Why Walmart Is An Unexpectedly Great Place To Buy High-Quality Ground Beef

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Walmart is known for carrying a little bit of everything, but hiding in the meat section is 80/20 grass-fed and finished ground beef starting at $6.96 per pound. It comes from cattle raised without antibiotics or added hormones and is sold under Walmart's private label brand, Marketside (Walmart owns more brands than you realize). That's the good kind of ground beef; the kind from cattle raised on hay and pastureland their entire life without the grain added at the end to put on weight. It has higher levels of antioxidants, vitamins, and Omega-3 fatty acids, plus it's leaner and has higher amounts of monounsaturated fats, which help reduce bad cholesterol.  Grass-fed beef actually tastes different from grain-fed, too. And Walmart sells it cheaper than most other stores. 

Butcher shops and specialty farms typically charge $10 to $13 per pound for grass-fed and finished 80/20 ground beef, though you can find it as low as $6.40 per pound if you order it in bulk. The equivalent at Whole Foods will cost you $7.99 per pound while at Target you'll pay $6.99 per pound.

You'll find Walmart's Marketside Grass-Fed 80/20 Ground Beef in 1-pound, vacuum-sealed packages in the beef section. If you want a different lean-fat ratio (here's how to choose ground beef with the perfect fat ratio), you're in luck. The brand has three other types of ground beef nestled among the corn and grain-fed options: 90/10 grass-fed ground beef for $7.26, organic 93/7 grass-fed beef for $8.27, and organic 85/15 grass-fed beef for $7.47. Prices may vary by location, as usual.

Walmart customers are pleasantly surprised with the Marketside ground beef, as reviews on each of the products are mostly positive. The brand has hit the sweet spot of offering high quality at a great price. Reviews say the meat tastes fresh, the packaging is convenient, and it's a good option if you aren't going direct to a butcher. Shoppers also say Marketside ground beef tastes and smells "cleaner" than other options. "Man, what's not to like? The 80/20 makes a perfect juicy hamburger. It's a staple around here," says one review on Walmart's website. "I'm glad Walmart is carrying a product now with American beef, at a reasonable price. All that plus supporting our ranchers and the land." 

How does Walmart keep the price so low on beef this good? As the world's largest retailer, it can buy in bulk. That means it has lots of negotiating power which helps keep costs lower for customers. Walmart partners with ranches in Texas, Nebraska, and throughout the Midwest to source its meat this way. All of this together means lower shipping costs and less vulnerability to price hikes in the farm-to-store pipeline  as well as a more consistent product in the meat section at your local Walmart.