Locally Raised Beef Now At Sun Fresh
By Jill Draper
Locally grown beef is now available at Lipari’s Sun Fresh Market in the Red Bridge Shopping Center. George Lipari, who runs the grocery store, says he is partnering with Valley Oaks Steak Company to offer beef raised in the area and finished at a feedlot in Lone Jack. The beef, which has no added hormones, is also processed there and aged for 21 days for extra flavor and tenderness.
Valley Oaks Steak Company is owned by David Ward and his family. According to Lipari, the Wards began farming in Oak Grove in 1948, later branching into the real estate business by purchasing shopping strip malls and self-storage units. Ward owns Sun Fresh grocery stores in Grain Valley and Oak Grove and is building another one in Blue Springs, Lipari says, but he sold much of his other property a couple of years ago and decided to start selling beef from his own cows.
“I went out and looked at his plant. He knows what he is doing. This guy’s beef is really, really good and it eats extremely well,” says Lipari. “It’s aged for 21 days which makes for tender and flavorful beef.”
According to the Valley Oaks Steak Company website, the Ward family has been breeding registered Angus cattle since 1992 and has been privately selling beef for years. Only recently have they begun sales to the entire community.
Lipari says he is considering other changes at the Red Bridge grocery store, but is still in negotiations with the owner, Lane4 Property Group.