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Stockade Companies have no "beef" with Farmland pork. Winter 2004

With 74 restaurants throughout the midwestern United States and Mexico, Stockade Companies of Hutchinson, Kansas, serves Farmland products in all three of its steakhouse concepts, including Sirloin Stockade, Coyote Canyon and Montana Mike’s. Chief Operating Officer Terry Harstad and Director of Purchasing Glennys Tedder talked to the OPERATOR about the relationship between beef and pork.

OPERATOR: What’s the value of ham and other pork products to a steakhouse?

STOCKADE: One of the things we pride ourselves on is variety. A steakhouse is complimented if it can offer products equal to the quality of its steaks, be it seafood, pork or poultry. We’re excited to be able to offer Farmland products to our customers.

OPERATOR: This newsletter addresses consumers’ desire for more pork and ham. Do you find that to be the case at the Stockade Companies?

STOCKADE: We’ve continued to see a rise in the interest in pork. As we expand some of our restaurant operations to include breakfast, there’s a natural fit for pork products. Also, we put smokers in all three of our concepts. The ability to smoke the products gives us more reasons to utilize pork.

OPERATOR: Recently, Stockade started serving Farmland Pit Hams. How did that come about?

STOCKADE: Farmland worked with us in developing that ham to our specification. We went back and forth several times until they got it just the way we wanted it. They did a great job.

They worked on size and packaging specifications because we’re using that on the carving bar. And then, the flavor profile — the amount of smoke, the special nets they’re having custom made for us to make the right amount of smoke flavor for our needs.

OPERATOR: Is the Farmland Pit Ham part of your buffet?

STOCKADE: Yes. And in our restaurants serving breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays, we offer freshly carved ham, which is a great accompaniment to eggs and pancakes.

OPERATOR: Does that seem to be working pretty well for you?

STOCKADE: Extremely well. There is obviously some showmanship in having an employee carving ham, hot, fresh and juicy for a guest as opposed to having ham just sitting in a standard buffet.

OPERATOR: Do customers ever speak out about the smoky flavor of a pit ham?

STOCKADE: We know how much they like it when they keep coming back for seconds.