07/28/05 Agri-Beef`s future demands

Yesterday I told you Agri Beef felt a need to expand its Washington Beef LLC packing plant to meet future demands. I'm Jeff Keane and today I'll tell you the reason for those new demands right after this. Agri Beef is expanding its Washington Beef LLC facilities at Toppenish, Washington to meet the demands of new branded beef products it recently introduced. Double R Ranch and Double R Ranch Signature are the names of the new branded beef products. The new products are names after Robert Rebholtz Sr. and his family who have owned Agri Beef for over 35 years. Jay Theiler and Rick Stott, vice presidents with Agri Beef, say the brands will be marketed as Northwest, grain fed and source certified. The program won't rely on one breed but on a tight range of quality specifications provided by cattle from a group of producers. These producers will receive premiums for cattle that fit this program. So far, demand has exceeded expectation of the newly added brands. Double R Ranch Signature is a high end, ultra-premium product that is the source for steaks in a number of Northwest restaurants and a prominent Las Vegas steakhouse. Several New York restaurants should add the products to their menus this fall. At the retail level, food chains in Seattle and Spokane, Washington area are showing good sales of the new products. I feel this new program is another example of providing a quality product that consumers can rely on and know where and how it was produced. I'm Jeff Keane.