Matt Smith has put off raising beef prices at Louise Earl Butcher for more than a year, but with costs up 25% and showing no signs of slowing down, he’s being forced to take action for the survival of the business.
The artisan whole animal butcher shop, located at 1106 Wealthy Street SE in Grand Rapids, serves a diverse clientele from the surrounding East Hills neighborhood, including both wealthy customers who “probably never look at the price tag” and people paying with food stamps for whom “price is a hyper conscious decision,” Smith said.
With everything from the trash bill to the price of labor driving operational costs “through the roof,” Smith said his runway for absorbing higher beef costs has run out, especially considering the price it pays for hanging beef does not factor in transportation, handling and processing the meat…