- Main Differences between Crowd Cow vs Omaha Steaks
- All about Crowd Cow
- Where Crowd Cow Gets Their Meat
- My Experience Using Crowd Cow
- Pros & Cons of Using Crowd Cow
- All about Omaha Steaks
- Where Omaha Steaks Get Their Meat
- My Experience Using Omaha Steaks
- Pros & Cons of Omaha Steaks
- Other Alternatives to Consider
- FAQs
- Deciding between Crowd Cow vs Omaha Steaks
Well, well, well, if it isn’t my favorite foodie looking to see if they should enter into a committed relationship with Crowd Cow or Omaha Steaks.
I was there with you a little while ago. Crowd Cow and Omaha Steaks are the biggest meat subscription box market names. If you’re a self-identified meat lover, you’ve likely at least heard of them both. I was caught trying to decide between these two subscription companies and couldn’t figure out which one I should go with.
On one side, I have Crowd Cow, which prides itself on sourcing high-quality, sustainable meat from independent farms and ranches across the United States. They offer a wide variety of meat, from beef to bison to heritage breed pork, and are committed to transparency in their sourcing practices.
But, on the other side, we have Omaha Steaks, a company that has been around since 1917 and is known for its wide variety of meat and poultry, as well as its prepared meals and side dishes. They source their meat from their own supply chain of farms and feedlots and have a reputation for quality and consistency. How is a girl supposed to choose?
When they both have such excellent reviews online, how do you tell which subscription is the best option for you?
Well, that’s where I come in! Hi there, I’m a subscription box addict. If I had it my way, I would have everything I use on a daily basis delivered to my house in a subscription box.
I’ve tried both Crowd Cow and Omaha Steaks; I’ve seen the good, the great, and the best that both of these subscription boxes have to offer. So, I’m here to break down what your top pick should be!
TL;DR: Crowd Cow is the way to go if you’re looking for a fantastic variety! I love the quality offered by Crowd Cow, and it makes me feel so good knowing I’m supporting small family farms while I’m able to enjoy a delicious meal!
Get grass fed steaks, pasture raised craft beef, pastured chicken, heritage pork and more meat you can't find anywhere else ― delivered right to your door.
You might also be interested in: ButcherBox vs Crowd Cow: Which One is Best?
Main Differences between Crowd Cow vs Omaha Steaks
- Crowd Cow sources their meats from independent family-owned ranches and farms, whereas Omaha Steaks get all of their beef products from farms they own
- Crowd Cow is carbon neutral, whereas Omaha Steaks isn’t
- Crowd Cow offers heritage pork, whereas Omaha Steaks doesn’t
- Crowd Cow specializes in high-quality, sustainably sourced meat, whereas Omaha Steaks offers a wider variety of options overall
- Crowd Cow allows you to shop by farm, whereas this isn’t an option Omaha Steaks offers
- You can find Omaha Steaks in select grocery stores, whereas Crowd Cow is only currently available online
- Crowd Cow is pricier than Omaha Steaks, because of the big focus on small businesses
- Crowd Cow offers frequent sales and promotions, while Omaha Steaks offers a variety of bundle deals and packages
- Crowd Cow offers a wider variety of unique meat cuts, such as Wagyu beef and heritage breed pork, while Omaha Steaks offers a broader range of exotic meat and poultry options
All about Crowd Cow
Boy, do I love Crowd Cow. They’re one of the first meat subscription boxes I ever considered myself sustainability to be in a “committed” relationship with! If you’ve never heard of Crowd Cow before, I’m so excited to have the opportunity to introduce you to this wonderful subscription.
Crowd Cow is an online website where you can purchase high-quality, sustainable meat from independent farms and ranches across the United States. The whole purpose of Crowd Cow is o provide transparency in the meat supply chain and offer people like me access to the highest-quality, most sustainable meat products all in one easy-to-access place.
Crowd Cow offers a subscription-based model, giving you one less thing to worry about. I LOVE the subscription model. I’m able to “set it and forget it” with the most stressful part of my grocery shopping trip. No longer do I have to worry about shopping around at a few different grocery stores in my area to find the best sales around. I can get everything my family needs for a better price!
Plus, the quality of their meat is hard to beat. Since Crowd Cow sources meat from a network of small-scale producers who prioritize ethical and sustainable practices, the quality of their meat is restaurant-level. I have always enjoyed the offerings provided by Crowd Cow because they have such a massive selection! They offer a wide variety of meat, including beef, pork, chicken, lamb, and bison, as well as unique cuts like Wagyu beef and heritage breed pork.
If you aren’t interested in signing up for a subscription box, don’t worry. Crowd Cow also sells the same meats you’d get in their subscription box individually. But, if you are interested in signing up for a subscription, they have a big variety of packages. You can choose from mixed boxes, boxes that feature their ‘best of’ products, and you can even get a box of scallops!
One of the best parts for me about Crowd Cow is how much they value sustainability too. Whenever I order meat delivery subscription boxes, I’m typically complaining because of the amount of plastic going to waste after I’ve gotten everything out of my box. But, I love Crowd Cow because they use recyclable and compostable materials whenever possible, and they are constantly exploring new ways to reduce their environmental impact.
Where Crowd Cow Gets Their Meat
Want another reason to fall in love with this brand? I’ve got you! Let’s take a look at where Crowd Cow gets their meats from. Crowd Cow sources their meat from independent farms and ranches across the United States. They partner directly with small-scale producers who prioritize ethical and sustainable practices in order to provide customers with the highest-quality sustainable meat products.
Crowd Cow partners with farmers and ranchers from all over the country. All of these farmers raise a variety of different animals and use other farming methods, which is how they’re able to offer such a vast selection. I stay away from brands like Perdue because I’m so against their farming practices.
However, all of the small family-owned farms that Crowd Cow works with raise their animals humanely. For example, these farms raise grass-fed beef on open pastures, while others raise heritage-breed pork using humane animal treatment practices.
The fanciest thing I know about Crowd Cow is how they ensure quality. Crowd Cow works closely with each of the small family farms to ensure that their meat meets the company’s high standards. They also have a team of meat experts who taste and evaluate each product before offering it for sale in order to ensure that only the best products are provided to customers.
My Experience Using Crowd Cow
What I ordered:
- Boneless ribeye steak
- Top sirloin steak
- Japanese A5 Wagyu petite striploin steak
- Tri-Trip roast
Crowd Cow‘s shipping is SO fast. I’m beginning to wonder if they regularly compete with Lightening McQueen! My two favorites from Crowd Cow are the boneless ribeye steak and (obviously) the Japanese A5 Wagyu steak. These were the two most tender and flavorful cuts of meat.
Don’t get me wrong, all of their meat is delicious! You definitely get a rich and strong beefy flavor from all of the meats offered by Crowd Cow, which really highlights the quality of the meat (for me, at least). I will say I wasn’t a huge fan of the tri-trip roast because it was particularly tough. However, I’d be open to trying it again and seeing if a different cooking style wouldn’t highlight more of the positives of this meat.
Get grass fed steaks, pasture raised craft beef, pastured chicken, heritage pork and more meat you can't find anywhere else ― delivered right to your door.
Pros & Cons of Using Crowd Cow
Here’s a closer look at some of the pros and cons offered by Crowd Cow:
Pros
- High-quality, sustainably sourced meat
- Great variety
- A subscription box option is available for those interested in “setting and forgetting.”
- Website is such easy to use
- A low minimum order fee
- Free shipping on orders $99 and over
- Crowd Cow has a super high-quality meat
Cons
- Some of the higher-quality items offered by Crwod Cow don’t have a huge selection since Crowd Cow works with a lot of smaller farms. This means items can sell out pretty quickly.
- I wish there was more of an education on all of the different cuts of meat offered by Crowd Cow, especially for someone who isn’t used to cooking with a huge variety
All about Omaha Steaks
Omaha Steaks is a meat marketplace that offers grain-fed beef, seafood, and a variety of side dishes. I would say Omaha Steaks is like the big name store compared to Crowd Cow is the local family grocery store. Omaha Steaks doesn’t provide customers with the opportunity to shop By farm, which I always think is really disappointing because I love knowing exactly where my meat is coming from.
Omaha Steaks is a family-owned company that specializes in the production and distribution of a whole bunch of meat products. While their company name makes it seem like they specialize in just steaks, they have a pretty wide variety of meets that they focus on, including some exotic.
While Omaha Steaks does have its own ranch located in Nebraska, Omaha doesn’t have as much of a push as crowd cow does to focus on supporting local and small family farms. However, to make up for that, Omaha Steaks offers a variety of kids and packages, as well as a subscription box option for anyone who is interested in looking to take all of the guesswork out of their meal planning.
Omaha Steaks got really famous because of the taste and quality of their meats. A lot of people know Omaha Steaks because of how tender and jam-packed with flavor their steaks are. I love the variety offered at Omaha Steaks because I always think it’s so interesting to be able to easily find exotic cuts of meat, like bison, online I need a delivery service where I can get my chicken and pork.
If you’re looking for more unique cuts of meat, like Heritage pork or A5 Wagyu, I would recommend that you go back up and check out crowd cow. Omaha Steaks doesn’t have as much of a selection with these higher-end means as crowd cow does.
I think Omaha Steaks is really good for someone who is going to be hosting a party or a family dinner soon. This is because Omaha Steaks provides a great selection of other unique sides, desserts, and food items that you can put out on display at your next big event to really impress your friends, coworkers, or family.
Where Omaha Steaks Get Their Meat
This is a tricky section to talk about. Omaha Steaks Claims to get all of its beef from The midwestern part of the United States. However, Omaha Steaks don’t raise most of the animals that they sell on their site. Really, Omaha Steaks is responsible for cutting up and selling meat and poultry on its website.
Omaha Steaks doesn’t clarify the grade of their beef, which I have always found to be a little bit fishy. They don’t make it clear where they get all of their meat and poultry from, so I’m left wanting more transparency from this brand.
My Experience Using Omaha Steaks
What I’ve ordered from Omaha Steaks:
- Air-chilled boneless chicken breasts
- PureGround Filet Mignon burgers
- Bavette steaks
- T-bone steaks
My favorite meat I ordered from Omaha Steaks was the t-bone steak. Don’t get me wrong, I think Omaha Steaks has a lot of great opportunities, but I wouldn’t say I’m consistently impressed by what I’ve ordered. To me, the quality of the meats offered by Omaha Steaks and the setup of their website reminds me of Schwans Foods.
The quality of the food offered by Omaha is good, but I wouldn’t say it’s anything to write home about. I would say if you’ve ever had frozen steaks from Costco or Sam’s Club, you’ve tried the meats offered at Omaha Steaks.
My favorite part about Omaha Steaks is the quality. Whether you’re in the mood for something classic or want to try something new, Omaha Steaks has got you covered.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “But Alizabeth, what about the price for Omaha’s Steaks? Don’t they have to be good?” Well, my friend, you don’t always get what you pay for. With Omaha Steaks, you’re not always going to get an outstanding cut of meat. I’ve never had an issue with consistency with Crowd Cow, but I have had some disappointing moments with Omaha Steaks.
Would I say Omaha Steaks has some good moments? Yes. Would I say they’re worth every penny? No.
I think the best part about Omaha Steaks is the convenience. With their home delivery service, you can have a variety of sides and meals delivered straight to your doorstep. Thankfully with Omaha Steaks, there’s no need to brave the grocery store or spend hours in the kitchen. You can just add everything you want to your cart and check out; the only thing you’re going to have to worry about next is where you’re going to put your groceries.
Pros & Cons of Omaha Steaks
Pros
- Options for gift cards if you want to gift your friends and family a high-quality experience
- Omaha Steaks typically have a ton of sales and special offers, which you should take advantage of if you want to save big
- Tons of options to choose from
- It can easily replace regular grocery shopping
Cons
- The website can be a little overwhelming
- It’s difficult to find where Omaha Steaks sources its meats from
- I wouldn’t say all of the options offered by Omaha Steaks are the highest quality around; overall, I believe they’re pretty mid-tier
Other Alternatives to Consider
- Porter Road
- Butcher Box
- Snake River Farms
- D’Artagnan
- Chicago Steak Company
FAQs
Question: Does Crowd Cow have real Wagyu beef?
Answer: Yes, Crowd Cow offers real Wagyu beef that they source directly from Japan. Crowd Cow also sells American Wagyu, which is at a cheaper price point. If you have the budget, I would highly recommend trying a Japanese Wagyu steak!
Question: Where does Crowd Cow meat come from?
Answer: All of the meats offered by Crowd Cow come from a network of small, independent farms and ranches located in various regions across the United States. That’s how they’re able to provide us with such a huge variety of selections at an affordable price; it’s because they’re cutting out the middle man and working directly with small businesses to get meat.
Question: Who is the owner of Crowd Cow?
Answer: At the time of writing this article, Joe Heitzeberg is the current owner of Crowd Cow. He is also the co-founder and chairman, in case you were curious about that.
Deciding between Crowd Cow vs Omaha Steaks
Crowd Cow‘s emphasis on a farm-to-tale experience and transparency really makes them stand out so much more compared to Omaha Steaks. While both of these brands offer a big chunk of variety, Crowd Cow is open about the treatment of their animals, their desire to support small family farms, and how much they care about their customer’s experiences. I can’t say the same about Omaha Steaks.
All in all, if you’re a meat lover, you owe it to yourself to give Crowd Cow a try. Trust me, your taste buds and any picky eaters in your family are going to thank you!
Get grass fed steaks, pasture raised craft beef, pastured chicken, heritage pork and more meat you can't find anywhere else ― delivered right to your door.
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