BASALT — A Carbondale ranch family that specializes in natural, grass-fed beef has a golden opportunity to expand after coming to an agreement to supply meat to Whole Foods Market.
Crystal River Meats, owned and operated by the Jacober family, has signed a deal to supply beef to the market opening in August at Willits Town Center in Basalt, according to Tai Jacober, one of three brothers who operate the beef operation with their dad. Once the ranchers can establish that they have the capacity to keep the Willits store well-stocked, the meat will be carried in the stores in Fort Collins and Belmar, on Colorado's Front Range, said Ben Friedland, a spokesman for Whole Foods Market.
Jacober said he has discussed doing a two-week promotion with Whole Foods throughout the 27 stores in its Rocky Mountain region. That covers Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming. The Willits store will be the 28th in the region. It is scheduled to open in mid-August. A 29th store in the region will open soon in Boise, Idaho.
Supplying beef to the Willits store and any part of the chain's Rocky Mountain region would be a huge boost to agriculture in the Roaring Fork and Crystal valleys. Crystal River Meats runs its own cattle on land it owns and land it leases in numerous locations in the valleys. It also grows and purchases a lot of hay for winter feeding. In addition, the Jacobers are supplied with beef from a handful of other local ranchers, such as Mat Turnbull, of Turnbull Land & Livestock, and Bill Fales and Marj Perry, of the Cold Mountain Ranch.
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