Differentiation is key to the success of smaller meat and poultry processors. After all, the big chains can produce generic bricks of ground beef and steaks cheaper than any mom-and-pop processor in the country.

However, a growing segment of consumers want something better than a generic cut of meat. A slew of ongoing consumer studies shows that shoppers increasingly value meat and poultry sourced locally from producers dedicated to environmental stewardship and humane animal husbandry.