Innovative Foods, LLC

Innovative Foods, LLC operates at 4320 Industrial Parkway in Evans, Colorado, in Weld County, under FSIS establishment numbers M34713 and V34713. The federal record lists meat slaughter and meat processing, plus voluntary slaughter and voluntary processing, with a grant of inspection dated July 26, 2021. The plant reports slaughtering cattle, hogs, and sheep and lamb under inspection, and it reports halal slaughter. FSIS classifies it as a small establishment, with a slaughter volume category of 2.0. The plant also reports custom-exempt slaughter, in which animals owned by the customer are processed and the packages are marked Not for Sale, and it reports retail-exempt sales.

The company website describes a USDA inspected custom processing plant and retail meat shop that follows a HACCP program and states its harvest floor handles beef, pork, lambs and goats. The site says the facility is audited and certified by an outside third party for humane handling practices. Beef is harvested Tuesdays and Wednesdays and pork on Mondays, according to the site. Custom orders are cut to customer specification, and the plant also performs processing for private labels. All packaging is vacuum packed in clear 3 mil bags.

A retail store page lists USDA inspected meats including steaks, pork, lamb, goat and bison. One directory listing describes the business as founded in 2005, originally processing for food service; the website itself does not state a founding year, and the federal grant of inspection on file is dated 2021. Nothing beyond what is listed here is on file for this record.

The website directs producers selling meat on the hoof to have their customer or producer contact the plant to schedule harvesting and cutting. Beef harvest days are Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and hogs are typically harvested Mondays. Beef cutting instructions are due within seven days of drop off, or a standard cut applies; pork cutting instructions are needed at drop off. Posted beef rates include standard harvest with 14 day minimum dry aging at $125, harvest only at $175, extra hang time to 21 days at $145, and emergency harvest at $250, with cutting at $1.13 per pound hanging weight for standard whole or half, $1.23 for quarters, specialty or all boneless, $1.25 for value added cuts, $0.95 per finished pound for patties, and $1.13 per finished pound for offal. Hog harvest is posted at $85 standard and $155 harvest only, with roasters at $170 scalded and $180 tied, cutting at $1.18 per pound hanging weight standard and $1.28 specialty or boneless, stuffing and links at $2.85 or $3.05 per finished pound, curing and smoking at $2.10 per raw pound, peppered bacon at $2.30, and seasoning at $0.65 or $1.98 per pound. Prices are stated as subject to change. Orders are held one week after notification, then storage accrues at $5.00 per box per week. Payment is due at pickup by cash, check or debit card; credit cards are not accepted for processing services. The site also mentions a producer page for those interested in selling their own meat.

Innovative Foods, LLC reports custom-exempt slaughter to FSIS, which means it can process an animal a customer already owns (a whole, half, or share bought before slaughter) and return it in packages marked Not for Sale. Most small farms have one or two plants they book with, and the plant's calendar decides the delivery date.

The website describes a retail meat shop at the plant selling a selection of frozen beef, pork and lamb products, and the retail store page lists steaks, pork, lamb, goat and bison along with holiday specials. Households buying an animal on the hoof can order halves, wholes or quarters of beef and halves or wholes of pork, with cut sheets submitted through online forms, by phone at (970) 330-8400, or by downloadable PDF. All packaging is vacuum packed, and packaging for one person costs an extra 25 cents per package. Ground beef patties cost an extra 95 cents per pound with a 20 pound minimum. Completed custom orders are picked up at the plant after a phone call; delivery or shipping is not mentioned in the sources.

If you are buying a half or quarter animal, the plant is where the animal is processed; the farm sells you the animal. Read how to buy a half cow for the sequence and the math.