Snake River Farms - Who We Are
Snake River Farms is the pioneer of American Wagyu beef. Our parent company, Agri Beef Co., was founded by Robert Rebholtz Sr. 55 years ago. Since that humble start, we’ve evolved into a unique company that produces world class beef by staying involved at every step of the way, from ranch to table.
We’re guided by a strong work ethic, a pioneering spirit, and a commitment to quality and excellence. Our decisions are guided by the desire to be a company our customers want to do business with and preserve the Western ranching lifestyle.
The Beginning
Robert Rebholtz didn’t start out as a cowboy. He was the son of a San Francisco banker, but his passion for ranching and livestock was set in motion from summers he spent working on a cattle ranch in northern Nevada.
In 1968, Bob purchased Snake River Farms Cattle Feeders and founded Agri Beef. His goal was simple, but ambitious - to produce the finest beef possible. Endlessly curious and blessed with an anything-is-possible attitude, Rebholtz built a thriving business that was focused on the long game.
For Rebholtz, Agri Beef would be much more than a beef company. It would be a way to secure a ranching lifestyle for working families throughout the West. It would be a way to provide for his family. It would be a legacy. Over the next 20 years, he built Agri Beef into a multi-state business based in Boise, Idaho, with operations that touched on everything from ranching to animal nutrition.
Pioneering American Wagyu
In the 1980's, Bob made a move that broke from the status quo of the industry. He decided to raise Japanese Wagyu cattle in the United States. This daring move was the genesis of Snake River Farms.
The gamble wasn't focused on a single factor. It wasn't importing rare Japanese Wagyu bulls. It wasn't his plan to crossbreed them with high quality cattle breeds. Rebholtz had a bigger vision: To be a part of every step of the beef process, from the genetics of its groundbreaking cattle to the conversation with customers who would enjoy the products of its commitment to excellence.
The risk paid off. But it was tough going. Very few chefs had heard of Wagyu, let alone tasted it. In the 1990s, SRF executives had to personally introduce the brand to the county's top chefs - this was long before the era of easy access to the gourmet foods we take for granted today. The need that Snake River Farms was carefully raising was exotic, unusual and hard to find.
The Turning Point
It all changed when the Old Homestead Steakhouse in New York City put a $41 burger made with Snake River Farms American Wagyu on its menu. The year was 2003 and $41 was an astronomical sum for nearly any dish. The press had a field day with the price and even Jay Leno weighed in on The Tonight Show.
It was a watershed moment for the company. Snake River Farms went from a culinary oddity to a sought-after delicacy. Chefs from around the country began clamoring for more information and a chance to work with American Wagyu beef. The company began hosting big names at the Double R Ranch in Loomis, Washington, so they could see and understand the work that goes into every one of SRF's products.
55 Years Later
Snake River Farms still thrives on Rebholtz's mix of no-holds-barred innovation and unrushed attention to detail. It's an unusual approach in an era of flash-in-the-pan businesses. Today, we’re still owned and operated by the Rebholtz family. Our headquarters are in Boise, Idaho with operations in the state as well as Washington and Oregon.
We’re partnered with family ranches throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Montana and beyond. Many of these families have been in the livestock business for multiple generations and have dedicated their lives to raising the best cattle possible. These strong relationships ensure the cattle for Snake River Farms are humanely raised in a manner that matches our core values.
In total we have 12 operations, over 1,000 Northwest ranching partners, over 1,200 employees and sell our products throughout the U.S and export to over 50 different countries around the world. We’re sure Robert Rebholtz Sr. would appreciate how his simple belief in doing work the right way has created a company that produces the best beef in the world.
We work every day to achieve his goal. “We want our customers to want to do business with us.”
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