LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — An Alberta campaign to stock the meat case with bison is finally happening.
A deal is under way to get bison into the Federated Co-operative Ltd. system warehouses so burgers can be sold in co-op grocery stores across the Prairies.
“The problem with buffalo is people don’t know where to buy it,” said Rick Barnard of Edmonton Meat Packers, which will provide FCL with the burgers.
The patties will be similar in quality to extra lean ground beef but a bit more costly. No date was released about when the burgers will be in co-op stores.
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In addition, a partnership with a Lethbridge IGA store is offering bison smokies, wieners, steak and roasts for the summer months in time for barbecue season.
Members of the Alberta Bison Association hope this campaign will tempt consumers into trying something different. Better yet, they hope to develop a following of return customers with extensive promotions and recipes on how to get the most out of the meat.
During the weekend launch of bison in Lethbridge, the association invited the public to a gala night prior to its convention June 23. Tickets at $15 each were sold entitling the holder to sample seven of 10 different bison dishes prepared by chefs at Lethbridge Community College. Store coupons were distributed to the more than 550 people who turned out.
The next day the bison booth at IGA was busy as people stopped by to sample some steak. Many then went on to buy smokies, burgers and steak.
This is what the industry needs now, when prices are down somewhat, said Dave Kelly of the bison association.
About 450 kilograms of meat were delivered to the store and portions sold out quickly the first day.
“What they thought was going to be enough for a week was already sold out. So a second order was placed and more is on its way,” said Kelly. Smokies and burgers were most popular.
Following the promotion, there will be a regular section in the meat cooler beside the beef, pork and chicken.
Bison producer Larry Schille acted as the go-between. He finishes bison on his ranch near Lethbridge. He is also a partner in Cutting Edge Meat, a division of Alsask Packers at Edmonton, which is supplying the cut and wrapped bison meat. Cutting Edge buys bison from all over the province.
A similar promotion is happening in the Peace River district.
Kelly said the industry has gone past learning to produce the animals. Now it must pursue the meat market and show consumers it is a good product that is easy to cook and nutritious to eat.
“It’s not a specialty market any more. It’s becoming a mainstream livestock product and we’ve got to start marketing it that way.”
Selling to Canadians has been a challenge, but considerable amounts have been shipped to France and Germany where such prairie products are popular. As problems developed with disease in other livestock, Kelly says bison opportunities grew.
“People there were searching for a different red meat product and they found it in bison. When disease started to hit, and they quit eating beef, the bison market share shot right up,” he said.
Alberta has two federally and European Union-approved plants capable of processing bison.
