What it costs, and what you get
Buying a half or quarter means paying one price per pound for every cut, from ribeyes to ground beef. Here's how the numbers work out, using our planning numbers and published prices.
An example half
Our prices will be set before the first harvest in 2028. This example uses the numbers in our current plan, so treat every figure as an estimate.
You pay us for the beef by hanging weight, the weight of the carcass before it's cut. Processing, meaning cutting and wrapping, is billed at the plant's rates. Bone and trim come off in cutting, so you take home less than the hanging weight.
| Example half | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Hanging weight | ~403 lb |
| Beef, at $6.00/lb hangingPlanning price, not final | ~$2,418 |
| Processing: cutting and wrappingSet by the plant's rates | ~$580 |
| Total | ~$3,000 |
| Packaged beef you take home | ~250 lb |
| Cost per pound, every cut | ~$12/lb |
Compared quality to quality
Comparing our beef with bargain grocery beef wouldn't be fair, because we're aiming higher than that. So here are real per-pound prices for the same cuts at each level of quality, from everyday grocery beef up to premium ranch beef.
| Seller and grade | Ribeye | NY strip | Top sirloin | Chuck roast | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday grocery, ad priceNot graded (mixed) | $24.79 | $16.28 | $11.36 | $7.17 | $5.80 |
| Grocery USDA Choice, ad priceChoice | $28.04 | $18.23 | $11.24 | $6.92 | — |
| Grocery USDA Choice, average shelf priceChoice | — | — | $14.36 | $9.45 | $6.92* |
| Kroger Private Selection Choice AngusChoice | $23.99 | $23.99 | $17.58 | $9.99 | $7.99 |
| Kroger Private Selection PrimePrime | $30.38 | — | $23.98 | — | — |
| Snake River Farms Double R Ranch, ChoiceChoice | $44.00 | $36.80 | — | — | — |
| Snake River Farms Double R Ranch, PrimePrime | $60.00 | $62.40 | $40.00 | — | — |
| Crowd Cow, Little Belt Cattle Co. (family ranch)Seller says upper Choice and Prime | $52.94 | $49.32 | $30.00 | $23.33 | $11.69 |
| Our half (planning estimate)Goal: Choice or better. Not yet graded. | ~$12 | ~$12 | ~$12 | ~$12 | ~$12 |
Prices are per pound. "Ad price" means a weekly sale price from grocery ads. "—" means no price was found for that cut, and we didn't fill in the gap. *BLS doesn't grade ground beef, so this is the all-beef average. Ribeye and strip from online sellers are sold in 10–16 oz steaks; we divided the package price by the weight.
Lower quality, lower price
Everyday grocery beef mixes every grade, including Select and ungraded store-brand meat. Against that, a half costs more, and we'd rather tell you that than hide it.
Same quality, our price
Against Prime and premium Choice brands, our steaks cost less per pound. Against average grocery Choice, ribeye and strip cost less from us, but sirloin, roasts and ground beef cost more, since every cut is one price.
Our honest caveat
Our beef isn't graded yet. Once it's processed at a USDA-inspected plant, we plan to ask for official grading and post the results. Use the beef guide calculator to compare your whole share.
Compared with a restaurant
Restaurants price a dish so the food is only part of the menu price. Most aim for food costs of 25 to 35 percent of the price. One St. Louis restaurant writer uses 38 percent for steak, since it's a high-cost item.
Work that backward and a steak with $20 of beef on the plate usually lands on the menu at $53 to $80. That covers the kitchen, the staff and the building, which is fair. At home, you pay for the beef.
of beef, cooked at home
$53–80for the same beef on a restaurant menu, at 25–38% food cost
What you're paying for
You know where it came from: calves born on our ranch near Broadwater, raised on our grass and finished on grain. You choose the cuts and how thick the steaks are. We think it tastes better than anything on a menu. Try it and judge for yourself.
Payment plans
A half is a big purchase at once, so we offer two ways to spread it out.
Pay ahead, no interest. Put down a deposit and make monthly payments in the months before harvest. Your beef is ready to pick up once it's paid off.
Ranch financing. For approved buyers, we finance it ourselves, with no outside lender. Ask us about terms when you join the list.
Where these numbers come from
- Grocery shelf prices: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average prices, U.S. city average, August 2026, via FRED: Choice sirloin, Choice chuck roast, ground beef.
- Grocery ad prices by grade: USDA AMS Weekly Grocery Store Beef Feature Activity, issued Oct 2, 2026 (ads Sept 26–Oct 8). Grade rows are reported by region; we averaged them by store count. Some rows rest on few stores.
- Kroger: ribeye, strip, sirloin, chuck roast, ground beef. Prices vary by store; these were one Ohio store.
- Snake River Farms Double R Ranch: ribeye, NY strip, Prime top sirloin.
- Crowd Cow, Little Belt Cattle Co.: ribeye, NY strip, top sirloin, chuck roast (list price), ground beef (sale price). Grade claim is the seller's.
- Not compared: Wagyu and 100% grass-fed beef. They're different products, priced and raised differently.
- Restaurant food cost: George Mahe, "If I pay $30 for a steak, how much goes to product, expenses, and profit?", St. Louis Magazine.
- Hanging weight, yield, beef price and processing cost: Cunningham Cattle Co. planning estimates. Final prices will be set before the first harvest.