Canadian gal new to meat processing

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macken

Newbie
Original poster
Jan 26, 2023
4
3
Hey folks. I'm starting a small pet food processing company. Hoping to get a few insights on meat processing, not meat smoking I know but figured ya'll might know a thing. I am in the market for a commercial grade meat grinder. If anyone has any guidance with brands available for purchase in Canada, let me know!

110v, B type plug. Processing about 80lbs at a time, monthly. Processing volume and frequency will grow with demand. I understand I will have to upgrade my machine to accommodate growing demand.
 
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Welcome from Kentucky!

It might be helpful to have an idea of how many lbs/kg you're wanting to process at a time. That will help eliminate grinders that will be too small to meet your needs.
 
Welcome from Kentucky!

It might be helpful to have an idea of how many lbs/kg you're wanting to process at a time. That will help eliminate grinders that will be too small to meet your needs.
Good point, thank you! I edited my post to include this info. I will be grinding approximately 80lbs of meat, once monthly. Demand may surpass my estimates, I kept them low as to keep goals attainable.
 
Welcome to the forum and hope you stay around!

Understand your objective in what you’re doing… can I just suggest one thing?!?

If your product is highly sought after, stick with quality over quantity! Offer your quality product and price it to sell… but at a price where you work smarter… not harder!

Just advise from an ol redneck! 😉
 
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What sort of budget are you looking at? I just went through this all myself.
Options would vary from small hunter/restaurant grade machines for $4-600, to butcher shop grade units for $1200-2000+. Biro and Pro-Cut are well represented up here for higher end machines.
For the mid range units they can be a bit more hit and miss. The Tre-Spade ones look fairly nice for the money. I'd be leery of quite a few of the smaller restaurant machines I looked at to be honest. There are of course the LEM and Cabela's machines too. They'd be similar to the restaurant grade machines. For small quantities like you are talking about they'd probably be just fine in all honesty.
A heavier unit like a Biro, Pro-cut, Butcher Boy, Berkel, ect will grind a LOT faster than the equivalent size and power rating of mid range grinder. It comes down to a combination of them rather under rating the power output, and the head design. I have a 1hp #22 Berkel, and the smallest diameter part of it is where the plate sits. The throat is massive, comfortably 2-3 times bigger than even a #32 size consumer grinder. Despite being smaller and less powerful on paper, it would outwork a 1.5hp #32 consumer grinder by probably 2:1. Now do you need something that will grind 20-30 pounds a minute for what you described? Probably not. But it's worth keeping in mind that going from a $6-800 high end consumer grinder to a $1200 entry level butcher shop grade unit is a BIG upgrade. Pro-Cut makes a nice 3/4hp #12 for around $1200. It will out pace a consumer #32 in real use. I would have bought one of them if I didn't find a deal on this used Berkel
 
Welcome from Gilbert, AZ! I've had a 1hp commercial meat grinder from Cabelas going on twenty years now, never a glitch, lots of power. It goes thru 12-13 pounds a minute, weighs about 55 pounds.
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welcome to the forum from Minnesota. never hurts to go bigger than you think you might need now, incase your business takes off in the future.
 
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Welcome from Nova Scotia

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Hope you find the answers you are looking for , good luck with the new business

PS: like sawhorseray sawhorseray mentioned , you can pick up good grinders from Cabelas, and also not sure where you are at in Canada . But check restaurant equipment sellers as they often have good used items as people shut down or upgrade.
Just a thought

David
 
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Welcome to the forum and hope you stay around!

Understand your objective in what you’re doing… can I just suggest one thing?!?

If your product is highly sought after, stick with quality over quantity! Offer your quality product and price it to sell… but at a price where you work smarter… not harder!

Just advise from an ol redneck! 😉
Thank you, its pretty friendly and informative, I think I will!
Heck yeah brother. Premium product at premium prices. I'm tapping into 3 niche markets which drive the price up. Glad others see the point and not just think of it as greedy.
 
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What sort of budget are you looking at? I just went through this all myself.
Options would vary from small hunter/restaurant grade machines for $4-600, to butcher shop grade units for $1200-2000+. Biro and Pro-Cut are well represented up here for higher end machines.
For the mid range units they can be a bit more hit and miss. The Tre-Spade ones look fairly nice for the money. I'd be leery of quite a few of the smaller restaurant machines I looked at to be honest. There are of course the LEM and Cabela's machines too. They'd be similar to the restaurant grade machines. For small quantities like you are talking about they'd probably be just fine in all honesty.
A heavier unit like a Biro, Pro-cut, Butcher Boy, Berkel, ect will grind a LOT faster than the equivalent size and power rating of mid range grinder. It comes down to a combination of them rather under rating the power output, and the head design. I have a 1hp #22 Berkel, and the smallest diameter part of it is where the plate sits. The throat is massive, comfortably 2-3 times bigger than even a #32 size consumer grinder. Despite being smaller and less powerful on paper, it would outwork a 1.5hp #32 consumer grinder by probably 2:1. Now do you need something that will grind 20-30 pounds a minute for what you described? Probably not. But it's worth keeping in mind that going from a $6-800 high end consumer grinder to a $1200 entry level butcher shop grade unit is a BIG upgrade. Pro-Cut makes a nice 3/4hp #12 for around $1200. It will out pace a consumer #32 in real use. I would have bought one of them if I didn't find a deal on this used Berkel
I am prepared to spend up to $1,500 but preferably not more. I still need a legal for trade digital price computing scale, $$$.
I had an opportunity for a 4146 Hobart (used 2,500), but my current operation spot only has 110v outlets. 61-68 lbs a minute would be overkill starting out small.
I'm looking for a reliable machine that can be worked often. Easy to clean, all stainless steel or higher grade. Simplify and minimize my processing time. I'm starting off small, making treats. Will expand into food later. My research suggests my sales will do well. My budget and processing location requires I start small, which I would anyway to test the market.
I'm open to second hand, they just seem few and far between in the Maritime provinces.
 
Hi M macken , not sure where in the Maritimes you are located.
You may have tried Russell-Hendrix . They have a spot in Halifax
They carry some used equipment, lots of new, and also have a Lease or Rent to own Program
902-454-7461
If you have not looked at them, It might be an option

David
 
I would look very seriously at the smallest Pro-cut grinder based on what you described. They're $12-1300 Canadian and very high quality. Short of finding a used larger unit I don't think you'll do better in your budget. You could contact Accurate Scale Co in Winnipeg. They will ship, and I believe they have a used #22 Tor-rey in stock. They were the predecessor to pro-cut
 
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