Built on family values, Nicholas Meat is deeply committed to our core tenets—Quality, Safety and Excellence—and it shows every day in actions taken with staff and others. 

Our goal is to maintain a culture of teamwork where the newest trainee through the most senior employee takes ownership and pride in their assigned task which translates to the best possible product quality outcome in all of our departments. In both personal and food safety, Nicholas Meat staff are extensively trained when they are hired and on an annual basis. 

On-Site Regulation & Inspection 
Food Safety is the foundation on which Nicholas Meat was built and it continues to drive our business today. 

“We are constantly monitoring and holding ourselves accountable to ensure that our processes are in line with the scientific data and best practices available to our industry,” said Duane Eichenlaub, Nicholas Meat Regulatory and Sustainability Manager. “This dedication, in turn, yields a wholesome, delicious product for our customers.” 

A USDA federally inspected facility, Nicholas Meat operates under a fully implemented, validated and continually verified food safety system. The food safety system is comprised of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) programs, prerequisite programs and standard operating procedures that cover receiving live cattle to shipping product, and every detail in between. This food safety system is monitored by Nicholas Meat’s Quality Assurance department and verified by a combination of third-party auditing agencies and USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service inspection personnel to ensure all programs meet or exceed industry expectations and regulatory requirements. 

For example, inspectors can be found daily at the Nicholas Meat facility. These inspectors monitor the entire harvest process—from receipt of the animals to product being shipped out the door. The FSIS is guided by federal regulations, and Nicholas Meat must meet or exceed these federal regulations for the product to pass inspection. 

Being Audit Ready 
Nicholas Meat prides itself on going above and beyond when it comes to food safety. This commitment includes not only USDA inspections as required, but also third-party audits which most customers require for further distribution. 

Being audit-ready is a mindset at Nicholas Meat that takes dedication from all staff—from the owners to all employees. It means continually monitoring programs, policies and processes to ensure they are up to date. Nicholas Meat utilizes the BRCGS Global Food Safety Standard to monitor and audit all programs associated with food safety. 

According to its website, “The BRCGS Global Food Safety Standard has set the benchmark for nearly 25 years and is adopted by over 22,000 sites in more than 130 countries.” Simply put, BRCGS leads the standards for food safety in the interest of consumers. 

“With food safety, the standards are set high—as they should be,” Eichenlaub added. “When an issue is detected, we take robust corrective actions and put preventative measures in place to ensure the food safety system is operating as designed.” 

Committed to Continuous Improvement 
As part of Nicholas Meat’s commitment to continuous improvement, the company added another X-ray machine to its line to further enhance the safety of product that is being prepared for shipment. Previously, the company had two X-ray machines for the primal and sub-primal cuts being processed at the facility. One machine was utilized for lean point analysis and foreign material detection and the other was solely used for foreign material detection. The new X-ray machine is used to detect potential foreign materials in trim cuts. 

“Most people may not realize it, but livestock raised outdoors in areas where hunting is common can unintentionally be subjected to birdshot or buckshot,” he explained. “Our new tool allows us to really dial in to detect these foreign materials and ensure they are removed from the product we sell to others. 

“What drives me daily is that this beef is something I give to my family. It’s something that we feed to our children and our parents, our brothers and our sisters. We are families feeding families here at Nicholas Meat and we strive for perfection in the process.” 

To learn more about Nicholas Meat and the steps we take to ensure safety, quality and excellence are part of our business, visit nicholasmeat.com.