A sign directs online customers to The Meat Up at the corner of Herndon and Marks avenues in Fresno. Photos by Edward Smith

As construction of a new butcher shop in Northwest Fresno continues, the coronavirus outbreak prompted its owners to begin delivering meat and groceries before the store’s planned opening next month.

The Meat Up in Northwest Fresno is the retail storefront of Certified Meat Products, a commercial food vendor to restaurants and grocery stores. The brainchild of Steven and Cassi Maxey, The Meat Up could open by Memorial Day as a neighborhood butcher shop selling directly to consumers.

When stories came out in the news recently about people struggling to get groceries, though, the Maxeys decided to rush out their website, TheMeatUp.com, which came online this week.

 

There, customers can order tri-tip, ground beef, a variety of steaks or chicken as well as sausage to be delivered or picked up at their location at Herndon and Marks avenues.

“We’re just trying to almost look at it as a chance to get our products out to people and meet a need and give people a really positive experience,” said Steven Maxey, co-owner of Certified Meat Products and The Meat Up.

The company had never sold its products directly to consumers though. They had to develop a website and an ordering app for the store. And people don’t generally know Certified Meat Products as a place to pick up groceries.

Providing home deliveries meant keeping drivers employed. With restaurants closing or drastically limiting purchasing, the work at Certified Meat Products slowed. Restaurant sales make up 50% of business for the company.

Steven and Cassi came up with the idea for a neighborhood butcher shop last year during a road trip.

“Wouldn’t it be great to have a little neighborhood meat supply shop — little butcher shop — we could sell really good quality meats and we could educate people on the nutritional benefits of meat and how it fits into a healthy diet,” said Steven.

They wanted it close to home so Cassi could work there as well as keep a close eye on their two children. Before the outbreak, they signed the lease at 7010 N. Marks Ave. Ste. 102 in a former Round Table Pizza, right next to Ampersand Ice Cream.

The virus outbreak hasn’t impacted opening dates yet, Steven said, but construction is just beginning.

Memorial Day would put them in a place to start selling product in time for the summer rush. The Maxeys are still optimistic.

I think we’re in line to be real close to that,” he said.