Chef Chris Shepherd Backs Walmart USDA Prime Beef as Prices Rival Costco and Sam's Club
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 21
Chef Chris Shepherd Backs Walmart USDA Prime Beef as Prices Rival Costco and Sam's Club
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 21
James Beard winner Chris Shepherd told Food & Wine Walmart is one of the best U.S. places to buy USDA Prime beef, citing affordable pricing on cuts such as ribeyes, briskets and tenderloins.
Walmart’s edge, he said, comes from its McLaren Farms-backed Angus supply program, which he credited with delivering strong marbling and broader access to premium Black Angus beef at lower prices.
Shepherd said Walmart’s Prime prices are competitive with Costco and Sam’s Club, a pitch that lands as shoppers keep seeking cheaper grocery options without giving up higher-end meat.
Washington state meat expert Evan Carter said USDA Prime reflects marbling and animal age, but not genetics, feed or raising practices, warning that quality can still vary at Walmart’s scale.
Carter said accessible Prime beef still has a place in the market, but urged shoppers to look beyond the USDA label and check sourcing and ranch information.
A top chef endorses Walmart's Prime beef. But what crucial quality details are being left off the official USDA label?
Can a mass retailer truly deliver consistent, steakhouse-quality beef, or is this gourmet deal too good to be true?