Being Vertical – James Rickert, Belcampo

Vertical integration is the combination of stages of the productions system.  With food products, that usually means a farmer or rancher selling to a processor who may then sell to a manufacturer and finally to either a retail store or restaurant.  Internet sales and home delivery companies are nudging themselves into that last stage to consumption.  While each stage is specialized, there are distinct advantages to tying it all together, such as quality control and efficient communications from the end consumer back to the farm where adjustments can be made in production practices from breeding to feeding. It epitomizes good marketing, \”giving the consumer precisely what they want.\”  A new leader in this space is Belcampo, a northern California farming livestock producer and meat processor with restaurants, direct sales and even an agri-tourism dimension. The sustainable Belcampo farm is directed by James Rickert, a fifth generation Shasta County agriculturalist. The production and processing portions of the operation are located near Mount Shasta in northern California. Belcampo’s restaurant and retail presence is located in the Bay Area, Los Angeles area and now New York City.  James joins Farm To Table to tell the story of producing premium, grass fed animal based products for  consumers who are discerning in taste and the farm to table journey of their dinners, whether they consume it at a restaurant or at home. www.belcampo.com