People often ask me, “How do you decide which products to make and sell?” Truthfully, many factors influence our decisions when it comes to creating and maintaining the Circle B Ranch line of products.
From the beginning, John and I decided Circle B Ranch would provide only the highest quality products for our customers. I know there is nothing worse than expecting quality and not getting what you want—or what you paid for. That doesn’t happen here at Circle B. We want to please our customers; that’s what our products are all about.
But a desire to make a high-quality product to please our customers was only a beginning. How would we decide which products to make and sell? It hasn’t been as hard as you would think. First, we had to hold up to our own standards and ideals. John and I believe in sustainability and eliminating waste. We decided to produce our hot dogs the old-fashioned way and render the lard from our hogs; therefore, we are able to use all of the hog. The choice trim from our pork cuts is incorporated into our hot dogs, selection of sausage and Marina’s Homemade Meatballs.
Next, we considered heritage. John and I are both proud of our personal cultures and traditions. Because John is of German descent, we decided to create products that showcase his culture. Our German style sausage, Kielbasy, and old-fashioned hot dogs highlight his legacy. As for me, Circle B Sweet Italian Sausage, Marina's Meatballs and my homemade Italian Tomato sauce honors my family traditions.
By perfecting my family recipes and gathering my knowledge of catering, I was able to accomplish the next goal. I wanted to focus on sauces and other products that would complement our pork. Chutney is such a savory and tasty topping for pork, how could I not go there? So I created Marina’s Cranberry Chutney, Marina’s Cranberry Apple Jalapeno Chutney, and Marina’s Pear Chutney. Marina’s Homemade Tomato Sauce, Big John’s BBQ sauce, and our Steak and Chop sauce were also fashioned to exquisitely flavor our pork products.
Another consideration, when it comes to business, is the demographics. What did we feel would sell the best in this area? Bacon, sausage, pork-chops—these are proven sellers no matter where you go. Most everyone loves bacon or sausage for breakfast, and pork chops are a classic.
“But what else did our customers want?” we asked ourselves. John and I decided on many of our meat cuts and products by listening to the most important aspect of our business—the customer. Over the years, various customers have asked us for specific cuts of meat or a special product they wanted for an important meal. For example, we sell to many local restaurants, and chefs often request exact cuts to use in their recipes. If the cut works well and is pleasing to our customers, we continue to use it, keeping it in our line of products. We also value and consider every customer comment we receive. After all, Circle B Ranch wouldn’t be successful if we couldn’t cater to consumer needs; so it’s you—our customers—who ultimately help us choose our product line.