There have been several times in my life when I’ve considered going vegetarian. Eating a plant-based diet makes sense to me for a lot of reasons, particularly for the benefits to the environment and animal welfare.
However, even though I don’t eat meat with every meal or even every day, I don’t know that I could give it up entirely; I enjoy it too much.
Instead, I try to source my meat more thoughtfully. There’s a huge difference between conventional farming and responsible farming, especially when it comes to environmental impact and the treatment of animals.
And when it comes to responsible practices, it doesn’t get much better than regenerative farming, which is why I wanted to try REP Provisions, a regenerative meat delivery service. I’ve shared my experience below in my REP Provisions Review & Unboxing.
My Bottom Line: Would I Order REP Provisions Again?
Yes! I would order this again and would recommend this to anyone who wants high-quality meat!
I had a great experience with REP Provisions. I love their commitment to sustainability, and their customer service gets an A+ from me. All of my interactions with their team felt super personal, which was refreshing in the age of AI and chatbots. The meat I tried from REP Provisions was more expensive than conventional grocery store meat, but it tasted better and was arguably healthier.
I think that REP’s environmental practices are worth the higher price tag alone, but the fact that the meat was so good was just icing on the cake.
REP Provisions is your premier destination for high-quality, sustainably sourced meats and gourmet provisions. Explore a diverse selection of premium cuts and artisanal products to elevate your culinary experience and support responsible sourcing practices.
What Is REP Provisions All About?
REP Provisions is an online butcher shop and meat subscription service that supports local regenerative farmers in the United States. They ship sustainably raised meats to all 48 states in the continental U.S.
What Is Regenerative Farming?
By now, most of us know that a lot of conventional farming and ranching has contributed to climate change. Regenerative farming tries to combat that by taking organic and sustainability practices to the next level.
Not only do regenerative farmers focus on the health and well-being of their animals, but they also focus on building healthier soil and promoting biodiversity, which in turn helps combat climate change.
REP Provisions sources their meat from farmers who focus on rebuilding the health of their farms from the ground up. They also support pollinator conservation and plant 100 monarch butterfly-attracting milkweed plants for every box they sell. REP has also partnered with the Audubon Society to help rebuild grassland bird populations in the U.S.
REP Provisions Products
REP Provisions sells beef, pork, chicken, and a handful of seed-oil-free sauces and seasonings. They have a wide selection of cuts of meat, including organs, bones, and broth. You can purchase their products a la carte, but they also sell more than a dozen bundles at a discount. Even when you order a la carte, many of the products (like the short ribs I bought) give you the option to buy in bulk at a discounted price.
Below is a sample of a few of the products they carry:
- Ground beef (80/20, 90/10, or “Primal Blend,” which contains 10% beef liver and heart)
- Short Ribs
- Flank Steaks
- Oxtail
- Tomahawk steaks
- Beef kidney/tongue
- Beef bones
- Briskets/roasts
- Stew meat
- Brats/sausages
- Chicken pieces/whole chickens
- Chicken hearts/livers/bones
- Pork chops
- Bacon
- Spare ribs/country-style ribs
- Bundles, including “Steak Lover,” “Cluck and Moo,” “Grill Master,” and “Heritage Pork.”
Subscribing to REP Provisions
For every purchase, you can choose whether you’d like it to be a one-time purchase or to sign up for a recurring subscription. Subscribing will save you 10% on your order, and you can set your delivery schedule to every 30, 45, 60, or 90 days. You can change, pause, or cancel your subscription at any time from your account page.
I think the subscription options make a lot of sense if you order one of the bundles (for variety), and they’re probably incredibly convenient for anyone on a high-protein diet like Keto or Paleo.
REP Provisions is your premier destination for high-quality, sustainably sourced meats and gourmet provisions. Explore a diverse selection of premium cuts and artisanal products to elevate your culinary experience and support responsible sourcing practices.
My REP Provisions Review & Unboxing
Placing My Order
The REP Provisions website is easy to navigate. You can sort their products by type or shop them all. I browsed through their bundle packages before ultimately deciding just to order a few items a la carte.
I didn’t have any trouble finding products I was interested in, but a few items were sold out. When I checked back a week later, even more things were sold out. I feel like this is an unfortunate but unavoidable consequence of working with a limited selection of small farms—not everything will be available all of the time, especially in busy seasons leading up to holidays (which this was.)
I selected a few things and added them to my cart, where I was given the option to check out as a one-time purchase or subscribe to save 10%. I went for the one-time purchase, and my three items, a pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts, 3lbs of short ribs, and a 1lb pack of pre-formed hamburger patties, cost me $50 plus $9.99 for shipping.
As I said above, I was given the option to order a larger, bulk pack of the short ribs to save money per pound—not a bad option for anyone with a large freezer who can stock up.
After I placed my order, I received an email that it would be processed in about a week due to high volume and that orders would be packaged and shipped early in the week after they were processed. They said that it would take two to three days for shipping once my order was processed and that I should expect my order to arrive on a Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday.
My Personalized Video
Before they sent my order, I received a short, personalized video from Eric, one of REP Provisions’ co-founders. It was actually personal—as in, he called me by name during the video. He thanked me for supporting their business and small farms, mentioning that industrialized agriculture was wreaking havoc on our health and the planet.
He stressed that REP Provisions promises to source their products with the utmost care and respect for the animals and the planet. He concluded by saying that together, we can leave a better food system for generations to come.
I had initially ignored the video for a few days, thinking it was a stock promotional video about their company. I was so surprised when he started off by thanking me by name! It was a nice personal touch and made me feel like I was dealing with a small, independent company rather than a huge corporation.
REP Provisions Customer Service
Once I was nearing the one-week mark since placing my order, I realized I may have messed up the timing. I was planning on leaving town for the weekend on Thursday morning and was worried my order would arrive when I wasn’t home to receive it. After a brief moment of panic about the prospect of having a box of meat sitting on my front doorstep all weekend, I decided to try to get in touch with customer service.
The website listed a number for someone named Kim, so I called and left a message explaining the situation and asking if it was possible to delay shipping a week. About 20 minutes after I left the message, I received an automated email that my order had shipped. Delivery information wasn’t available yet online.
A few hours later, Kim texted me, telling me that my order had shipped and was due to arrive on Wednesday, asking if that was ok. Ultimately, I ended up getting lucky and not needing to delay shipping after all since everything was slated to arrive the night before I left. Still, I appreciated the personal response and felt like Kim was ready to help however I needed.
Delivery and Unboxing
Everything arrived less than 48 hours after it shipped. I received email notifications when my order was shipped, out for delivery, and delivered, which is always a nice touch when you’re having something perishable delivered.
My order was shipped in a cardboard box with foam insulation and dry ice. All of the meat was packed in an insulated plastic bag and was still completely frozen solid.
Returning the Packaging
When I opened the box, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that REP Provisions had included a return shipping label and instructions for how to return the box and insulated packaging so that they could reuse or recycle it. They include detailed instructions for how to have your mail carrier pick the box up directly from your front step, which means you don’t even have an extra errand to add to your list.
I love that they put their money where their mouth is when it comes to their commitment to sustainability and the environment. Plus, one of the best parts of all is that when you return your packaging to them, you’ll automatically be entered into their monthly drawing for a free $100 meat sampler box—that’s a total win-win!
My Chicken Saga
Once I opened the insulated bag, I was in for another surprise, but this one wasn’t quite as good. Instead of pasture-raised chicken breasts, I was sent boneless chicken thighs. This wasn’t a huge deal since I also like chicken thighs, but it wasn’t what I ordered. There was no note about chicken breasts being unexpectedly out of stock, and chicken breasts were listed on my packing slip, so I have to assume it was just a packing mix-up.
I emailed the company to let them know about the mix-up but told them that I didn’t need a replacement or a refund since it really didn’t bother me that much. I received a response from Kim thanking me for letting them know, along with an offer of 15% off my next order.
The next day, Kim emailed me again, saying that she believed that my chicken was actually mislabeled and that it was, in fact, chicken breasts, not thighs. She apologized again and said that she didn’t want me to be surprised when I opened the package! Since I was still out of town at this point and the chicken was safely tucked away in my freezer, I wasn’t able to check, but my curiosity was piqued!
A few days later, when I returned home, I defrosted and opened the chicken. Kim was right! They were chicken breasts. Despite the confusion, I appreciated the opportunity to chat with REP’s customer service. Kim was friendly, apologetic, and even joked around with me via email—it made me feel like I was being taken care of personally, and I was grateful to not just be dealing with a chatbot.
What I Ordered
REP Pre-Formed Hamburger Patties
The first thing I made were the hamburger patties. There were three burgers in the pack. I thought it was kind of strange that they gave me an odd number, but it said it was about a pound of meat.
The patties were on the thin side but wide. I noticed right away that they looked more like the fresh ground meat I would get from a butcher rather than the ground beef I buy from my regular grocery store. There were visible chunks of fat in the meat, and it looked more like it had been finely diced than ground up into those machine-processed squiggles you see with grocery store meat.
I was having a very busy day running around and was feeling hungry and cranky, so I decided to just cook them up for a quick late lunch. I seasoned the patties with salt, garlic powder, and onion powder and then just threw them into a pan on the stove for a few minutes per side.
Despite not cooking them on a grill (or even in a cast iron, for that matter), they still got a bit of a sear on the outside. They cooked super quickly since they were so thin (they would probably make excellent crispy smash burgers. I’ll have to remember that for next time).
The flavor was good—meaty but not too greasy. They didn’t taste too different from other beef burgers I’ve had, not like Wagyu or bison burgers or anything, but they were really tasty, and the texture was perfect. I could see myself buying one of the big bundles of these to stock in the freezer for summer barbecues. The fact that you can just season them and throw them right on the grill makes them super convenient for parties.
REP Pasture-Raised Chicken Breasts
Honestly, I was hoping to try the boneless, skinless chicken breasts because they’re boring. I figured one way to test if there was a difference in the quality of REP Provisions’ meat would be to try what is arguably one of the drier and less flavorful cuts available, so I was mildly disappointed when I thought I received chicken thighs by mistake.
But that didn’t matter—it turns out they were chicken breasts all along!
I roasted them in the oven with some herbs and cheese and served them with purple potatoes and bok choy that I had from my weekly CSA box; a super simple, easy-to-throw-together (albeit disjointed) weeknight meal.
I’m honestly not sure if this is true or not, but in my experience, it seems like when pasture-raised chicken is cooked, it appears darker than conventionally raised chicken. It makes sense to me—it’s meat that was raised on wild foods that spent its lifetime in the sun, unlike chickens that are raised in dark cages and force-fed corn their whole lives.
The meat was juicy and tender. It honestly tasted more like dark meat than light meat to me (but I promise, they were breasts and not thighs!) At around $10 a breast, I don’t know that they’re in everyone’s price range, but they were very tasty.
REP Regenerative Beef Short Ribs
The final thing that I cooked were the short ribs. I received about three pounds of short ribs in my box, broken up into two separate packages. I decided to just cook one of the packages.
The ribs were butchered nicely and had a fair amount of fat on them. I had to remove the silver skin and decided to cut them into individual ribs for searing, but other than that, I didn’t need to clean them up at all. I seared them in a Dutch oven and then braised them with red wine, onions, carrots, garlic, and herbs. Let me tell you, my house smelled heavenly. The ribs were falling off the bone by the time they were done, and I served them with mashed potatoes and charred Brussels sprouts.
I was nervous that they would be greasy since they were on the fatty side, but they actually tasted leaner than I expected. I could definitely taste that this was grass-fed and finished beef, even more so than with the burgers. I’m looking forward to cooking up the other half of my short rib order in the near future!
Also Read: Learn the distinctions between Grass-Fed vs Organic Beef.
REP Provisions is your premier destination for high-quality, sustainably sourced meats and gourmet provisions. Explore a diverse selection of premium cuts and artisanal products to elevate your culinary experience and support responsible sourcing practices.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- I love the commitments REP Provisions has made to protecting and revitalizing the environment. I really feel like they’re putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to their mission.
- I loved that they gave me detailed instructions for returning my packaging for reuse. They made it free and foolproof.
- Their approach to customer service is fast, helpful, and personal.
- Everything I tried was delicious!
Cons
- Because they work with small farms, not all of their products will be in stock at all times. I didn’t have any problems ordering what I wanted, but when I checked back a week later, many products were sold out.
- I was happy with how REP Provisions handled the whole chicken ordeal, but I guess it would have been better if it had never happened in the first place.
- They’re definitely more expensive than buying conventionally raised meat from a grocery store.
Alternatives to REP Provisions
Unfortunately, companies that sell regenerative meat can be hard to come by. One of the ones that I recently tried and liked, Cooks Venture, made the decision to close their doors just a few weeks ago, and I’m worried that they won’t be the last to do so. Below are some other companies that will deliver sustainable, regenerative meat to your door.
- Primal Pastures: Primal Pastures sells organic, pasture-raised meats. They source their meat from a regenerative, family-run farm. They made the list of our best organic meat delivery services.
- Wild Pastures: Wild Pastures sells organic and pasture-raised pork, chicken, and beef from regenerative farms, as well as wild-caught seafood. While they don’t have as extensive a selection of cuts as REP Provisions, they do offer several different customizable box options, and their prices are good. You can read our full Wild Pastures review here.
FAQs
Question: Is regenerative better than organic?
Answer: Every farm is different, but most regenerative farms go beyond what organic farms do, especially when it comes to the health of their soil and the environment.
Question: Is REP Provisions’ beef grass fed?
Answer: Yes, REP Provisions’ regeneratively raised beef is grass-fed and finished.
Question: Is regenerative food healthier?
Answer: Studies have shown that regeneratively raised meats contain more nutrients than conventionally raised meats. They’re also healthier for the environment since regenerative farming focuses on the health of the animals, soil, and surrounding ecosystem.
Final Thoughts
Although I enjoyed all of the meat I ordered from REP Provisions, my favorite things about the company are their customer service and their commitment to sustainable, regenerative practices. The meat was delicious and (dare I say) tasted healthy, but the fact that they’re a small, friendly company who cares about the environment makes them worth supporting alone.
REP Provisions is your premier destination for high-quality, sustainably sourced meats and gourmet provisions. Explore a diverse selection of premium cuts and artisanal products to elevate your culinary experience and support responsible sourcing practices.
Recommended readings:
26 Best Organic Meat Delivery Services
Lauren is also a bona fide mixologist, bringing her professional bartending skills to the table as one of our resident drink testers. In Lauren's world, life is a celebration, and her home is the party hub.
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