CALF_News_Oct_Nov_2018

24 CALF News • October | November 2018 • www.calfnews.net I t was kind of old-home week at Phelps County Feeders when I drove in. I had worked on com- puter programs with the former owner 25 years earlier, and Dale Klute, co-owner, is an old friend from my Colo- rado days. Dale and wife, Shawna, and a trove of relatives provide an ever-changing vari- ety of services, from commodity trading to custom cattle feeding to premium beef to the sizzle on the plate. Phelps County Feeders/Nebraska Star Beef have a story to tell. “We saw there were 13 different ways to feed cattle,” Joe Klute says.“We could see the customer base was changing, and the Baby Boomers were going a different way with their investment dollars.” The Klutes made the decision at that time to specialize in the industry they understood – producing beef. The family returned to Nebraska in 1998, settling in Holdrege. They pursued the cattle feeding business, purchasing a feedyard – Phelps County Feeders. Five years ago, they got into beef sales, developing Nebraska Star Beef, a line of all-natural beef products. They also own Angus Burgers & Shakes restaurants in Kearney and Omaha, and Sozo American Cuisine in Kearney. Phelps County Feeders employs 50 people at their two yards outside of Holdrege. Joe Klute over- sees the overall feedyard operations, with long- time employees Evan and Bryce Brown tending to the day-to-day duties. Many of their employees have been with the company for 17 or more years, but Klute says their biggest cost is still staff turnover. Fortunately, they’re what he calls “a meat family,” and boy are they. Along with Dale, Shawna and Joe, Kayla, daughter/sister, is a major player in Nebraska Star Beef, and son/ brother, Chandler, handles shipping and receiv- ing, among other assignments. Cousin/ nephew, Steve, manages product devel- opment but also works in marketing and sales. Little brother/uncle, Dan, handles key accounts and sales. The company offers a number of feeding options. The majority of their feedyard cattle are fed conventionally, but their all-natural program has grown, supplying beef for their Nebraska Star Beef brand. In the late ‘80s, the feedyard shipped a number of cattle to Japan, leading to a relationship withWhole Foods, which Dale and Shawna Klute greet customers at the feedlot just outside Holdrege, Neb. Photo by Patti Wilson The Full Package By Betty Jo Gigot Publisher Joe Klute tells the company’s story to reporter, Betty Jo Gigot. Photo by Patti Wilson A Reason to specialize Joe Klute, Dale’s son and co-owner of Nebraska Star Beef, talked about the olden days in Colorado when he and his dad were feeding cattle in 13 different feedyards.