You may eat a hot dog or hamburger on the Fourth of July or always have ham on Easter or Roast Beef for Christmas, but the meat isn’t the focus of the holiday like Turkey is for Thanksgiving.  

According to Ashley Kohls, Executive Director for the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association, which is headquartered in Buffalo, MN — 30 million turkeys will have been consumed during the week of Thanksgiving, and one in five of them will have been grown in Minnesota.  In fact, Minnesota has been the number one turkey producer for the nation since the 1940’s and currently is home to over 600 first to sixth generation turkey farms. 

By the time one reads this article, one will have already purchased and eaten one’s turkey.  According to Kohls, 70% of consumers purchased their turkeys more than a week out from the holiday.  

For McDonald’s Meats co-owner Jennifer Dierkes, she purchased the 300 fresh turkeys needed for Thanksgiving Day shopping in July.  They had just arrived the week before Thanksgiving, when this reporter stopped by to talk turkey with her.  Dierkes said that approximately half of those turkeys would be pre-ordered by customers who have been getting their turkeys from McDonald’s Meats for years.  Customers also had the option to order pre-brined whole turkeys.  Last year, 25 customers took advantage of this service and Dierkes estimates that another 25 will do so again this year. 

Perhaps the fastest growing offering at McDonald’s Meats is their smoked turkey.  

“They are pre-cooked, so it takes half the time to prepare than a traditional turkey and they’re delicious,” Dierkes said. “It’s the only thing I’ll let my family eat.”  

She plans on serving smoked turkey and ham for Thanksgiving.  She explained that her brother, and co-owner, Travis McDonald, insists on having ham.   Though smoked turkey is trending upward, according to the MTGA, 65% of consumers prefer a roast turkey over other ways of preparing it. 

During this interview, Dierkes took a moment to answer a customer’s questions.  Becky Byington from Buffalo, MN wanted to know about brining turkeys. Afterward, Dierkes explained why people appreciate her meat market to other stores.

“That’s what sets us apart from grocery stores, we’re here to answer questions,” she said.  

Dierkes takes pride in having a knowledgeable staff that knows about all the products they offer.  That is why it’s important for her to retain staff.  

“Not every employee is going to know everything on their first day, but as they continue to work for us, their knowledge grows,” she says.

Speaking of knowledge, here are a few additional fun facts from the MTGA that may resonate with our readers.  This year, 80% of turkey consumers were interested in purchasing precooked or ready to heat and serve turkeys.  Sixty-one percent of consumers prefer white meat for their first bite of Thanksgiving turkey, and lastly, 52% of consumers enjoy their leftovers as a turkey sandwich.