Sam’s Club moving to IBP from Smithfield?

[ColonialDawg]

I visited my local Sam’s club yesterday to buy some ribs for this weekend and was shocked to find that there was not a single Smithfield product on the shelf. Smithfield is less than 2 hours from me, so pretty much every store out here carries Smithfield pork (except Costco). To my pleasant surprise, every rib and butt on the shelf was IBP. When I lived in Colorado several years ago, that’s what Sam’s carried out there and I always had great cooks with IBP products. I’m curious if anyone else in my region has noticed the same thing. I’m wondering if Sam’s Club has moved to 100% IBP or if if this is just temporary.

[Steve R.]

I have noticed that as well. Much to my chagrin, until I got those ribs home and cooked them up. They were fantastic! The one IBP butt I have tried was also just fine.

[Frozen Smoke]

Dollar is king in retail. IBP probably under cut Smithfield to get their product in the door. Give it time Smithfield will react.
We have a Sams about a half hour from here and I never shop it. We have a independent grocery chain that dominates the area.You can only buy what they want to sell you and that’s the stuff they can get the biggest margin on. You get very few choices on things.

I’m so fortunate to have a large food service company 5 minutes from me. Have a friend who works there so I can buy whatever I want under his account and get employee pricing. I buy case quantities of everything and they have more than I can think of. I love Seaboard brand of loin back ribs. They are 2.75lb up and are peeled (no membrane) last case I bought was $3.19 a lb.

Local grocer carries Smithfield which are good but are normally $5.99lb! They run 4 or 5 sales a year at $3.99. They don’t compare to the Seabord brand.

[Randy-Phx]

I thought IBP stood for Iowa Beef Products? I lived down wind (about 40% of the time) from a slaughter house for a year many years ago. It was unbearable on the days they burned skulls.

I guess in this day and age they have to diversify their products.

[Jerod Broussard]

Tyson owns IBP

[Randy-Phx]

Thanks. I did not know that.

[MattTheGR8]

The butts I got at Sam's yesterday were Smithfield. For the mass market pork I'm not sure it matters very much who the packer is as long as the meat is all natural and not injected with anything.