Blog posts tagged 'Traceability':
What's written on a Japanese Wagyu cattle nose print certificate?
July 14th, 2020 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 32,735 times • 1 min read
Besides the incredible marbling and exquisite flavor profile, another thing to admire about Japanese Wagyu is the system of 100% traceability for every animal. The nose print certificates, which track every animal's lineage, place of birth and other details, are the carefully-managed centerpiece of this system. Starting in July of this year, we are offering Kobe Beef, and for the lucky few who are able to score some of this rare Wagyu, we...
Why is it important to know where your food comes from?
February 21st, 2019 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 13,880 times • 1 min read
Ask anyone “if” it’s important to know where the food you eat comes from, and nearly everyone will say yes. Ask them “why, exactly?” and even the most discerning eaters will struggle to give precise answers. I think it’s important to start a dialogue about this topic, so it’s a question I’ll be asking everyone we interview on our forthcoming podcast, “Let's Meat Up.” As the Co-founder and CEO of Crowd Cow, I’m uncovering answers to the...
Why I no longer pay attention to labels like “organic”
February 5th, 2019 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 11,904 times • 3 min read
It may shock some people, but I no longer pay attention to labels on meat products. For years, I’ve traveled the country meeting with chefs and farmers in search of the world’s best craft meat, and over and over I hear that labels and certifications aren't meaningful or helpful, and can be abused to misrepresent the truth. The “organic” label is a good example. Thanks to the rising popularity of “grass-fed, grass-finished” and “organic”...
Japan's 100% Traceability
July 7th, 2017 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 19,545 times • 2 min read
Japanese consumers enjoy a level of traceability that's almost unrivaled across the world. Any piece of beef in a Japanese retail store can be traced backward through the course of its product chain all the way back to the producer, and then even beyond -- to the individual animal on the farm. The way it works is this: You walk into any given store in Japan. You pick up a package of beef, spot the clearly-marked tracking number. You enter it...