Butcher Vending Machine

[Maitane Roderiques]

Tothat end, he has created a whole new way of shopping for freshly butchered local meat, with high-end, gleaming-clean retail shops that are open 24/7. They offer serve-yourself vending machines stocked with vacuum-sealed packages of everything from Porterhouse steaks, short ribs and rack of lamb to hamburger meat and homemade sausages.

But he and Jessica, one-time vegans, got burned out by the long commutes and managing more than 40 workers in their Kingston and Brooklyn stores, and decided to sell their share of the operation in 2013.

While for the most part, I am ok with purchasing grocery store meat to cook with at home, I long for more. More what? Let's start with more flavor. Yes, the grocery stores do a good job at getting you value-priced options to feed your family, but does the meat taste good? Really good?

This weekend I finally made it to Applestone Meat in Stone Ridge and their meat vending machines. I have been following these guys since they had their shop, under a different name in Rhinebeck, but had not made it to either one of their 'new' locations in Stone Ridge or Accord. The meat vending machines are open 24 hours a day.

Not sure if a butcher is for you? Make time to go into one near you and have a conversation with them. Ask about different cuts, how to prepare a specific item or just what the specials are. Remember, they are doing this because they love to do it. They are the experts, and they can help you make the most out of the toughest cuts or take the most tender pieces of meat to tasty nirvana.

The vending machine is custom-designed for Alaska winters, enclosed by a weatherproof sensor-operated sliding-glass door. It also has an emergency release button inside the door. Unlike traditional vending machines, this one has a touch screen and sports an Echo Lake Meats design.

Because it handles both cooked and raw meat, Watkins says the vending machine has numerous safety protocols. If the inside of the machine gets above a safe temperature, it will automatically shut off and become inoperable to customers. It will also shut down in the event of a power outage.

Mesmerized by vending machines from early on, Josh Applestone of Applestone Meat Company decided to combine accessibility with his passion for providing quality cuts of meat. That meant machines that contain T-bone steak, filet mignon, beef tenderloin, bacon, pork rolls and more.

How does it work?

The vending machines are stocked multiple times a day by our retail staff with fresh cuts from our Stone Ridge and Kingston facilities. A customer is able to shop independently at our machines and purchase beef, pork, chicken and other processed products like bacon, hot dogs and pork rolls. We try to make it as user-friendly as possible.

The Applestone business is primarily a USDA-licensed meat processing facility. They buy whole animals from local farms and fashion them into cuts for sale to restaurants and shops. They also process livestock for local farmers who want to sell their own meat.

When I visited the Accord vending machines, I did have a question. There was no information in the room about where the meat was from or how it had been raised. The labels only indicated hormone- and antibiotic-free. Knowing the values and reputation of the Applestone company, I was pretty sure that all the meat had been humanely raised, but as all good humaneitarians know: never assume.

So my partner and I left Applestone with some ground beef in hand, but not before stopping at the old video arcade that Joshua Applestone had put in the same room with the vending machines. You can play a 1980s-era battleship game after buying your humanely raised meat, which makes the Applestone buying experience even more unique.

Located outside our butcheries, these vending machines offer a seamless way for customers to purchase fresh meat around the clock, catering to those who might find our traditional opening hours limiting. This initiative was born out of a desire to provide unparalleled service and accessibility to our customers, ensuring that quality meat is available whenever you need it.

During a recent feature on the John Stanley Show, our co-founders, David and Tanya Lonell, delved into the concept behind these vending machines. They highlighted how this innovation not only extends our service hours but also supports our commitment to maintaining a healthy work-life balance for our team, without compromising on the quality and freshness of our products.

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with even the local mayor of St. Ives sharing his appreciation for the convenience it brings to the community. As we continue to expand, we plan to include these vending machines in all new CHOP stores and incorporate them into our existing locations during refurbishments.

Your meat will be delivered Cryovaced, which is a superior form of packaging that allows fresh goods to be kept fresher for longer.There are some effects of using Cryovac packaging, but we believe these few are outweighed by the advantages. Specifically, the meat will change to a darker red colour while in the packaging due to the lack of exposure to oxygen.

CLE ELUM, Wash. -- On the main street in the heart of Cle Elum, there's a candy store for the carnivore. That's how the owners of Owens Meats describe their butcher shop that's remained in the family for more than a hundred years.

Identical twins Doug and Don Owens knew one day the shop, that started with their great grandpa in 1887, would one day be theirs. Doug said he always knew he was going to be a butcher and that's why he didn't apply himself as much as he should have in school.

The meat shop struggled during the depression in the 1930's and the recession of the 1980's but business has exploded in recent years. Some days they total 600 customers looking for T-Bone steaks, pork chops, spicy pepperoni, and landjaegers. That's good for business but rough on personal schedules.

"When I come in here after hours to get a steak for myself, I have to sneak in through the back door and I have to kind of hide behind the counter," said Doug Owens. He said he'd be serving customers, who peer through the windows after hours, all night if he left a light on.

This summer he had a brainstorm to satisfy meat lovers who were craving their products but found the shop closed. "While I was hiding behind the counter it just kind of hit me that we need a vending machine out front," said Owens.

A butcher shop in Wolsterdorf, Germany deployed a vending machine during the pandemic and has opted to keep the machine even as customers began shopping at stores again, according to a Bloomberg report. The machine offers steaks, salami and sausages, and customers can pay with card or cash.

After working six days a week for five years straight, Kevin McCann got an unexpected 2 1/2 month break. After deciding to close his butcher shop out of safety concerns during the coronavirus pandemic, he got a chance to reflect on his business.

Standing in the shop's reconfigured vestibule will be a large refrigerated vending machine. Its nine levels of revolving shelves will be stocked with things like freshly cut uncooked steaks, burgers, sausages, pork chops, chicken and bacon. There might also be some of the shop's prepared foods, such as mac salad, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, baked beans and soup. The machine will accept credit cards and Apple Pay, but no cash.

McCann got the idea from Joshua Applestone, with whom McCann worked in the past. Applestone owns Applestone Meat Company, which has two shops in the Hudson Valley that offers fresh-cut meat from vending machines, and are open 24/7

Reporter Tracy Schuhmacher focuses on food from many facets. Send story tips to Tra...@Gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram as @RahChaChow. Your subscription makes work like this possible.

Now, businesses are back open, and the meat vending movement is here to stay. From hand-cut steaks, pork chops, and charcuterie to free-range chicken, marinated meats, and pork liver pate, these modern meat vending machines have brought a delicious taste of the best of North America to locals and travelers. Enjoy the slideshow or gas up your car to get a taste of some travel-worthy picnic provisions, breakfast supplies, and award-winning barbecue meats.

In west Texas, Oxford graduate Christy Miller ditched her day job as a financial software consultant and put her MBA to work as a meat ambassador. Getting local beef onto dinner plates is the mission of the Marfa Meats founder and CEO, and one of the latest ways to accomplish that goal is a new meat vending machine located outside Cactus Liquors. Since June 2021, curious travelers to the eclectic town of Marfa have been able to pick up barbecue provisions, along with succulent plants and a nightcap of crafted spirits, on their way to Big Bend Ranch State Park and Big Bend National Park. Choose from a selection of grass-fed and grains-fed meats, including dry-aged steaks, in traditional, bavette and teres cuts, and high-end hamburger.

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