As a loyal Safeway shopper I regularly purchase beef to cook up juicy burgers tender roasts, and mouthwatering steaks. Safeway has a great meat selection, but I’ve always wondered – where exactly does their beef come from?
Understanding a grocery store’s supply chain can help you make informed choices as a consumer. So I decided to dig into the origins of Safeway’s beef offerings. Read on to learn about Safeway’s beef suppliers their commitment to quality, and what sets their beef apart.
An Overview of Safeway’s Beef Selection
From the butcher counter to the meat aisle, Safeway offers an array of beef products:
- Fresh steak cuts like ribeye, sirloin, and filet mignon
- Ground beef and stew meat
- Marinated carne asada and kabobs
- Roasts like top sirloin and rump roast
- Organic and grass-fed options
- Their exclusive Sterling Silver premium beef line
This wide selection provides options for every taste and budget. But the variety left me wondering – how does Safeway source all this beef?
Major Suppliers and Sourcing Practices
According to their website and various reports, Safeway sources beef from:
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Cargill Meat Solutions: One of the largest beef suppliers in North America. Provides Safeway’s proprietary Sterling Silver premium beef.
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JBS: Another major meat processor that likely supplies some commodity beef.
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Regional feedlots and ranchers: Safeway partners with local producers to source beef for certain programs and locations.
Beef sold at Safeway comes from cattle raised throughout the U.S. and Canada. The cattle are processed by companies like Cargill and JBS before the meat is distributed to Safeway’s stores.
Safeway’s Sterling Silver Premium Beef
Safeway’s signature Sterling Silver beef deserves special mention. This exclusive line is:
- Sourced from Cargill Meat Solutions
- Has marbling scores equivalent to USDA Choice grade
- Aged for 21-28 days for tenderness
- Hand-selected for quality and consistency
The Sterling Silver program shows Safeway’s effort to provide a premium meat offering. By controlling specifications and sourcing through Cargill, they can provide a consistent eating experience.
Grass-Fed and Organic Options
In response to consumer demand, Safeway also provides organic and grass-fed beef options. These come from animals raised on a 100% grass diet without antibiotics or hormones.
The supply chain for these specialty items may be more localized. Safeway possibly partners with smaller farms and cooperatives to source the beef. The packaging often contains information about where the beef was raised.
Commitment to Animal Welfare
In their corporate sustainability report, Safeway states their commitment to responsible animal care throughout their supply chain. Though details are sparse, they conduct audits of processing facilities to ensure ethical treatment of livestock. This includes policies like proper use of antibiotics and humane handling procedures.
They also cooperate with organizations that promote animal well-being standards across the industry. While Safeway may not raise the cattle themselves, they aim to source from processors and ranchers that share their principles around animal welfare.
Local Sourcing Programs
For their traditional beef offerings, Safeway doesn’t emphasize point of origin on packaging. But they do make an effort to feature locally raised beef in some regions.
Some examples of their local beef programs include:
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Colorado Proud: Safeway sells Sterling Silver beef from cattle raised and processed in Colorado under this program. The packaging features the Colorado Proud logo.
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Northwest: Stores in this region source some beef from Washington ranches like Double R Ranch. This allows them to provide fresher, regional products.
Local sourcing gives customers products from their own communities. Safeway balances regional offerings with large national suppliers to manage their overall inventory needs.
How Safeway Ensures Beef Safety
With any raw meat product, safety is paramount for both supplier and retailer. Here are some of the ways Safeway seeks to provide consistently safe beef:
- Careful supplier selection and auditing procedures
- Adherence to all state and federal safety regulations
- Comprehensive sanitation training for meat department employees
- Strict protocols for storage, handling, and display of beef
- Thorough labeling so consumers know what they are buying
- Rapid recalls when potential issues are discovered
By partnering with major processors like Cargill, Safeway can rely on tested food safety programs. But they also implement their own policies to ensure integrity from store to table.
Why Safeway Beef Stands Out
After learning about their supply network and practices, a few key advantages of Safeway’s beef selection stood out to me:
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Consistent quality and tenderness – Programs like Sterling Silver allow Safeway to control marbling and aging for optimal texture.
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Affordable prices – Sourcing commodity beef from large suppliers helps keep costs low compared to niche meat retailers.
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Better transparency – Safeway is making progress providing information on source locations and welfare standards.
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One-stop shopping – You can fulfill all your grocery needs and still buy high-quality meat.
For me, Safeway hits the sweet spot between specialty butcher shops and generic grocers when it comes to beef. Their commitment to quality combined with competitive pricing makes it my go-to beef destination.
Safety Tips for Consumers
While Safeway upholds stringent standards for their beef, proper handling at home is equally important. Here are a few quick tips for safely enjoying Safeway beef:
- Refrigerate or freeze beef within 2 hours of purchasing.
- Thaw frozen beef in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
- Use fresh ground beef within 2 days or freeze for later use.
- Cook beef to a safe internal temperature measured with a meat thermometer.
- Don’t reuse marinades or sauces after raw meat is cooked in them.
Following basic food safety principles helps protect you and your family when cooking delicious Safeway beef at home.
Where Should You Buy Beef Instead?
While I’m satisfied with Safeway’s beef offerings, it’s not the only option out there. Here are some alternatives to consider:
Local butcher shops – For custom cuts of locally raised meat from grass-fed cattle.
Direct from ranches – To buy halves or quarters of beef at wholesale prices.
Online retailers – Companies like ButcherBox ship frozen beef packs from curated producers.
Big box stores – Walmart or Costco for USDA Prime beef at low prices.
Farmers markets – Source grass-fed or Wagyu beef direct from regional farms.
Where you purchase beef comes down to your priorities like budget, quality, sourcing, and accessibility. There are great options beyond the traditional grocery store.
The Bottom Line on Safeway Beef
Writing this article gave me a deeper appreciation for the work Safeway does to source quality, affordable beef on a large scale. Their relationships with major suppliers allow them to keep beef prices competitive. At the same time, they are introducing more local, organic, and humanely raised options.
Safeway provides the convenience of one-stop beef shopping. Their Sterling Silver program gives meat lovers like myself an excellent premium supermarket beef option. I’m glad I took the time to understand Safeway’s supply chain from pasture to packaging. Next time I fire up the grill, I’ll have even more confidence in the Safeway beef on my plate!
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FAQ
Where does most grocery store beef come from?
Where does the beef from Walmart come from?
Is Safeway Wagyu Beef real?
Is grocery store beef good?
Where does Safeway beef come from?
The meat offered at Safeway comes from some of the country’s largest meat producers, which means you’ll find much of what you find at Safeway at other big-box grocery stores. Most of the U.S. beef comes from Thomas Food, a provider of beef to Target and Walmart, as well as Rancher’s Reserve, which is a beef brand owned by Safeway.
Does Safeway have meat?
Safeway has fewer meat options than those coming up on the list. Sure, you’ll find beef, chicken, and pork, but not much else. The meat offered at Safeway comes from some of the country’s largest meat producers, which means you’ll find much of what you find at Safeway at other big-box grocery stores.
Does Safeway sell Canadian beef?
Safeway retails meat that not only originates in the United States but Canada as well. So, depending on your Safeway location, the meat might be from either a domestic location or a Canadian ranch. However, Safeway does have its own agreement with the Aspen Ridge Canadian beef manufacturers.
Does Safeway have a grocery store?
Safeway, Inc. is an American supermarket chain. The chain provides grocery items, food and general merchandise and features a variety of specialty departments, such as bakery, delicatessen, floral and pharmacy, as well as Starbucks coffee shops and fuel centers.