Grundhofer's Old Fashion Meats — Local services in Hugo

Over the years, I’ve had some really great consistent experiences at Grundhofer’s meats, but my last visit this Morning will also be my last visit to their shop. This review doesn’t speak to the quality of their food - that I imagine is just as great as always. My customer service experience was the glaring problem.

I drove 40min from my home in Minneapolis and brought in a deer for processing, based on the information provided on their website, which I learned is incredibly outdated or poorly written “we process one deer at a time” actually means “we throw all your meat into a batch” - I was specifically looking for a butcher that did not do this. Their website also says that they process whole deer carcasses, which I also learned they no longer do, so I’m glad I didn’t have need for that service, but make sure you don’t either I guess.

When I told the woman behind the counter that I had deer trim for processing, she stared at me blankly and said “is it frozen?”. The answer was yes - this was my first deer and therefor my first deer processing experience. I apologized for my mistake but she said I should drive it back home and let it thaw and drive it back. Another employee overheard this conversation and decided to take a look at my trim. After a cursory once over, I was told he couldn’t accept it because he couldn’t tell the overall condition (no hair, no fat, etc.) who is when I learned they do not process one deer at a time per their website, but instead use a batching process counter to what they advertise online.

The whole experience lacked more than an ounce of customer service, and it’s beyond frustrating to be mislead by a website and make a long drive somewhere to learn that you’ve been mislead. I will no longer stop at Grundhofer’s when I need meat to cook with my relatives in their neck of the woods - time to give another butcher shop with hopefully better customer...

I promised the owner that I would periodically post about his poor customer service as I will try to steer people away from this place. go to FLICKER MEATS or ANGUS MEATS. This incident happened many years ago. I like to patron a local business and as long as I was paying top dollar for meat, he seemed happy. After a few years in business, they decided to have a CUSTOMER APPRECIATION weekend with pretty good deals on select meats. My mother happened to be in town from New York and my brother just moved close so I brought them in. Long story short we bought everything and spends hundreds. This is after the big fat guy (owner) demanded coupons from each of us. we went to city hall to get them. when I asked the nice young lady behind to counter if they could wrap some in butcher paper to last longer in the freezer, he blew a gasket in front of other customers. He stated his frustration with me bringing in other customers. He chose the wrong guy because I let him have it and explained to him that it was obvious that he did not want to share these deals with people. I told him that he should be out front shaking peoples hands and thanking folks for not only coming in BUT bringing potential future customers. l mentioned I will never come in again and will warn people of his horrible attitude. funny thing is, he probably remembers this and will respond with some snide comments to try and save face. That should give you apicture of this guy. Its a good thing my little New York Italian mother was already outside waiting for me. He would not have survived that verbal assault!! After reading others poor reviews, it seems this guy hasn't learned much. folks, other places with better quality products and service is what you should...

I sent multiple hogs to different markets- all in the same timeframe, same batch of hogs, and for some reason all the meat that came back from Grundhofer's was disgusting. It was not my hog. I can tell, I did a taste test with chops. My hogs are raised in the woods. I can taste the concrete floor in the hog I was given from Grundhofer's. I will never go here again and advise my friends and neighbors, as well as those who ask for advice, to find a different butcher. I swear on my mama's life- that was not my hog. The rest from other butchers in the batch were the same (given differences in spices for those items that are spiced and smoked) but the pork chops where what I compared. That meat from this butcher was gross. The rest of the chops from various butchers were all the same. All prepared the same. I can't say it enough- it was not my hog. My hogs do not have a gross after taste. Now the taste, that fact of the matter on the farmer who raises them, so clearly this butcher had nothing to do with how it was raised. But I do know that the hog I delivered to Grundhofer's was NOT the one I...