Have you seen juicy cuts of bison meat sold in the grocery store lately? Or perhaps the menu at your favourite local restaurant now has bison steak as one of its entrées. More and more food and grocery businesses in Canada are selling bison meat in recent years due to its rising popularity. But what makes bison meat different from beef? According to the Canadian Bison Association, there is 1/3 less fat in bison than in beef, which means it is a healthier cut of meat. As well, the taste of bison is similar to that of beef, but it is generally sweeter and more flavourful (and without the gamey taste associated with wild animals). While the bison was hunted to near extinction over a century ago, they number at over 500,000 in North America today due to a combination of successful private ranching and government funded public efforts to increase their numbers. According to Statistics Canada, the majority of bison producers in Canada are located in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. A small number of bison producers do exist in Ontario, but they consist of less than 5% of all producers. Due to the proximity of Saskatchewan to Ontario, many bison products from Saskatchewan are regularly shipped to restaurants and grocers in Ontario.
If you are a restaurant, grocer, or food business in the GTA looking to sell red meats like bison, please remember to acquire sufficient cooler and freezer space for the cold storage of your inventory. Just like poultry and beef, bison needs to be kept refrigerated at all times to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. At Coolmate Rentals, we can provide you or your business with rental mobile coolers, freezers, and combo cooler and freezer units that range from 6’ to 16’ in size. Our units are well-cleaned using food grade cleaners that are also rated to kill the coronavirus. Your cooler and freezer rental can be booked on a daily, weekly, or monthly (and longer) basis. Reach out to us today to rent a freezer and/or a cooler unit for your business, before things get too busy in the summer season.