The local-meat directory · 12 sources ranked · Updated weekly

Where to buy meat that didn't come from a feedlot

Reviewed by Local Meat Editorial TeamUpdated May 8, 2026Fact-checked

12 brands reviewed95% reader-verified offersUpdated Weekly

Wild Pastures, ButcherBox, Crowd Cow, Grass Roots Cooperative, Snake River Farms, Porter Road, Vital Choice, D'Artagnan, Holy Grail Steak, Good Chop, US Wellness Meats, Force of Nature. Twelve sources that ship nationally and tell you who raised the animals. Ranked by sourcing transparency, not commission. Reader-verified weekly.

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Where to start

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#1
Wild Pastures4.9
Pasture-raised farm network — every protein from real US family farms
From $169 / box · Read review
Visit source →
#2
Grass Roots Farmers' Cooperative4.8
Farmer-owned cooperative — the strictest welfare standard in the directory
From $179 / box · Read review
Visit source →
#3
Crowd Cow4.7
Marketplace — buy direct from named farms, by the cut
Per-cut, from $40 · Read review
Visit source →
#4
Porter Road4.7
Whole-animal butchery — pasture-raised, dry-aged in-house
From $149 / box · Read review
Visit source →
#5
D'Artagnan4.7
Game and heritage poultry since 1985 — duck, venison, foie gras, charcuterie
Per-item, from $25 · Read review
Visit source →

See full directory Affiliate · prices may change

Featured today

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#1Wild Pastures

4.9

Pasture-raised farm network — every protein from real US family farms

From $169 / boxRead review →

Visit source →

#2Grass Roots Farmers' Cooperative

4.8

Farmer-owned cooperative — the strictest welfare standard in the directory

From $179 / boxRead review →

Visit source →

#3Crowd Cow

4.7

Marketplace — buy direct from named farms, by the cut

Per-cut, from $40Read review →

Visit source →

#4Porter Road

4.7

Whole-animal butchery — pasture-raised, dry-aged in-house

From $149 / boxRead review →

Visit source →

The directory · Updated weekly

The 12 sources, ranked

Ranked by sourcing transparency × certification depth × catalog breadth × effective per-pound price. See methodology below.

Top meat-delivery brands, ranked by editor score, reader trust, and recency.
Rank	Provider	Best for	Type	Editor
#1	Wild Pastures Grass-fed beef · Pasture-raised pork · Read review	Editor pick 1	regenerative brand	4.9 / 5	Visit source
#2	Grass Roots Farmers' Cooperative Grass-fed beef · Pasture-raised pork · Read review	Farmer owned	regenerative brand	4.8 / 5	Visit source
#3	Crowd Cow Grass-fed beef · Pasture-raised pork · Read review	Transparency	marketplace	4.7 / 5	Visit source
#4	Porter Road Grass-fed beef · Pasture-raised pork · Read review	Home cooks	specialty butcher	4.7 / 5	Visit source
#5	D'Artagnan Game meat · Heritage poultry · Read review	Game meat	game heritage	4.7 / 5	Visit source
#6	Vital Choice Wild-caught seafood · Read review	Wild salmon	wild seafood	4.7 / 5	Visit source
#7	ButcherBox Grass-fed beef · Pasture-raised pork · Read review	Editor pick 2	subscription box	4.7 / 5	Visit source
#8	US Wellness Meats Grass-fed beef · Pasture-raised pork · Read review	Organ meats	regenerative brand	4.6 / 5	Visit source
#9	Holy Grail Steak Co American Wagyu · Grass-fed beef · Read review	A5 wagyu	premium steakhouse	4.6 / 5	Visit source
#10	Snake River Farms American Wagyu · Grass-fed beef · Read review	Wagyu	premium steakhouse	4.6 / 5	Visit source
#11	Force of Nature Meats Grass-fed beef · Bison · Read review	Ancestral	regenerative brand	4.5 / 5	Visit source
#12	Good Chop Grass-fed beef · Pasture-raised pork · Read review	Customization	subscription box	4.3 / 5	Visit source

In-depth source reviews

★ Editor's Pick Sample available

Wild Pastures

Regenerative-ag brand · Grass-fed beef · Pasture-raised pork

4.9

100% pasture-raised, regenerative-ag meat box — beef, pork, chicken, and lamb sourced from a small network of small American family farms.

✓ 100% pasture-raised across all proteins (no feedlot finish)
✓ Small US family farm network — actual transparency
✓ Customizable boxes + flexible cadence

− Subscription required — no one-time purchase
− Higher per-pound price than supermarket conventional
− Frozen-only delivery (standard for the category)

Verified May 7, 2026

Visit sourceAffiliate linkRead review →

★ Editor's Pick Sample available

Grass Roots Farmers' Cooperative

Regenerative-ag brand · Grass-fed beef · Pasture-raised pork

4.8

Member-owned farmer cooperative — every cut traces back to a farmer-owner, with the highest welfare and pasture standards in the directory.

✓ Farmer-owned cooperative — economic alignment with producers
✓ Strict, audited pasture + welfare standards
✓ 15% commission new / 10% returning (highest in directory)

− Smaller catalog than ButcherBox or Crowd Cow
− Premium price reflects co-op pricing
− Direct affiliate (no public network) — application required

Verified May 7, 2026

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★ Editor's Pick Sample available

Crowd Cow

Multi-farm marketplace · Grass-fed beef · Pasture-raised pork

4.7

Multi-farm marketplace — buy direct from named small farms across the US, plus curated subscriptions and one-off boxes. Strongest sourcing transparency of any major brand.

✓ Farm-level sourcing transparency (rare in the category)
✓ Both one-time and subscription purchase models
✓ Rare-item depth (A5 Wagyu, heritage breeds, specialty seafood)

− Per-pound pricing is premium
− Inventory rotation means your favorite farm may be sold out
− Shipping cost on smaller orders adds up

Verified May 7, 2026

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★ Editor's Pick Sample available

Porter Road

Whole-animal butcher · Grass-fed beef · Pasture-raised pork

4.7

Pasture-raised, dry-aged whole-animal butchery — Nashville-based butchers shipping the cuts butcher shops keep for their best customers.

✓ Whole-animal butchery — best access to underrated cuts
✓ In-house dry-aging on beef
✓ Pasture-raised across all proteins

− Subscription model less flexible than ButcherBox
− Smaller catalog than marketplace players
− Dry-aged premium isn't for everyone

Verified May 7, 2026

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★ Editor's Pick Sample available

D'Artagnan

Game + heritage poultry · Game meat · Heritage poultry

4.7

The original American game and heritage-poultry source — duck, venison, wild boar, foie gras, and charcuterie since 1985.

✓ Best US source for game (venison, wild boar, duck)
✓ Heritage-breed turkey for holidays
✓ Strong charcuterie + cured meat catalog

− Premium pricing across the board
− Specialty catalog — not for everyday cooking
− Some items seasonal-only

Verified May 7, 2026

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★ Editor's Pick Sample available

Vital Choice

Wild seafood specialist · Wild-caught seafood

4.7

Wild Alaskan seafood specialist — sockeye, king salmon, halibut, sablefish, and shellfish, sourced via small-boat fisheries with full sustainability certification.

✓ Wild-only Alaskan sourcing (no farmed)
✓ Small-boat fisheries — better sustainability profile
✓ Marine Stewardship Council certified

− Premium pricing — wild Alaskan is expensive at retail
− Seafood-only (no beef, pork, poultry)
− Frozen-only delivery (correct for wild-caught)

Verified May 7, 2026

Visit sourceAffiliate linkRead review →

★ Editor's Pick Sample available

ButcherBox

Subscription meat box · Grass-fed beef · Pasture-raised pork

4.7

The largest meat-subscription source in the directory — grass-fed beef, heritage-breed pork, free-range chicken, and wild Alaskan salmon in curated monthly boxes.

✓ Largest source in the directory — proven supply chain + reliability
✓ Welcome offer (free bacon / free chicken for a year) is genuinely valuable
✓ Wild Alaskan salmon included in seafood lane

− Sourcing transparency is brand-level, not farm-level
− Less customization than Crowd Cow or Wild Pastures
− Subscription cancellation can take a few clicks

Verified May 7, 2026

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★ Editor's Pick Sample available

US Wellness Meats

Regenerative-ag brand · Grass-fed beef · Pasture-raised pork

4.6

Pioneer of grass-fed meat shipped nationally — broadest catalog in the directory including organ meats, suet, soup bones, and traditional cuts the chains skip.

✓ Broadest catalog in the directory
✓ Organ meats and traditional cuts the chains skip
✓ Decades of online grass-fed experience

− Site UX feels older than the newer subscription brands
− Shipping cost on smaller orders is significant
− No curated 'just send me a box' option

Verified May 7, 2026

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★ Editor's Pick Sample available

Holy Grail Steak Co

Premium steakhouse cuts · American Wagyu · Grass-fed beef

4.6

The widest selection of premium-grade Wagyu and dry-aged steaks in the US — A5 Japanese, American Wagyu, Australian Wagyu, plus rare cuts the steakhouses fight over.

✓ Widest premium-steak catalog (A5 Japanese, Wagyu, dry-aged Prime)
✓ Rare-cut depth that even Snake River doesn't match
✓ Best gift-presentation packaging in the category

− Premium tier — single steaks $50-$150+
− No subscription model (one-time only)
− Catalog rotates as inventory clears

Verified May 7, 2026

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#10

★ Editor's Pick Sample available

Snake River Farms

Premium steakhouse cuts · American Wagyu · Grass-fed beef

4.6

American Wagyu pioneer — Idaho-raised cross-bred Wagyu plus grass-fed bison. The premium-steak destination for steakhouse-quality cuts at home.

✓ American Wagyu category leader — supplies steakhouses
✓ Premium grade options (SRF Black, SRF Gold)
✓ Excellent gift-recipient packaging

− Premium pricing — entry steaks $40+ each
− One-time purchase — no subscription model
− Not for everyday weeknight cooking

Verified May 7, 2026

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#11

★ Editor's Pick Sample available

Force of Nature Meats

Regenerative-ag brand · Grass-fed beef · Bison

4.5

Regenerative-ag ground meat blends — beef + organ blends (heart, liver), bison, wild boar, and ancestral patties. Carried in major grocery and ships nationwide.

✓ Ancestral blend (beef + heart + liver) — easiest organ-meat entry point
✓ Regenerative-ag certified sourcing
✓ Available in grocery for sample-test before subscribing

− Smaller catalog (focused on ground patties + ancestral blends)
− Ground-meat-forward — fewer steak/whole-cut options
− Affiliate program details still being verified

Verified May 7, 2026

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#12

★ Editor's Pick Sample available

Good Chop

Subscription meat box · Grass-fed beef · Pasture-raised pork

4.3

HelloFresh's meat-subscription brand — flexible box sizes, pick-your-own-cuts model, recurring deals on staple proteins.

✓ Pick-your-cuts model — no surprise proteins
✓ HelloFresh delivery infrastructure (reliable)
✓ Frequent intro promos

− Sourcing depth less than Wild Pastures / Grass Roots
− HelloFresh-owned (some readers prefer independents)
− Cancellation friction noted in user reviews

Verified May 7, 2026

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Frequently asked

How does Local Meat decide who's #1?

Four factors. (1) Sourcing transparency — does the source name the farms, the breed, the fishery? (2) Welfare standard — is the pasture-raised / grass-finished / certified-humane claim third-party audited? (3) Catalog depth and customization. (4) Effective per-pound price (including welcome offers and shipping). Wild Pastures wins on sourcing depth. ButcherBox wins on accessibility. Crowd Cow wins on transparency. Porter Road wins for home cooks who use whole animals.

Subscription box or marketplace — which is the right starting point?

Subscription boxes (ButcherBox, Wild Pastures, Good Chop, Grass Roots, Porter Road) are the right answer for households that cook meat regularly and want to lock in better-than-supermarket sourcing at competitive per-pound prices. Marketplaces (Crowd Cow) are the right answer for buyers who want one-time purchases, named-farm transparency on a per-cut basis, or rare-cut depth (A5 Wagyu, sablefish, specialty seafood). Most readers start with a subscription box and add a marketplace for special-occasion purchases.

Why is Wild Pastures ranked #1?

Wild Pastures is 100% pasture-raised across every protein, sourced from a small US family-farm network where the brand can actually name the farms. ButcherBox is also grass-fed grass-finished but the supply chain is broader (US + Australia + NZ). Wild Pastures is the most strictly pasture-raised source in the directory. Loyalty credits compound with subscription tenure, which lowers effective per-pound cost over time.

Why aren't Omaha Steaks or grocery-store brands here?

Local Meat covers sources with meaningful sourcing standards — pasture-raised, grass-fed grass-finished, wild-caught, regenerative-ag certified, or whole-animal butchery. Omaha Steaks and similar mass-market catalogs don't differentiate from supermarket conventional on those criteria, so they're not in the directory. If price is your only constraint, the supermarket meat aisle is the cheaper answer.