Richwood Meat
Richwood Meat Company is an employee-owned, USDA-inspected meat processor in Merced, California, producing and distributing beef products — steaks, tri-tip, patties, and bulk ground beef — through a retail deli and a regional foodservice/wholesale division serving the western United States and Pacific Rim.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersMerced, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Richwood Meat does
Richwood Meat Company is a privately held, employee-owned meat processor and distributor headquartered in Merced, California. Founded in 1974 by John Wood and Richard Rohrback and transitioned to full employee ownership via an ESOP in 1998, the company operates a dual-channel model: a company-owned retail store and deli serving families, home cooks, and backyard grillers in Merced, and a foodservice and wholesale distribution division supplying restaurants, retailers, and commercial customers across the western United States and Pacific Rim. The product portfolio is centered on beef, spanning hand-cut steaks, tri-tip (fresh and marinated in multiple flavor profiles), ground beef patties (including Certified Angus, grass-fed, Never Ever all-natural, and smash patty formats), and bulk ground beef in chubs, loaves, and bricks, with prepared deli items, marinated chicken, and custom meat and cheese trays extending the range. Today the company is led by co-leaders Mike and Steve Wood, sons of founder John Wood.
Richwood Meat firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Richwood Meat
- Legal name
- Richwood Meat Company
- Website
- https://richwoodmeat.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Richwood Meat Company is an employee-owned, USDA-inspected meat processor in Merced, California, producing and distributing beef products — steaks, tri-tip, patties, and bulk ground beef — through a retail deli and a regional foodservice/wholesale division serving the western United States and Pacific Rim.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Richwood Meat industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Meat Processing and Distribution
- NAICS
- Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering (311611), Meat Processed from Carcasses (311612), Meat and Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers (42447)
- SIC
- Meat Packing Plants (2011), Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Beef Processing & Packing (AFAKALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Beef Wholesale (Primal/Subprimal, Boxed Beef) (AFAIADAA), Beef Further Processing (Cooked, Cured, Smoked, Deli, Sausage) (AFANAAAE), Further Processing (Cooked, Smoked, Cured & Deli Meats) (AFAKALAD)
Keywords
Where Richwood Meat is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Merced
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Richwood Meat business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Retail Deli Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales through company-owned retail store and deli in Merced, California. Customers purchase fresh meats, marinated products, deli sandwiches, and custom meat and cheese trays.
- Foodservice and Wholesale Distribution: B2B wholesale and foodservice distribution of fresh and frozen beef products including hand-cut steaks, tri-tip, ground beef patties, and bulk ground beef to restaurants, retailers, and commercial customers throughout the western United States and Pacific Rim.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Fresh and frozen meat products available at retail deli |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Richwood Meat product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Richwood Meat Company processes and distributes fresh and frozen beef products, including hand-cut steaks, tri-tip, ground beef patties, and bulk ground beef. The company operates a USDA-inspected processing facility in Merced, California, supplying a retail store and deli to consumers as well as foodservice and wholesale distribution to restaurants and retailers throughout the western United States and Pacific Rim.
Product overview
Richwood Meat Company operates as a closely held California corporation founded in 1974, offering a unified product portfolio centered on quality beef and meat products for both retail and foodservice customers. The core offerings include Hand Cut Steaks, Tri Tip (fresh marinated and hand-rubbed), Ground Beef Patties (including IQF and Smash Patties), and Bulk Ground Beef in various formulations. The product line extends to a full-service retail deli featuring Deli Steakhouse products, Deli Ground Beef, and Marinated Tri-Tip & Chicken (with multiple marinade varieties such as Teriyaki, Cajun, Santa Maria, Pollo Asado, Black Pepper, and Wine & Garlic). The company also offers deli sandwiches, custom meat & cheese trays, and freezer packs. Richwood Meat serves families, home cooks, backyard grillers, restaurants, and foodservice operators throughout the western United States and Pacific Rim.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hand Cut Steaks Premium hand-cut beef steaks sold through the Richwood Meat retail store and to wholesale foodservice customers.
- Tri Tip Fresh marinated and hand-rubbed tri-tip roasts available in multiple flavors including Santa Maria, spicy, and savory varieties, sold retail and wholesale.
- Ground Beef Patties Fresh and Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) hamburger patties including Certified Angus Beef, Richwood Meat Angus, Grass Fed-Finished, Never Ever All Natural varieties, and custom recipe blends, produced with the Formax Tender-Form System.
- Smash Patties Smash-style hamburger patties in sizes ranging from 4 oz to 10 oz, designed for fluffier, juicier, more tender texture with a homemade appearance.
- Bulk Ground Beef Bulk ground beef available in multiple formulations including fresh loaves, fresh and frozen chubs, frozen retail printed chubs, and frozen bricks.
- Deli Steakhouse Ready-to-eat deli steakhouse products sold directly to retail customers at the Richwood Meat deli.
- Deli Ground Beef Products Ground beef products offered at the deli counter of the Richwood Meat retail store for direct consumer purchase.
- Marinated Tri-Tip & Chicken Marinated tri-tip roasts and marinated chicken products in varieties including Teriyaki, Cajun, Santa Maria, Pollo Asado, Black Pepper, and Wine & Garlic.
- Deli Sandwiches & Meat and Cheese Trays Freshly made deli sandwiches, old-fashioned meat counter selections, custom meat and cheese trays, and freezer packs sold at the Richwood Meat retail deli.
Quantifiable outcome
- BRCGS certification maintained with exceptional third-party audit scores
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Richwood Meat
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Richwood Meat technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Richwood Meat partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)coreWhen Richard Rohrback retired in 1998, employees created an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) as a vehicle to purchase his ownership interest in Richwood Meat Company. The ESOP program instilled high level of engagement and pride for all employees as part-owners.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Richwood Meat competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Country Natural Beef: Oregon-based rancher cooperative producing natural and grass-fed beef for regional grocery, foodservice, and select export customers. Comparable cooperative-style ownership structure and natural/premium product positioning.
- Beef Northwest Feeders: Oregon-based regional beef company with custom processing, ground beef production, and branded beef programs sold through Western US foodservice and retail channels. Comparable beef-processing-and-distribution model to Richwood.
- Harris Ranch Beef Company: Vertically integrated California beef operation with retail store, foodservice, and wholesale distribution. Operates in the same Central Valley / Western US corridor as Richwood with overlapping ground beef, steak, and patty product lines.
- Central Valley Meat Company: Hanford, California-based beef processor supplying ground beef and boxed beef to retail and foodservice customers across the Western US. Closest geographic and product overlap with Richwood's beef processing and wholesale division.
Emerging players
- Marin Sun Farms: Bay Area grass-fed and pasture-raised beef and lamb producer selling to restaurants, retail, and home consumers across Northern California. Overlaps with Richwood on premium grass-fed, locally sourced beef positioning in the California market.
- Belcampo Meat Co. California-based premium and organic meat brand with retail butcher shops and direct-to-consumer distribution. Competes with Richwood in the premium California consumer segment and represents an alternative growth template for branded retail beef.
- Panorama Grass-Fed Meats: California-based grass-fed and organic beef brand sold through natural grocery and foodservice channels. Competes in the same premium, traceable beef category that Richwood's Never Ever and Grass Fed-Finished SKUs target.
Broad incumbents
- National Beef Packing Company: Major US beef packer with national distribution of fresh and further-processed beef products including ground beef patties. Operates at a much larger scale than Richwood and competes on the same wholesale and foodservice bid lists in the Western US.
- Niman Ranch: Premium, sustainably raised meat brand (now part of Perdue) distributing beef, pork, and lamb through foodservice and retail nationwide. Comparable premium, identity-preserved beef positioning and supply relationships with regional and national customers.
- American Foods Group: One of the largest US beef processors, supplying ground beef, patties, and boxed beef nationally and internationally. Represents the scaled incumbent that competes with Richwood on wholesale and foodservice accounts across the Western US.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Richwood Meat social profiles
Digital presenceRichwood Meat financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Richwood Meat leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Richwood Meat funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Richwood Meat M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Richwood Meat
What does Richwood Meat do?
Richwood Meat Company processes and distributes fresh and frozen beef products, including hand-cut steaks, tri-tip, ground beef patties, and bulk ground beef. The company operates a USDA-inspected processing facility in Merced, California, supplying a retail store and deli to consumers as well as foodservice and wholesale distribution to restaurants and retailers throughout the western United States and Pacific Rim.
Is Richwood Meat a public or private company?
Richwood Meat is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Richwood Meat founded?
Richwood Meat was founded in 1974. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Richwood Meat based?
Richwood Meat is headquartered in Merced, United States, in the North America region.
How does Richwood Meat make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Retail Deli Sales are the primary driver. The others are foodservice and Wholesale Distribution.
Who are Richwood Meat's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Country Natural Beef, Beef Northwest Feeders, Harris Ranch Beef Company and Central Valley Meat Company. Emerging players are Marin Sun Farms, Belcampo Meat Co. and Panorama Grass-Fed Meats. Broad incumbents are National Beef Packing Company, Niman Ranch and American Foods Group.
Does Richwood Meat have an API?
No public API is recorded for Richwood Meat.
What industry is Richwood Meat in?
Richwood Meat's product category is Meat Processing and Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAKALAA, Beef Processing & Packing, with a secondary code of AFAIADAA, Beef Wholesale (Primal/Subprimal, Boxed Beef). Its NAICS code is 311611 and its SIC code is 2011.