Creating beef super heroes

For as long as they can remember, Arturo and Wren Pacheco had dreamed of running cattle together.

How the couple got to the point where Pacheco Beef–the value-added retail store that utilizes their beef–became reality is equal parts hard work and taking advantage of opportunities that landed before them, Wrenn said.

Wrenn grew up on a cattle ranch in east Texas, earning a livestock judging scholarship to Howard Community College before completing her degree in agricultural communications at Texas Tech, where she also judged. Arturo grew up in New Mexico and was also on the livestock judging team at Texas Tech. The couple married while Arturo was completing a master’s degree in Lubbock, after which they moved to Manhattan, Kansas, where Arturo completed a doctorate in ruminant nutrition. He owns Pacheco Cattle Services, helping beef producers develop efficient feeding practices.

(Above) At Pacheco Beef in Alma, Kansas, high-quality, locally raised beef is a family affair. From left, Wrenn, Leo, Arturo and Ross Pacheco market cuts grown from their Angus-based herd. They have a storefront in Alma, and ship beef across the nation.  (Photo courtesy Wrenn Pacheco.)

Alma was perfect site

The couple found a perfect spot near Alma in Wabaunsee County, a small house, some acreage and cattle facilities. “Wabaunsee County found us,” Wrenn said.

That was just enough space for Wrenn and Arturo to begin running a few cows. They began working with a local landlord, and Pacheco Cattle Company was born, first raising double stock yearlings. They soon found more grassland in nearby Morris County and began raising Angus-based cows. Today, the Pachecos have a small cowherd, raise stocker cattle featuring similar genetics to their cowherd and continue the heifer development program.

“Arturo has a passion for taking a feeder animal, finishing it and creating a product,” Wrenn said. The cattle are raised on grass until 150 days prior to processing, during which they are put on a ration of distillers’ grains and corn to enhance marbling and flavor. The feed program Arturo has developed for their cattle ensures the retail beef is excellent quality.

“He does a remarkable job of finishing the cattle,” Wrenn said.

Processor works with them

Cattle are processed at Krehbiel’s Specialty Meats in McPherson, Kansas. After processing, the beef is aged for 21 days. Since Krehbiel’s is federally inspected, the Pacheco Beef can be shipped throughout the United States.

“We’ve shipped to the West Coast, East Coast and all four corners of the country,” Wrenn said. “People try out product, and we get rave reviews.”

The Pachecos opened The Pacheco Beef Shop in Alma in March 2021. The storefront, at 607 Missouri Avenue, is a product of necessity and timing. The Pachecos had been direct marketing beef from the farm, but when the COVID pandemic hit, consumers were having a difficult time finding beef in the store. Processing space also was difficult to schedule, she said.

The space in Alma–population 850–was perfectly suited for a retail beef shop.

“That small space saved our bacon our first year,” she said. “We were busy. We had a lot of people from Manhattan and Topeka. They had the time to travel and stopped by our place.”

Many hats to wear

As store manager, Wrenn is in charge of the shop’s marketing and logistics, skills that complement her background in agricultural communications and photography. In person and through e-mail and social media, she has a way of connecting with consumers, explaining how the cattle are cared for, fed and processed.

“I get a lot of questions about hormones and antibiotics. We still implant our cattle. We doctor and use antibiotics,” she explained. “They are proven, science-based technologies. It’s sustainable and helps us raise cattle more efficiently using less water and less feed.”

Recently, more consumers are ordering beef to be shipped or buying quarters, halves or whole carcasses to be custom cut by Krehbiel’s, based on the cuts and products that best fit the customer’s needs. Wrenn serves as the “concierge” for a customer’s tastes.

“They love the idea of having a freezer full of beef. I walk through the cut card and help them select the cuts they will use,” she said. “I enjoy that part, helping give the idea of what do with a cut.”

On Arturo and Wrenn’s food blog, “Cooking With the Cowboy,” the couple share favorite recipes, tips and tricks to help customers prepare beef dishes. Wrenn said Arturo is a great cook, and he has a knack for preparing meals that appeal to her and the couple’s kids, Leo and Ross.

As the retail business grows, she aims to prepare weekly meal plans and offer additional tips and ideas for high-quality, tasty and healthy dishes featuring Pacheco Beef.

“I hope that I can help customers be their own beef super heroes,” she said. “We enjoy feeding our family and want to help others find that joy, too.”

Bill Spiegel can be reached at [email protected].