Oil Series- Ray- Thoreson's Meat - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Oil Series- Ray- Thoreson's Meat

When you operate a long-standing business in oil country these days, you seem to get new customers every day.
That's certainly the case for a meat processing plant that's been around the community of Ray for many years.
Jordan Pederson takes us to a place that has a real stake in the future of the region.

Business was already steady for Jim Thoreson's meat processing shop in Ray.
But when the oil production started.... Thoreson's business sky-rocketed.
(Jim Thoreson, Owner, Thoreson's Meat Processing) "It's been steadily increasing and I've got new customers everyday, I see somebody different."
The majority of those new faces work in the oil field.
(Jim Thoreson, Owner, Thoreson's Meat Processing) "I sell a lot to the oil field where they order a lot of stuff."
Here's an idea of just how big --Thoreson means by a big order.
Sales Representatives from oil companies place orders in bulk for the men working in the field.
(Jim Thoreson, Owner, Thoreson's Meat Processing) "Companies and stuff like that order 300 rib eye at a time."
And all of those orders are being processed by only Thoreson and his wife.
(Jim Thoreson, Owner, Thoreson's Meat Processing) "I know this fall when the wife goes back to work at the school I'm probably going to have to have more help because it is way busy."
For 30 years, part of Thoreson's business included custom slaughtering.
Lack of time and help has brought that service to an end.
(Jim Thoreson, Owner, Thoreson's Meat Processing) "I quit custom slaughtering so it's really, now I just pretty much just all sell retail and it, it keeps me way busy everyday."
The number one seller?
(Jim Thoreson, Owner, Thoreson's Meat Processing) "Rib eye, definitely rib eye"
Oil production has ushered in men from all over the country...
and with that.. comes requests for types of meat Thoreson has never supplied before.
(Jim Thoreson, Owner, Thoreson's Meat Processing) "Ox tail, we sell that. We sell a lot of tongue and a lot of tripe, a cow's stomach."
And then some of the more common items requested are lamb and tuna.
(Jim Thoreson, Owner, Thoreson's Meat Processing) "It's a lot of different things that people come in asking for that they got where they were and we try to get it in for them."
The increased business has forced Thoreson to adapt with the times... now accepting credit cards.
New customers everyday keep the shop busy... some would even say hectic..
(Jim Thoreson, Owner, Thoreson's Meat Processing) "Its good, Its a good hectic and then the customers, I can't say nothing bad about any. Everybody has been really nice to all the people who come in."
In Ray, Jordan Pederson, KX News.