Professional Food Group Inc?

[Russic]

Wondering if anybody has ever purchased their meat from Professional Food Group Inc?

Gist: It's a company that offers naturally fed meat from local farms. Cows aren't fed grain or given steroids to fatten up before slaughter, aren't sent to feeds lots, chickens are kept in outdoor pens... you know... hippy stuff. The idea is you buy a year supply of flash frozen meat, which is selected for you based on preference. Essentially (as it's marketed) you're paying for a year supply of meat similar to what you'd find at a farmers market.

I've worked the cost out as best I can, and as far as I can tell the monthly cost is about $60 more than what I'm getting at Safeway, which falls into the realm of reasonable.

Some concerns:

• "Local" doesn't appear to be defined (Calgary? Canada? Do I care?)
• Slight mystery as to the quantity. You're given an order based on what you prefer, but that seems to be as far as it's explained.
• Sales guy gave me the hard sell... felt like I was buying a gym membership and I hate that.
• Not a lot of internet chatter about them. I found one thread that raised some questions, but nothing concrete.

I'm looking for somebody who perhaps has had an experience with them.

[jtfrogger]

Out of curiousity, I just did a quick search and probably found similar information that you did. Very little.

However, based on what you are saying and what I can find online:

• Salesmen are pushy
• You pay for a year upfront
• They won't tell you exactly what you get for your money before you sign up, specifically you don't know the quantities
• They won't tell you exactly where it will come from before you sign up
• Their web site is very bad

This sounds very sketchy. I wouldn't do it if I couldn't try it for a month or less.

If you are interested in having home delivered meat that is organic and/or local take a very serious look at SPUD. You can order as much or as little as you want and stop buying from them any time. Before you put your money down on a product, you know exactly what you are getting and where it is coming from. Delivery is free if your order is over a reasonable amount ($35, IIRC).

We used to be members of SPUD, but are not anymore. We generally used it for produce but did order meat and prepared food occasionally. However, we found the prices a little higher than we wanted to pay. The quality was usually fantastic, and when it wasn't they were really good at refunding money. If you do join SPUD, get a referral code for a discount on your first purchase. We don't have one anymore, but if you don't know anyone else that uses it, I can get one from a friend.

[Travis Munroe]

Its only a company you will be buying food from.... nothing wrong with a free weebly single page site.

[Russic]

As somebody who makes websites, I am immediately hesitant when a company doesn't have one (or has one that's bad enough you might as well not have one).

[flylock shox]

How did they contact you?

I'd be very leery about aggressively telemarketed meat products where they want all the money up front.

[Russic]

^^ telemarketer followed by a salesman who came to the house. Can't help but feel if it were a great service *somebody* would have tried it.

[ken0042]

Ahh, so you're the guy who allows telemarketers to exist.

I have a question, what the heck is "Federal Beef?" From their website:
Specializing in locally raised and federal beef, pork, and poultry

(Actually that is the only thing on their website.)

[Hockeyguy15]

Why don't you just go to a butcher? Master Meats in the NW carries local grass fed, no steroid beef and free range chicken.

Then you would get to pick what you liked cut wise and you wouldn't have to pay for a year up front.

http://www.mastermeats.com/

One of the places they get beef from is http://springcreek.ca/ There was one other place that they get their 'hippy' beef from but I can't remember. They also have their regular beef and it's fantastic.

[Regular_John]

A pushy sales person selling expensive mystery meat via cold calls? Is he also throwing in a free tropical vacation at a Nigerian King's timeshare?

Maybe I'm just too cynical for my own good, but to me cold calling is almost always akin to scams/BushLeague services. It's possible there are honest businesses that advertise this way, I've just yet to see it.

[DFO]

I've heard good things from co-workers about these guys,

http://tkranch.com/

[Oling_Roachinen]

Second result on google doesn't sound so great

Looks like half the thread was deleted or something but:

My experience with Professional food group has been terrible. The woman who sold us the food in Moncton (Ruth Volpe, if it is her right name) could not be contacted once we received the food and noticed that we had been fooled into believing that we were buying food for 1 year (we only received 22 very small boxes which contained our meat, fish, poultry, cans of food, dry food cleaning supplies, etc.) Although most of the meat is good, It is a scam. What they don`t tell you (but it is writen on the back of the order form) is that the total cost of the food is 2658.76$ and then they add an overhead cost of 2004.60$. So the lady lead us to believe that we were getting 4700.$ worth of food, when we really only got half. When I called to complain, some man (working out of his home and who I had a lot of trouble getting a hold of), said that I would be charged 25% of the cost of the order (almost 1200.$) if I cancelled. I am very disappointed and wished I had done my homework before buying from them. Just a big scam!!!!! Beware.

And sounds like the topic starter had bad service and year old bacon.

[Canehdianman]

If a year's supply of beef is only $60 more than Safeway, it isn't organic or grass-fed.

Run, don't walk, away from this.


I just placed an order with tkranch.com as well. I pick it up this Saturday, I'll provide some reviews after I digest several lbs of prime beef.

[Rathji]

Plus the year's supply really isn't.

[J epworth]

Going to use this thread to promote my friends company Nimitz Beef. His father has raised cattle up north of Dawson Creek since 1980, and my friend always had an idea to diversify how they raised their cattle. Once he got his business degree from Dalhousie, he started up this business, where the cattle are fed only grass and flax, and live in a very low stress environment. The ranch is beautiful, and the beef it produces is the best I've ever tasted. You can buy in pretty bulk packages from them, and as of now is only available in Alberta and BC.

Here's his site: http://www.nimitzbeef.com

[Russic]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Ahh, so you're the guy who allows telemarketers to exist.

Technically I cost them more money than if I didn't answer the phone.

While I didn't find what I'm looking for, I'd say you've all confirmed my decision for me. On the plus side, thanks for the links and recommendations.

[topfiverecords]

Did they edit the website? Nothing more than a phone number on there now.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

Did they edit the website? Nothing more than a phone number on there now.

Nope, its still there and they're still going strong with Federal Beef

[Titan]

Mental note. Add Russic to my telemarketing scam Do Call List.

[Hanni]

Now that the salesman has come to your house and invested some time I'm curious how much trouble you are going to have in getting him to leave you alone.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by Hanni

Now that the salesman has come to your house and invested some time I'm curious how much trouble you are going to have in getting him to leave you alone.

Oddly enough it was 2 weeks ago and there wasn't even a follow-up call. I expected something.