JD Food’s Darren Hill Explains Meat Sourcing Beyond California
Nick Papagni, “The Ag Meter,” sat down with Darren Hill, the veteran sales manager at JD Food, to discuss how the company sources its beef and why the process stretches far beyond California’s borders.
With over 35 years in the meat industry and ownership of two successful Fresno restaurants, Hill knows quality meat—and how to get it.
“Cattle in California is not in large numbers,” Hill said. “Beef consumption as a nation is extremely high. It’s a very popular item.”
JD Food purchases beef from major packers across the Midwest and Western United States. Though California has some prominent packers, Hill noted, they simply don’t supply enough volume for a company with JD Food’s reach.
“We definitely purchase and market California products when possible,” he said. “But we also have to source from other packers to have enough product for our customers.”
Hill emphasized that even companies considered small on a national scale must cast a wide net to meet demand in the competitive meat distribution market.
Nick Papagni, “The Ag Meter”, reporting for AgNet West.