The way you cut beef affects how you sell it. Whether you’re shipping freezer boxes, filling a butcher case, or running a farm store, knowing your wholesale cuts isn’t just helpful — it’s the foundation of your entire business.
But what are wholesale cuts, and why do they matter?
These large sections of the carcass determine everything that follows: portion sizes, pricing, packaging, and profit margins. Once you know how to work with them, you can build bundles, manage inventory, and sell with more consistency.
In this blog, we’ll explain what wholesale cuts are, plus five practical ways to use them to improve your sales strategy.
Wholesale cuts, also known as primal cuts, are the large sections that a beef carcass is divided into before being processed into familiar retail cuts. These are the starting blocks for every butcher and meat processor
The main wholesale cuts include:
Chuck (shoulder area): Yields shoulder clod, chuck roll, and arm roast — often turned into ground beef, stew meat, or pot roasts
Rib (upper mid-back): Breaks down into ribeye steaks, rib roasts, and short ribs — known for rich marbling and high-end grilling cuts
Loin (lower mid-back): Produces tenderloin, strip loin, T-bone, and sirloin — this is where the premium steak cuts are located
Round (hind leg): Includes top round, bottom round, and eye of round — leaner, tougher cuts typically used for roasts
Brisket (lower chest): Comes as a flat or point cut — commonly sold whole for smoking or slow cooking
Shank (upper leg): Cross-cut into shank steaks — used for osso buco or soup bones due to its collagen content
Plate (belly, just below the rib): Cut into skirt steak, hanger steak, and short ribs — flavorful and often less expensive
Flank (lower abdominal area): Provides flank steak — a long, lean cut often marinated and sliced thin
Each wholesale cut gives you a range of retail-ready items. When you know where your cuts come from, you can build bundles, price strategically, and keep your inventory moving.
Knowing your wholesale cuts is just the beginning. The real value comes from using that knowledge to run a more profitable beef business. From planning your product lineup to keeping your bestsellers in stock, wholesale cuts give you the control to set pricing, manage inventory, and sell with intention.
Want to build steady demand and grow profits? These five carcass breakdown strategies can help.
Most customers reach for the familiar — ribeye, ground beef, maybe a New York strip. But when you take the time to show them where each cut comes from and how to cook it, you’re not just making a sale — you’re building trust.
When someone pulls off an eye of round roast that gets rave reviews at Sunday dinner, they’re coming back. Not just for more meat, but for your next recommendation.
To make education part of your everyday sales strategy, try these tips:
Add signage in your farm store: Use simple diagrams or chalkboards to show where ribeye, brisket, and stew meat come from.
Create quick-reference guides: Print, display, or use social media accounts to post guides that explain which cuts are best for different cooking techniques, like ribs for grilling, chuck for braising, or brisket for smoking.
Use your labels to add more value: Add bite-sized tips to labels like “Chuck cut — great for pot roast” or “Loin section — grill-ready and tender.”
Customers who feel confident at the meat case are more willing to explore different cuts. That comfort leads to fuller carts, new favorites, and long-term loyalty, which will return them to your business season after season.
Customers often shop for the occasion, not the cut. Build bundles for grilling season, the holidays, or game day, and you’ll make their meal planning easier while moving more meat.
To sell larger quantities without overwhelming your buyers, create themed bundles tied to common occasions:
Offer brisket bundles for barbecue season: Pair whole briskets with spice rubs and recipe cards in early summer.
Promote steak kits for Father’s Day or date nights: Combine rib or loin cuts with sides or sauces for a tasty upgrade.
Create holiday roasts and freezer packs: Use chuck or round cuts for cost-effective roasts, or sell mixed frozen bundles for winter meal prep.
Tying wholesale cuts to real-life moments helps customers see the value, giving them a reason to buy more than one pack at a time.
Not every customer is stocking up for a big event — many just want a reliable, affordable dinner. That’s where wholesale cuts pull their weight, especially when you know how to market them correctly.
Spotlight budget-friendly options that pack both flavor and flexibility:
Promote budget-friendly cuts like chuck and round: Emphasize price per pound and portion size to attract cost-conscious buyers.
Pair tougher cuts with innovative recipes: Offer slow-cooker guides, stew recipes, or braising tips to make tougher, cheaper cuts easy and delicious.
Create weeknight-ready packs: Bundle a few pounds of ground beef, stew meat, and roast for practical meal planning.
When customers see that local beef can be used in multiple meals, they’ll turn to you before heading to the grocery aisle.
Some shoppers want to treat themselves. Rib and loin cuts offer that rich, restaurant-quality feel that turns a regular dinner into something worth talking about.
To increase your average order value without a hard sell, focus on presentation and experience with these tips:
Feature ribeyes, strip steaks, and tenderloin: Spotlight tenderness, marbling, and easy cooking in signage and online listings.
Create “ready-to-grill” or “date night” kits: Include two premium steaks, seasoning, and a cooking guide.
Upgrade packaging for special orders: Vacuum-seal orders with custom labels or add boxes with simple branding for a more luxurious feel.
Premium cuts give you room to upsell — and with the right packaging and messaging, customers will gladly pay more for the elevated experience.
When exploring wholesale cuts, it’s worth remembering — they’re not just for home cooks. Restaurants, meal prep companies, and small food businesses always look for consistent, local beef at scale — and you’ve got exactly what they need.
Offer custom cut sheets, subscription boxes, or scheduled deliveries tailored to a chef’s menu or a meal kit service. Prepacked wholesale bundles also work great for freezer box programs.
Keep your terms clear and the process simple. Facilitating a smooth first order builds trust — and repeat business. With the right partnerships, wholesale cuts can become the cornerstone of your bulk sales strategy.
Selling beef by the cut can get complicated, especially when dealing with dozens of stock-keeping units (SKUs), variable weights, and seasonal demand. GrazeCart helps you simplify everything with a custom website and scalable point of sale (POS) system designed for farm-direct sales.
With built-in inventory tracking, integrated scale support, and real-time order management, you’ll stay on top of everything from roasts and ribeyes to bundles and bulk boxes. Need delivery options? Set delivery zones, automate free shipping thresholds, and make order fulfillment easier.
You can also launch subscriptions, create custom product pages, and boost repeat business with targeted promotions from one system.
So, what are wholesale cuts? With GrazeCart, they’re your gateway to a more profitable sales strategy.
Start a free 14-day trial and turn every cut into a conversion.