Niko Sopow and his wife, Cressida Sanderson, anticipated Kettle Valley Ranch to Table would do well but they had no idea it would be so successful.
“It took off like a shot,” Sopow said referring to the store at 3012 Skaha Lake Road in Penticton.
The store specializes in quality meats from animals raised ethically, on a strictly non-GMO diet, and without the use of unnecessary antibiotics, hormones or growth implants.
The couple tapped into the large potential market of customers who want to know in detail about the food they are eating -- the type of information usually only available from local producers.
From his experience on the family ranch, LastFandango Cattle Co. in Faulder near Summerland, Sopow knew there was a solid customer base for frozen meats.
“Some potential customers wanted our beef which we sold as halves or quarters but had no way of freezing such large amounts,” he said.
Kettle Valley offers frozen beef in smaller portions, such as individual roasts, steaks, and packages of ground and stew meat.
Today, the store carries not only beef but also chicken, lamb, pork, and water buffalo from small to medium-sized producers primarily in the Okanagan.
Customers can also choose from a variety of other local grocery items, ranging from honey and pasta to cheeses and beverages.
Helping people to learn about their food and community-driven sustainable agriculture is important to Sopow and Sanderson.
In fact, the store was designed with a long bar-like counter with stools to encourage customers to relax while asking questions and offering opinions.
“We’ve had a lot of discussions—some pretty heated—at that bar,” Sopow said.
Kettle Valley is a family affair.
As director of operations Sanderson handles the administrative side of the business while Sopow is at the store when not tending cattle at his parents’ ranch.
Sopow’s daughter, Sawyer pitches in when needed.
“It gives her a chance to learn about customer service,” he said.
For years the Sopow family has produced Speckle Park, the only Canadian heritage breed of cattle.
Speckle Park cattle are environmentally hardy and produce a high percentage of quality meat for the size of animal.
They are also a size compatible with local abattoirs.
Sopow uses FarmHouse Butchery in Rock Creek to process his cattle.
A shortage of abattoirs is a bottleneck for local meat producers.
Kettle Vallley’s success has come at a time of high meat prices, especially the price of beef.
Sopow explained how several factors caused this increase and why prices are likely to go even higher.
Due to the COVID pandemic which caused fewer people to frequent restaurants and restricted household budgets for food eaten at home, the demand for beef dropped which in turn caused a reduction in the total number of cattle.
In certain areas drought compounded the problem and some producers did not survive.
Since COVID the demand for beef has increased significantly faster than production.
The high cost of land is a critical, perhaps the most critical factor.
“A lot of young people want to have a ranch or farm but simply cannot afford to do so,” Sopow said.
Even if there is land to be inherited there can be serious problems.
“How can parents be fair to several children if only one wants the land and can’t afford to buy out the others’ shares?” Sopow asked.
And that leads to fewer producers because as ranchers and farmers age and leave the business, fewer young people are replacing them.
Sopow predicts beef prices will continue to rise.
“Buy beef now,” he advises.
Visit: kvranch.ca, text: 778-531-2333 or email: [email protected].
