Our Story
We're still ranching in the tradition of our great-grandfather. He always told us: You start with great stock, you feed and treat 'em right, and you never try to hurry things along.
The story of Montana Legend Natural Angus Beef is a story of
the West. It is a story of hard work, a commitment to excellence,
old-fashioned values, unbridled cooperation, and generations
of tradition. The legend began in 1901 when the Mackay family
began raising cattle on a 160-acre homestead near Roscoe, Montana.
Here, nestled between snow-capped mountains, icy clear streams
slowly melted into lush, pristine pastures. Cattle were raised
on the open range, and upon maturity, took a three-day trail
drive to Red Lodge where they boarded a train and endured a
four-day ride to market in Chicago.
Changing Times
It has since been over 100 years (4 generations), and the
ranch is much larger, the cattle much healthier, and the cowboys
and cowgirls much wiser. To this day, the land is equally
pristine and the work is equally hard, but business is done
in a new way. The Montana Legend company was born out of a
recognized need to change the way ranchers do business to
benefit the consumer. The new company saw three significant
business items that needed to change:
1) The middleman.
Through and through, the middlemen always seemed to care less
about quality and more about high volume and cheap prices.
Because Montana Legend wanted to focus on producing the highest
quality beef available, they eliminated the middleman entirely.
2) The treatment of cattle.
The ranchers knew that the better you treat the cows, the
better the beef. Additionally, the company had the same concern as many
other people about the chemicals found in much of the nation’s
food supply. So, they joined efforts with other like-minded
Montana ranchers who would humanely raise all-natural Angus
beef without the use of growth hormones or antibiotics.
3) The accountability for quality.
This new confederation of ranchers was responsible for their
own product. There was no passing the buck if something wasn't
right; people were held accountable for providing consistent,
quality product. All the while, ranchers focused on doing
the best job possible in husbanding the land, the animals,
and the cowboys and cowgirls who took care of them. These
associated ranchers produced the calves, processed the cattle,
and leased the warehouses and final distribution trucks. The beef was under their control at all times, and to this day, the company traces individual cattle from birth to the dinner plate. Montana Legend knows everything about every piece of meat: the ranch of origin, the genetics, and the veterinary history.
Since these changes were made, Montana Legend
has become a recognized leader in premium, all-natural Angus
beef.
Building the Legend
The best products in the world don't become legends by accident.
They are intentionally designed to satisfy customer demand
for quality, and only after they meet that standard do they
become known as the finest in the world. In the 100+ years
since the Mackay family started raising cattle, the family
business has perfected its skills and recognizes what it takes
to raise quality beef. It is the meticulous attention to detail
and commitment to quality that has propelled Montana Legend
to the forefront of gourmet beef.
The company’s continuing success relies on the tremendous
amount of pride that the people of Montana Legend place in
their product. It is for this reason that they demand control
of the entire operation—from the selection of the finest
Angus stock, to the processing, warehousing, and delivery
of the final product.
This impressive Montana Legend system starts with the careful
selection of calves that have preferred traits. The herd is
raised in a chemical-free field environment without the use
of growth hormones or antibiotics, the cattle are grass-fed
and granola-finished™ with a special blend of natural feed,
and finally, the cattle live in a calm, friendly, no-stress
environment where they are cared for by real cowboys and cowgirls.
This is good for them, good for the quality of meat, and good
for you, the consumer.
Montana Legend is in the business of building on “the
legend.” Our customers—whether they be a supermarket,
a restaurant, or an individual—can be confident they’re
buying beef that is purely and simply the world’s best.
Rave Reviews
From famous steakhouses in New York, to high-end white tablecloth
restaurants in San Francisco—and with scores of restaurants
in between—the dedication to produce the highest quality
Angus beef available has made Montana Legend a hands-down
winner in every taste test across the country.
"We have not seen as high a level of quality in any
premium beef program."
-- Major Food Service Distributor
”We offer our customers only the finest and freshest
ingredients. When it comes to beef, Montana Legend is simply
the best.”
– Peter Christ, Bridge Creek Backcountry Kitchen &
Wine Bar, MT
“You people are a quality company. I’ve eaten
most of the burgers and they are OUTSTANDING!”
– Michael Tierno, CA
The Larger Picture
Montana Legend and its forward-thinking affiliates encourage
conservation easements on Montana ranch lands and believe
in agricultural traditions and culture, open spaces, wildlife
habitat, and stream protection. Conservation easements guarantee
a Big Sky Country that is not overdeveloped or cut into small
ranchettes. Under careful stewardship of conservation trustees,
Montanans, their guests, and all future generations will enjoy
these vast, unspoiled lands that we have been privileged to
care for. Our concerned alliance of ranchers supports the
organizations and efforts that help to build an economically
strong community and preserve our land base.
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