Atlanta, GA - U.S. Bison Co., LLC, a newly formed company owned by Ted Turner that is dedicated to introducing bison meat to a mass audience, has announced it will begin rolling out bison meat products under the brand name "U.S. Bison" this fall. The announcement was made at the Southeastern Restaurant and Foodservice Show, taking place in Atlanta Oct. 11 - 13.
U.S. Bison Co. is targeting the foodservice industry, with an emphasis on white tablecloth restaurants. Its first test market will be Atlanta, then the company will expand into several Southeastern states. Grocery retail distribution is planned for second quarter 1999. Kevin Rathbun, executive chef of the popular restaurant NAVA, owned by Atlanta-based Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, will serve as executive consulting chef for U.S. Bison Co. and is assisting the company in menu consulting and recipe development. Additionally, NAVA plans to offer bison meat beginning this fall.
While the original focus will be on Atlanta, the company has distribution partners in place to deliver bison throughout the Southeast as demand grows.
"We can't think of a better place to introduce U.S. Bison than here in Atlanta, home to Ted Turner who has helped bring national attention to the benefits of bison, as well as a restaurant community that has been gaining accolades from around the country," said Hansell Roddenbery, president and CEO of U.S. Bison Co. "The people of Atlanta are in for a real treat. Not only is bison considered a gourmet meat item, but it's also a healthier, more nutritious alternative to other red meats and even chicken. We're delighted to be partnering with NAVA to introduce bison to the Atlanta fine dining audience, and we look forward to expanding distribution into more restaurants and grocery stores in the near future."
Bison meat has long been recognized for its nutritional value. According to a study by Marty Marchello, a North Dakota State University meat scientist, buffalo steaks contain about one-third the fat of choice grade beef ribeyes but otherwise are nutritionally similar. Uncooked bison ribeyes contain 2.2% fat, roughly a third of that found in an average ribeye sold in stores. Both beef and bison are low in sodium and high in iron, and their cholesterol levels are about the same.
"We see bison as a complement to beef," said R.E. "Teddy" Turner IV, chairman of U.S. Bison Co. "It provides a great-tasting, nutritional alternative and is very versatile: You can have bison steaks, tenderloin, chuck roast, eye of round, ground meat, even hot dogs."
U.S. Bison is working in partnership with the North American Bison Cooperative (NABC), a New Rockford, N.D.-based processing cooperative which has exclusive processing rights with U.S. Bison Co. NABC has granted U.S. Bison Co. rights to sell both nationally and internationally, as well as exclusive rights for Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Ted Turner has been a member of the NABC since 1996. With Turner's herd of more than 15,000 bison and the bison herds owned by other NABC members, U.S. Bison Co. has access to the largest supply of bison meat in the world. U.S. Bison Co. Putting Bison Back on America's Table
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