09/04/2026
The More You Know Series: Let’s Talk Beef Edition
Beef is beef, right? Well... not exactly. Here’s the beef.
If you have watched the news lately, you’ve probably heard a lot about beef. Higher beef prices, tight cattle supplies, more imported beef. Questions about processors, package labeling and retail pricing. There is a lot happening between the pasture and the meat case right now. So instead of adding another opinion to the pile, we are just going to tell you about us, your local meat market.
Because not all beef is intended for the same job, we have made some very deliberate choices about what we offer in our fresh case and freezer. The goal is simple: give families quality options at different price points without making them jump through hoops just to figure out what’s for dinner.
First and foremost, we do NOT offer imported beef. All of our beef is born, raised and processed in the United States.
Our beef comes through federally USDA-inspected processing facilities. And when we say regional beef, we mean it. Our regional sourcing area is approximately a 3½-hour radius of Nieman Market in Whiteville, with that beef processed at a family-owned USDA-inspected facility.
That sourcing standard is where we start. From there, we choose the beef that best fits the job, whether it’s ground beef for burgers, premium steaks for the grill, or regional cuts for roasts, stews, and everyday family meals. Here is what that looks like in our market.
Market Ground Beef: Single-Source. Small Batch. No Added Fat
Our ground beef is a little different. We take one whole chuck roll at a time and grind it in a small batch, with no added fat. That gives us consistency in flavor, natural fat, and texture while allowing us to offer great ground beef at $6.99 per pound.
One whole chuck roll. One batch. Just beef.
Premium Steaks: USDA Prime and Choice Graded Options
When you are spending money on a premium steak, grade matters. That is why we offer USDA-graded Prime and Choice options for premium cuts such as Ribeyes, Filets, NY Strips, Porterhouses and T-Bones.
More marbling generally means more richness, tenderness and flavor. USDA Prime and Choice Ribeyes and USDA Choice Filets are standard options in our fresh case. Other premium cuts can be ordered with advance notice. You can also find many of those same steak cuts in our freezer from our regional beef program, offering a quality option at a lower price point.
Regional Beef
For many of our everyday cuts, including chuck and shoulder roasts, stew beef, cube steak, 2- pound packages of ground beef and other family-table favorites, we source regional beef directly from farmers. This beef is processed at a family-owned USDA-inspected facility, then vacuum packed and frozen for quality and convenience.
Our pricing may be slightly higher than some big-box stores, because our regional beef pricing includes a fair price paid to the farmer, USDA processing, packaging, and vacuum sealing.
Through our regional beef program, we offer whole, half, and quarter beef, along with convenient 10-to-60-pound beef bundles for households and freezers of different sizes.
At the moment, our in-stock bundle selection is limited to a few 10–20-pound bundles until our next processing date.
We are currently taking orders for whole, half, and quarter beef, and additional bundles will be made available as new beef is received. Order here: https://myniemanmarket-ordermeats.cloveronline.com
Here’s probably the biggest thing we want our customers to understand: One isn’t automatically better than the other. It’s about buying the right beef for the right meal and your cooking preferences.
Premium Steak Night? USDA Prime or Choice.
Tuesday night burgers or tacos? Market Ground Beef.
Pot roast, stew, spaghetti, or other family favorites? Regional Beef.
Different beef. Different purposes.
There is a lot about the beef market we can’t control. What goes into our meat case & freezer, we can. You can shop knowing we’ve already done the homework for you.
We accept cash, credit/debit (no fee), Tap-to-Pay, OTC Grocery Benefits, and SNAP/EBT Benefits.
And now you know a little more about what’s in our case, where it comes from, and why we chose it.
