AHBEEF is a family-owned and operated brand established by Justin and Lisa Lofton in May 2022. Steeped in a rich family history dating back to the early 1980s, Justin, a second-generation rancher, grew up witnessing the dedication of his father, Bob Lofton, in building their family cattle business. Under Bob's guidance, Justin learned what it takes to deliver top-notch beef to consumers. Armed with the knowledge gained from completing the certified program at Texas A&M International Beef CattleAcademy, Justin embarked on developing AHBEEF. Melding family values with traditional ranching practices and contemporary science and genetics, AHBEEF produces top-quality cuts delivered straight to your doorstep.

We sat down with Justin to find out how AHBEEF meat is delivered, From Our Farm to Your Fork!

Q: How does your breeding program work?
A: Our breeding program starts with cows purchased in 2017. I matched them with bull genetics to complement the cows. Today, we are on our fourth generation of cows producing calves with a mixture of new bull genetics. We are among the few ranches pioneering the crossbreeding of Angus and Holstein cattle that provide maximum flavor. 

Q: What do you feed your cattle? Do you use antibiotics, MRNA, etc.?
A: Our cattle are fed a mixture of forages, grass, and grains to maximize marbling while reducing our carbon output by the efficiency of feeding pounds of feed to weight gain. All of our beef is hormone, antibiotic, and MRNA vaccine-free. 

Q: Walk us through what processing looks like.
A: Once our cattle have reached market age, we contract with a small third-generation processor about 50 miles up the road from us here in Texas. They are USDA-inspected packers who put a lot of care into what they do. Once the beef is ready, it is picked up by one of the AHBEEF team members and is stored in our Texas or CA locations for pick-up, delivery, or shipping. Our beef is hand-cut and vacuum-packed, then frozen to preserve freshness.

Q: What exactly does dry aged mean?
A: The purpose of dry aging is to break down the meat's connective tissue to make it more tender, along with a flavor change to give the beef a richer flavor. The process can take anywhere from 14 to 60 days. 

Q: What makes the meat at your family-owned farm different from what you can buy in the grocery store?
A: The one difference is you know exactly who produced the meat you are enjoying. There are plenty of large US family farms that supply grocery stores all over the world. But with today's world trade dynamics, you can't be sure if the beef in the grocery store is from the US or another country. The beef from the AHBEEF ranch is the same meat I feed my family and is American-grown, handled and distributed.