 pounds or more at a time. Any
and all pork that was merchandised in the store was quickly wiped out as fast
as we could fill it. Steaks and discount
bundles disappeared by the carload. It
turns out that Big Box Stores and small local grocers in outlying areas had run
completely out of meat by Friday evening.
began to trickle in, many we had never seen before and had trekked an hour or
more. The store quickly filled with
people. The influx of hoarders had hit, they were coming and going in
droves. They began buying ground beef;
20, 40, 50 pounds or more at a time. Any
and all pork that was merchandised in the store was quickly wiped out as fast
as we could fill it. Steaks and discount
bundles disappeared by the carload. It
turns out that Big Box Stores and small local grocers in outlying areas had run
completely out of meat by Friday evening.
Desperate to find meat to get them through this crisis, customers came
out en mass, families with each member holding arm loads of meat, and shopping
baskets overflowing.
out en mass, families with each member holding arm loads of meat, and shopping
baskets overflowing.
Our butchers
made two more rounds of fresh ground beef and cut everything we had
available. We made it through the day
without running out of any product and had just enough to get through the
second surge of shoppers who came in Sunday.
made two more rounds of fresh ground beef and cut everything we had
available. We made it through the day
without running out of any product and had just enough to get through the
second surge of shoppers who came in Sunday.
Monday, March 15, 2020
Monday morning
Wisconsin River Meats was beginning to run short on product. Fortunately, our
suppliers were able to provide us with meat for sausage and fresh ground beef
Monday morning, which we immediately rushed to process ensuring we were able to
keep our meat cases stocked for the record number of customers that continued
to stream in throughout the day.
Wisconsin River Meats was beginning to run short on product. Fortunately, our
suppliers were able to provide us with meat for sausage and fresh ground beef
Monday morning, which we immediately rushed to process ensuring we were able to
keep our meat cases stocked for the record number of customers that continued
to stream in throughout the day.
While the
rush continued on with no signs of slowing, I reached out to our local
livestock producers. I ordered double the
usual head of beef and pork, which our wonderful local livestock producers were
able to provide for us the next day.
rush continued on with no signs of slowing, I reached out to our local
livestock producers. I ordered double the
usual head of beef and pork, which our wonderful local livestock producers were
able to provide for us the next day.
Meanwhile,
the hoarding of meats nationwide caused boxed beef, pork and chicken prices to
explode, and retail prices in meat cases to soar.
the hoarding of meats nationwide caused boxed beef, pork and chicken prices to
explode, and retail prices in meat cases to soar.
As Monday the 16th progressed, we
were still filling the store as fast as we could, barely keeping up with the
onslaught of customers. We ran out of
Pork Butts and Pork Loins in the store midmorning. We began to offer up our frozen overstock and
promptly sold out. We had made plenty of
Corned Beef for our usual St. Patrick’s Day rush, and had plenty to go
around. Monday left our meat cases half
empty, we had made over 500 pound of fresh ground beef which sold as fast as we
filled it.
were still filling the store as fast as we could, barely keeping up with the
onslaught of customers. We ran out of
Pork Butts and Pork Loins in the store midmorning. We began to offer up our frozen overstock and
promptly sold out. We had made plenty of
Corned Beef for our usual St. Patrick’s Day rush, and had plenty to go
around. Monday left our meat cases half
empty, we had made over 500 pound of fresh ground beef which sold as fast as we
filled it.
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Fortunately,
Tuesday the 17th was slaughter day; we were able to restock with
fresh Beef and Pork from the previous week’s harvest. Wednesday our Butchers broke down the
increased number of hogs and merchandised them all. Every bit of pork we had was merchandised and
sold as soon as it hit the shelves. Any
beef we were able to break down and merchandised simply vanished into shopping
baskets and our meat cases were soon wiped clean.
Tuesday the 17th was slaughter day; we were able to restock with
fresh Beef and Pork from the previous week’s harvest. Wednesday our Butchers broke down the
increased number of hogs and merchandised them all. Every bit of pork we had was merchandised and
sold as soon as it hit the shelves. Any
beef we were able to break down and merchandised simply vanished into shopping
baskets and our meat cases were soon wiped clean.
All the
while shoppers continued their frenzied purchasing; at the big box stores and
big name grocers the supply chain broke.
while shoppers continued their frenzied purchasing; at the big box stores and
big name grocers the supply chain broke.
They were unable to order product in quantities to keep up with the
demand brought on by the panic buying customers had participated in over the
last several days. Their shelves and
meat counters stood empty for days.
demand brought on by the panic buying customers had participated in over the
last several days. Their shelves and
meat counters stood empty for days.
Wisconsin
River Meats helped some of our neighboring independent grocers by supplying
hundreds of pounds of beef and pork so they could have something to sell to
their customers.
River Meats helped some of our neighboring independent grocers by supplying
hundreds of pounds of beef and pork so they could have something to sell to
their customers.
By the end
of Tuesday it was apparent that we would soon run out of product again. We reached out once more to our local farmers
and producers and secured another round of hogs to slaughter. We bought more hogs and scheduled a state
inspector for a second slaughter date on Thursday.
of Tuesday it was apparent that we would soon run out of product again. We reached out once more to our local farmers
and producers and secured another round of hogs to slaughter. We bought more hogs and scheduled a state
inspector for a second slaughter date on Thursday.
Thanks to
our local farmers rushing to supply us with hogs and our butchers working long
hours to process them and cutting what beef we could, we managed to keep our
cases full through the weekend. Though,
we began to run low on just about everything on Sunday the 22nd.
our local farmers rushing to supply us with hogs and our butchers working long
hours to process them and cutting what beef we could, we managed to keep our
cases full through the weekend. Though,
we began to run low on just about everything on Sunday the 22nd.
Week of March 23, 2020
The week of
the 23rd remained busy. Once
again, with credit to our local livestock producers, we ran double the amount
of hogs and tripled the number of beef for slaughter. Our Butcher’s worked long and hard to keep
our store’s needs and our customers supplied with meat for their families.
the 23rd remained busy. Once
again, with credit to our local livestock producers, we ran double the amount
of hogs and tripled the number of beef for slaughter. Our Butcher’s worked long and hard to keep
our store’s needs and our customers supplied with meat for their families.
To get
through the “Safer At Home” order, our customers purchased more in our store
than ever before. They have purchased a
record amount of Beef halves and quarters and also Pork wholes and halves. All locally sourced.
through the “Safer At Home” order, our customers purchased more in our store
than ever before. They have purchased a
record amount of Beef halves and quarters and also Pork wholes and halves. All locally sourced.
Unlike our
competitors, we did not raise Pork prices a single penny, and did not have to
raise Beef prices at all until March 23rd, saving our customers
thousands of dollars.
competitors, we did not raise Pork prices a single penny, and did not have to
raise Beef prices at all until March 23rd, saving our customers
thousands of dollars.
This series of events during the March Pandemic
scare illustrates the efficiency and value of a local food network and the
resiliency of a vibrant local food chain.
A healthy food chain benefits not only local consumers, but the local
livestock producers/farmers, local processors and local retailers who work
cohesively to bring food and products to the public.
Taken from a communication at NMPAN (Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network) a Google Groups Listserve.