After leaving Downtown Market, Montello Meats unveils new delivery service

Tony Larson has a fairly simple philosophy when it comes to his business.

“Our family feels strongly about local,” he says. “You want local support for your business, you must support your local suppliers."

Larson, the owner of Montello Meat Market, has just announced his newest venture, a meat delivery service that will feature a “freezer locker box” packed with beef from West Michigan-based Moraine Park Farms.

With the recent closing of Montello's retail store at the Downtown Market, Larson quickly pivoted to a new business model to serve his loyal customer base.
 
“When our storefronts closed, we knew there still was a need for our product and our family enjoyed the customer interaction,” he says.

With the new venture, Larson will be bypassing the traditional store front retail outlet, instead taking orders for his product and then delivering the freezer locker boxes to homes or a designated pick-up site. The single cuts of meat will be packed and delivered frozen.  All meats will be from local farms.
 
“It’s like a protein CSA,” Larson says.

Larson says initially only beef will be available, and he will feature dry-aged  beef that is pastured, has no added growth hormones, is antibiotic free, and now, working with Moraine Park Farms,  is non-GMO as well.  

Larson says the new business is a work in progress. He is completing final designs for the “freezer locker boxes” and has plans to add other meats.
 
“Everything will be evolving,” he says. “Right now there will be one choice, but going forward there will be options for more customization.”

To keep up to date on Montello's new service, Larson says customers should sign up for his newsletter here. He will be taking his first orders in April.

Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor