This page was created by the Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network. Click on the link for more useful meat processing resources.
What’s on this page:
- Why write a customer manual?
- How to get started
- Manual outline and sample
- Next steps and the last word
Why write a customer manual?
If you’re a meat processor who provides processing services for farmers and ranchers, how do you communicate with your customers about your business?
Have you ever had a miscommunication about scheduling, services you offer, products you make, what you charge, or pick-up times?
Do you spend a lot of time on the phone or in person explaining how you operate?
A short, simple customer manual can really help. Even a couple of pages is enough to communicate the basics.
Hear how manuals are working for two small processors on the webinar below:
Educating Your Processing Customers: Customer Manuals
Date: February 27, 2013
Time: 10am Pacific/1pm Eastern, for 1 hour
Some processors give their new processing customers a “how to work with us” manual, to help with the education process. On this webinar, we learned about manuals used by two small plants: Wells Jenkins Wells, in North Carolina, and Homegrown Poultry, in Idaho. We also showed an online model you can use to write your own.
How to get started
Most processors will want to give their customers similar kinds of information. Below, we offer an outline based on a real manual used by a real plant, Wells, Jenkins, Wells Fresh Meats. We also show you what Wells Jenkins wrote in each section.
You can cut and paste from this webpage to start writing your own manual, but make sure all the information in YOUR manual is about YOUR plant. Add, subtract, or change the section titles to meet your needs.
If you would like a fillable Word doc version, please email us. You can download the original Wells Jenkins manual here, to see how it looks.
Wells, Jenkins, Wells Fresh Meats is a small, USDA-inspected slaughter and processing plant in North Carolina. They had help writing their manual from NC Choices, a Center for Environmental Farming Systems’ initiative that promotes the advancement of local, niche and pasture-based meat supply chains. Learn more about Wells Jenkins here and on their Facebook page.
Manual Outline and Sample
Title/plant name/contact info
Introduction/Mission
Wells, Jenkins, Wells Fresh Meats is committed to working with small-scale, local meat producers who direct market meats. We work with over 45 small, independent farmers who produce and market natural, local and niche meats. At Wells Jenkins, we understand the importance of attention to detail when it comes to handling your product. We believe that through effective communication and mutual trust, we can serve the needs of your growing meat business.
Who Should Use This Form
Farmers, registered Meat Handlers, and wholesale buyers should use this document for reference concerning USDA inspected slaughter, processing and cut and wrap, labeling for resale items and wholesale orders of our own line of fresh and further processed meat products.
Services Offered
Wells Jenkins offers USDA inspected slaughter, fabrication, and custom cutting and packaging for beef, pork, lamb, goat and bison. Currently, further processing services include: fresh sausages; sliced (uncooked) deli style meats such as fresh pork belly, deli ham and beef philly steak; and smoked, cooked, and ready-to-eat products such as bacon, ribs, bbq, and the like.
Communicating with Us
To schedule processing and submit cutting orders, call (Name of Scheduler) at (phone number) or by email: (email address). The best times to call are (suggest times of day).
Payment
Payment for services is expected at pickup. Payment options include cash, personal or business check (with prior approval), Visa, Mastercard or Discover cards. For your convenience, we are able to take credit card payments over the telephone. Customers with returned checks will be charged $45. When your product is finished we will call you and let you know. Your finished product must be picked up within 2 business days of notification that it is ready. Please understand that our facility has limited cold storage which is very expensive to run. Product left in our facility past two business days after notification may incur a storage fee.
Scheduling
Please do not bring animals for slaughter without prior scheduling. To schedule processing, please call Jody Thompson at 828-245-5544 at least 14 days in advance of when you need the animal slaughtered. Please keep in mind:
- Beef needs to dry age at least 10 days. Our maximum beef dry aging time is 14 days. After 14 days, dry aging of beef costs $5 per day. Please include your aging request with your initial cutting instructions.
- Pork does not need to age, however, please plan on 2-5 days from slaughter to finished product.
- Lamb and goat will be ready between 2-5 days from slaughter to finished product.
- We prefer animals to be dropped off before 9am on the day of slaughter (see schedule below). If needed, animals may be dropped off from 9-5 on Monday or Wednesday for the next day’s slaughter.
Cutting Instructions
We have standardized cut sheets for each species, which you can download from our website. You can also pick up hard copies in the shop.
Selling Quarters, Halves, or Whole Animals?
We cannot take cutting instructions from a farmer’s multiple customers. Please communicate with your customers and gather their cut lists prior to our pulling your beef onto the cut floor. Please use the cut sheets provided.
Our Weekly Schedule:
Refer to the schedule below for our weekly work flow to determine slaughter days and when your work may be done. This schedule is subject to change. Customer pick-up happens every day of the week.
- Monday: Cut and wrap beef
- Tuesday: Slaughter beef and pork (pork skinned only)
- Wednesday: Cut and wrap beef
- Thursday: Slaughter beef and pork (pork scalded, skin on), cut and wrap pork
- Friday: Cut and wrap pork
Rush Orders
We understand that, at certain times, you may require a rush order and we are willing to work with you under these circumstances. We will consider rush orders on an individual basis and in accordance with our scheduled work load. At our discretion, rush orders may incur additional charges. Proper planning and communication will usually avoid rush orders and resulting additional charges.
Sausage Recipes
Our sausage recipes are pre-mixed and provided by A.C. Legg Seasoning and contain no MSG, BHT, or BHA as preservatives or flavor enhancers, unless otherwise noted. If you have specific ingredient questions you may refer to their website at www.aclegg.com, where you will find complete ingredient information. There is a 25# minimum order, per recipe, for each of these items. USDA inspected deboned or ground poultry may be received and blended with a few of our sausages. Note: While we make every effort to provide our customers with a diverse line of quality seasoned products, we cannot make “custom” recipes for your sausages. Each recipe we use has to have a label approved by the USDA, a lengthy and time consuming process.
Recipes:
- Italian Sausage- available in bulk or link for pork, beef, goat or lamb
- Bratwurst- available in bulk or link for pork, beef, goat or lamb
- Chorizo- available in bulk or link for pork, beef, goat or lamb
- Breakfast Sausage- Wells Jenkins proprietary blend, locally famous, bulk, patties or links
- Polish Kielbasa- currently contains MSG, we are looking at adopting a MSG free blend
FEES
Kill, Dressing, and Disposal
- Goat, Sheep, Lamb: $80 per head, includes cut, wrap and vacuum packing with USDA seal.
- Hog: $50/head.
- Beef: $50/head.
- Bison: please contact us for quotes.
Cut and Wrap
- Prices based on hot carcass weight.
- $0.50/lb for labeled “not for sale,” wrapped in white butcher paper.
- $0.55/lb for USDA seal, apply custom label, wrapped in white butcher paper.
- $0.65/lb for USDA seal, apply custom label, vacuum wrapped in clear packaging.
Further Processed Items
- Bulk Sausages packed in 1#, 5#, or 10# bags: no extra charge.
- Link Sausages, packed 4 to bag (approx 1#): $0.50/lb.
- Sausage Patties: $0.80/lb for 2oz., $0.50/lb for 3oz.
Boxes
We offer packaging in large heavy cardboard boxes for $2/box to cover the cost of the boxes. If you do not choose to use our boxes, please bring your own containers, coolers or freezers at pick-up.
LABELS
Plant Generic
Use of our in-house plant generic label is included with your packaging. The label will read “Wells Jenkins Meat Processing” at the top and show the plant’s address.
Logo Branded
Most Farmer Meat Handlers prefer to use their logo/ farm name on our generic label to help differentiate their branded product in the marketplace and provide the consumer with contact information. This option must be set-up by a paid outside technician who must come to the plant to do this work. There is a one-time fee of $125 to set up your logo and contact information on our label. This labeling option is available in black and white only. This option does not require you to purchase the labels and keep them in inventory since the labeling machine prints them on demand.
Custom Color
Some farmers prefer a custom designed, full color label. These labels have to be designed, printed and ordered from a separate company with relatively high minimum orders, at expense of the farmer. This option is considerably more expensive for the farmer and requires additional time because of the design process. A special labeling application must to be sent to the USDA FSIS Labeling Division for approval. Estimated costs are between $1,000 and $1,800 dollars and 6-12 weeks for design, USDA approval, plating, manufacturing and delivery.
Special Labeling Claims
Some farmers wish to use “Special Labeling Claims” such as “grass-fed”, “pasture-raised”, “no added hormones or antibiotics”, etc. These claims must be approved by USDA/FSIS. Wells Jenkins offers this application service at a charge of $200 per application (up to 2 different labels per application). This process also takes time so please let us know well in advance.
Delivery Options:
Leading Green Distributing picks up at our plant and delivers in all directions in NC. Please contact (name) for information at (phone).
This Manual was last revised on: type in date.
Next steps
Try it out!
Once you have a draft, ask one or two of your current processing customers to read it to make sure it makes sense to them, too. Make changes as needed.
Start using it
Make some copies to hand out, post it on your website, and email it to all existing and new customers.
Keep it current
Don’t forget to update your manual when prices, services, scheduling, and any other information changes. It’s also helpful to review it a few times a year to make sure everything is accurate.
Last word
When you’re busy at the plant — and when are you not busy? — the last thing you want to do is spend a lot of time on the phone explaining the same things over and over. Investing a little time now to write a customer manual can save you a lot of time in the long run. It also helps your customers know what to expect — an essential part of great customer service.
