Claire’s Square Mile Meats business goes extra mile
VIDEO: FRESH out of uni, Claire Templeton is putting lessons into action by personally managing cattle and sheep from pasture all the way to customers’ plates. WATCH NOW.
CLAIRE Templeton is wise beyond her 25 years.
A fourth-generation farmer, Claire is humble about the success of her paddock-to-plate red meat business, Square Mile Meats, born from her animal science studies at Charles Sturt University at Wagga Wagga.
“We’re still very fresh,” Claire says, as she sips her cuppa and offers a slice of her Nonna’s fruit cake from the back of her ute. “I’m certainly not the first to be doing this and I won’t be the last, I’m sure.”
After her recent return to the West Gippsland family farm, Claire wanted a second income for herself and to take more control of the day-to-day running of the farm.
“I put the business plan together with the idea of putting it in place in maybe 10 years’ time. The thought was there, but I went into it much quicker than anticipated,” she says.
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Claire manages her family’s 80-hectare farm at Nar Nar Goon, as well as working one day a week in her family’s business, Graham’s Seeds.
She uses a rotational grazing system and runs a herd of 130 Black Angus steers of different weights and ages, as well as crossbred sheep.
Claire controls every step of her Square Mile Meats business; from handling and transporting livestock to packing and delivery of the meat.
“By the sound of it, I’m a bit of a control freak,” Claire says, laughing. “But that way I know it’s on me if something goes wrong.”
Square Mile meat comes cryovacked. Packs range from the 8kg “steak mate” pack to a pack that will “fill your freezer” at 20kg.
“Initially the business plan was based on quarter or half bodies,” Claire says. “However when I did more research into what the consumer is looking for, people don’t seem to have the freezer space anymore — 40-60kg of beef is a lot to fit in the freezer,” she says. “The 8-10kg packs seem to suit a lot of people.
“I’m learning every round without a doubt and alter things each round. The variety pack with beef and lamb — I had that at only 10kg but I found that wasn’t enough kilograms to give customers a variety of cuts and meat.”
Claire considered a number of factors when setting the price for her packs.
“Current pricing reflects the highest quality product, along with the time, energy, love and customisation I put into each pack,” she says.
“I did a fair bit of research as to where my competitors were priced, such as what the consumer is willing to pay for a high quality product, service and the added bonus of making an informed decision when purchasing their produce; and where the beef and lamb market is currently sitting.
“Over time, I’m hoping to educate the consumer into realising that price is not the only important factor when it comes to purchasing meat; but also quality, flavour, locally sourced, low food miles, sustainable farming practices and ethical and humane production.
“I am, however, conscious of the fact that everyone should have access to a product that has been farmed using sustainable and ethical principles and because of that, Square Mile (Meats) is priced similar to that of your local butcher or greengrocer.”
Claire delivers to customers across Melbourne and as far east as Trafalgar.
SOCIAL START
SOCIAL media has been central to the success of Square Mile Meats.
“Now I have a customer base built up, I set a delivery date and people go online to order,” Claire says. “Our generation is so connected to their mobile phones. I thought it was a tool to be able to get in touch and connect back to the country; the rural lifestyle and where food comes from.
“Social media takes a lot more time and energy than I initially thought; but it definitely connects people.”
Claire also documents her day-to-day running of the farm on social media.
“One night I was having tea with friends I went to school with and I said I was back farming full time. They had no concept of what farming looked like on a day-to-day level. To me it’s normal, but to others it’s such a foreign concept.
“Social media can put a really negative light on the agriculture industry, but I hope to spin it the other way and show the good things happening and the positives of the industry.”
While there’s no such thing as a weekend in farming, Claire says it’s nice to “share that with people who don’t know it”.
“It’s the idea of the ‘conscientious omnivore’ that I’m trying to achieve — you don’t have to feel bad about eating meat if you know where it’s come from and it’s been done properly,” she says. “I’m proud of being a farmer, so I think it’s nice that people are interested in what we’re doing.”
WHAT’S IN A NAME
CLAIRE put a lot of thought into choosing a business name.
“Growing up in Maryknoll was a massive part of my life and our family – it’s who we are,”
Maryknoll, a small community in West Gippsland was originally mapped out on a square mile.
Claire’s grandparents helped establish the community. Her grandad was instrumental in bringing electricity to the town.
“It’s nice to have that connection,” Claire says. “Nonna still lives next door and she was rapt when I told her.”
NO-BRAINER
CLAIRE uses low-stress stock handling.
“That’s a no-brainer,” she says. “From the research that has been conducted, there’s such a strong correlation between low-stress stock handling and eating quality. I don’t see the point in razzing up stock, it gets you nowhere.
“Also there’s a big correlation with not mixing your groups of cattle. So if I’m transporting (livestock) then I put them in the pen at the abattoir and I know they’re not mixing with other animals.”
Cattle are selected on a visual score and are only processed once they reach 520kg, “which sets the quantity of packs I have available,” Claire says.
Livestock are processed at Radfords abattoir at Warragul. Carcasses hang for 12-14 days, then Claire helps cut and package her orders with a butcher at Tarwin Lower.
Claire goes the extra mile to customise meat packs to suit her customers’ needs.
“I was bit nervous initially, thinking everyone would want the first-grade cuts,” she says. “But since people have tried the meat, there doesn’t seem to be that second-grade cut. The mince and the sausages, which I thought would be the hardest to sell, have actually been the easiest.”
Claire says her family is her sounding board and is lucky to have a supportive partner “who puts up with my bad moods”.
“There aren’t many family dinners that aren’t Square Mile related at the moment,” Claire says, with a laugh.
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