Hopkins Packing Company — Local services in Blackfoot

Warning honest review!!!! Got three of our pigs butchered, cured, and packaged here. We were told that it would take about two weeks for the meat to be cured and ready to be picked up, and they would call us to let us know when it's ready. After four weeks we hadn't heard anything so we called them. At that point, they told us it was ready and apologized that they never got ahold of us. I traveled to pick up our meat today, and upon picking it up, this is my experience... They made me pay for my meat before I even gotta see it!!! That was not cheap! While I was paying, Diane appeared confused as she shuffled through all the papers but eventually gave my total. While she was figuring the price, I did ask two questions about pricing, and that may have added to her confusion. My understanding was we were getting charged $0.90 per pound of dead weight of the pigs and a little extra for some sausage links we had requested...I tried to look at the receipts but she pulled the receipts from me and never let me look at them completely before I paid them. She said, "Those will be yours after they get the meat for you." Since, I did know the dead weight of the pigs because I recorded it when we dropped the pigs off at their slaughterhouse, and the price seemed high. And when I glanced at receipt,ever so shortly before I paid, it did have the correct weights of the pigs notated. So i just followed instructions and paid. I went around and waited for almost an hour while they tried to find my meat in their walk-in freezer. They found 2 of the pigs but not the third, and our sausage links after 20-30 minutes. This gentleman Matt (if I remember right cause he didn't give his name to me) was working hard to find the meat and apologized for the delay because of the new system they were using. When i was finally loaded up (even though I was frustrated with the long wait), Alek apologized for the long time to find my order and if we were good. I was polite and said yes, there is a car behind me, so I'm good and left, not wanting to delay the other person as well. Since I got my receipts. I studied them and calculated them, and the math didn't add up on the paperwork... so i turned around and went back to ask why my price was billed like this? Alek recognized me and asked me if I needed anything, and i said yes, i have a question. He did a good job trying to answer my questions. BUT THEN DIANE stepped in and She said, "That is, just how it is" without explaining why it appeared like I was being overcharged (in a belittling tone like I don't know how to use a calculator or do math). Alek was there and basically could see my irritation with her comment and asked my opinion on what they could do to do better. I explained my experience and frustrations. He apologized and did a good job trying to calm the situation. Alek explained that there is a minimum charge $225 which was not stated on the receipt. That cleared the air and made sense. I WANT TO GIVE THEM A 2 STAR, but it seems most of my frustrations seemed to revolve around bookkeeping, and that's unfair to a company that is trying to do well. So I gave them a 4 star because of their disorganization, and their bookkeeper at the register, Diane, was extremely rude. Customers may not always be right because of ignorance, but they deserve to understand the process that they are paying for without being belittled. Alek, Clay, and Matt did a great job in trying to give good customer service. I can not say the same for Diane. GOOD LUCK WITH HER... Other suggestions are to get the meat so the person paying is not worried for an hour if they are being helped or if they are gonna get everything...

We recently had some meat processed by Hopkins. When it came time to pick up the finished product, it quickly became apparent that a miscommunication had occurred. No one's fault in particular; just an honest miscommunication. That being said, Hopkins (Chris Beck) went out of their way, above and beyond themselves to make it right by me and my family. Integrity, customer service, trusting my word, etc. Nothing but respect for their efforts. I highly recommend this company, and am so impressed by their customer service efforts. It's our second year processing meat there, and again, the final product has been so very good! They'll get our business in the future. ...

Brought in a beef last year and have been pretty disappointed in what we got back. I'm working over the phone with them right now to get it resolved and will update my review afterwards. Their customer service has been great, otherwise.

Edit: The conclusion they came to was that it was too lean, and maybe being grass-fed added to the off flavor. They did sight/smell tests. Communication was difficult through this process. I would go a couple weeks in between each step without hearing back from them, and would have to call them to move things forward again, but when they did call they were very professional and...