Meat Naturally was originally founded with the intent to address environmental degradation in South Africa.
The nation’s rangelands are being devastated by the spread of non-edible invasive plants, poor grazing management, and disruption of the predator-prey balance from the killing of predators.
They recognized that ecological restoration and rural economic development were not exclusive to one another.
Thus Meat Naturally was born to institute a sustainable farming model, creating economic and ecological balance. Farmers that collaborate with them produce wildlife-friendly, quality beef and healthy rangelands.
Meat Naturally partners with NGOs to offer rural farmers formal training on regenerative grazing techniques, rangeland restoration practices, cattle management, stock theft patrol, and predator control.
They also support NGO economic goals by organizing mobile auctions and abattoirs to provide small-scale farmers with the opportunity to reach new markets.
In exchange for training, equipment, and market access, farmers commit to preserving rangelands and providing quality meat products that are sustainably produced.
Meat Naturally is the catalyst for a sustainable Africa, breaking down former market and environmental barriers.
They have a leadership role in the organization of mobile auctions that bring rural farmers and commercial buyers together; providing livestock management training for herders, NGOs, and farmers; organizing mobile abattoirs enabling increased market opportunities for farmers; providing NGOs and farming communities with bulk purchasing power and access to critical farming equipment and vaccinations; and consulting services for implementing essential grazing practices, cattle management, tagging and stock antitheft.
Through their concerted efforts to bring key stakeholders together, they are leading Africa’s effort to restore decimated rangelands and empower small-scale rural farmers.
Meat Naturally evolved and could not exist without critical support provided by South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs; South African National Parks; Conservation South Africa; Environmental and Rural Solutions; the Umzimvubu Catchment Partnership Programme Partners; Kruger to Canyon Biosphere; Peace Parks Foundation; UCLA Anderson School of Business; generous private funders and an award from Securing Water for Food.
Each of these entities provided time, finance, and endless support that enabled Meat Naturally to develop its business model.
How it Works
Herder & Farming Training
Meat Naturally supports the development and facilitation of EcoRanger training programs for communal farmers on behalf of NGOs.
Sessions include regenerative grazing techniques, cattle management, stock theft patrol, and erosion control.
Grazing Planning & Mapping
Meat Naturally provides consulting services, assisting NGOs and farming communities to understand their grazing capacity, look at seasonal trends, and develop calendar-based grazing plans that are explicitly designed for the conditions in their lands.
Their ecological expertise can also help farming communities restore areas of bare ground or severe erosion.
Conservation Contracts
Meat Naturally has developed a sustainable farming model that is based on science and the use of a conservation contract.
These contracts serve as guidelines and a standard of practices for farmers to follow, that will protect wildlife and optimize rangeland health.
Mobile Auctions
They organize and manage mobile auctions, providing an opportunity for emerging farmers to reach new markets.
Creating this market opportunity, ensures farmers meet our standards for sustainable farming practices.
Mobile Abattoirs
Meat Naturally operates mobile abattoirs for communities living within Foot and Mouth Disease Zones.
This enables them to buy and slaughter animals from farmers living adjacent to National Parks or wildlife corridors, who are also signed into a conservation contract.
Vaccinations
Through their relationships providing bulk purchasing power, small-scale farmers can obtain critical vaccinations to ensure the health of livestock, and of course, offer a high-quality meat product.
Livestock Tagging
Meat Naturally provides farmers with a complete suite of tagging services to enhance traceability of ownership for formal market access as well as for identification in the case of stock theft.
Bulk Purchasing
With the support of vendors, donors, and local NGOs, they are giving rural farmers the ability to purchase much-needed vaccinations, tagging, farming equipment, and more through their bulk purchasing arrangements.
Established Brand Presence
Meat Naturally is an established brand, recognized in the market. NGOs and livestock farmers can join this network and leverage their brand, expertise, market relationships, and farmer management.
Farming Education
Meat Naturally provides EcoRanger training for small, rural farmers in Southern Africa. Herders learn proven techniques for regenerative grazing, cattle management, stock theft patrol, and predator control.
Through their collaboration with local NGOs, farmers now have access to bulk purchasing power, vaccinations, tagging services, and much more. In short, emerging farmers can now provide high-quality meats and compete with commercial farmers.
Rangeland Restoration
Through the Meat Naturally Conservation Agreement, they have developed a sustainable model where livestock farmers are trained and then required to implement environmentally-friendly grazing plans and techniques, assist in erosion control, and clearing of invasive plant species, thereby restoring Africa’s rangelands and wetlands.
Therefore, their farmers have become stewards of the continent’s environment, as well as, an emerging source of rural economic development.
Creating Market Vibrance
Meat Naturally is creating an economic opportunity and sustainable livelihood for emerging farmers, linking small-scale independent farmers with commercial buyers of meat products.
By organizing and managing both mobile auctions and abattoirs, farmers now have the power to sell meat to markets and buyers formerly inaccessible.
Additionally, buyers can now have confidence in the meat quality as they work with farmers to meet production and health standards.
Economic & Ecological Balance
The natural beauty of their sustainable model is that it creates a balance between rural economic development and ecological management and restoration.
One is not exclusive to the other. Instead, the livelihoods of the farming community are dependent upon a robust environment, and now thanks to Meat Naturally, a healthy environment is looking to farmers who are equally focused on growing market opportunities as they are on growing healthy rangelands.
NGO Partnership
Meat Naturally collaborates with NGOs to deliver economic and environmental prosperity to local communities and emerging farmers.
They also partner with organizations, providing technical expertise, tools, and resources for sustainable farming and rangeland restoration.
Their services include grazing plans and mapping, formal training for livestock farmers, vaccinations, tagging, and community-based market access reaching new buyers for rural farmers.
Founders
Sarah Frazee
Sarah Frazee is the Founder and CEO of Meat Naturally.
She previously worked at Conservation International as a Director of the South African Hotspots Programme.
Sarah Frazee attended The University of Cape Town.
Investors & Funding Rounds
SAB Foundation
USAID, Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and the Governments of The Netherlands and South Africa invested $34 million in Securing Water for Food (SWFF) to promote science and technology solutions that enable the production of more food with less water and make more water available for food production, processing, and distribution.
Main Competitors
BrightFarms: This is an indoor farming company that specializes in providing locally grown packaged salads.
AgroFresh: It is a food production company that offers horticultural technology.
Simply Good Jars: This makes healthy choices easier and fosters a strong and critical connection between local growers, and consumers.
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