Forget the stereotype of an awkward bird hiding its head in the sand and picture instead a bit of savory ostrich meat cooking in your establishment's kitchen. Ostrich is the latest trend in cooking...and one that's likely to stay. Ostrich is a red meat that's lower in cholesterol, calories, and fat than skinless chicken or turkey...and it looks and tastes like lean beef, so will feel familiar to your customers.

It's not uncommon to find ostrich on the menu of upscale American and European restaurants, and according to The National Culinary Review, ostrich is "the premier red meat of the next century." Fortunately, it's relatively easy to find ostrich meat for your restaurant or specialty store at wholesale prices. With that in mind, consider the following:

1. Ostrich meat comes in many forms, including ground, steak, and fillets.
2. Ostrich meat also comes as a prepared product, like hot dogs.
3. Ostrich meat is available from wholesalers or directly from ranches.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy quality ground, steak, and fillet ostrich meat

Ostrich is ranched in over 50 countries and may be raised anywhere from Alaska to Southern Africa. As the health benefits of ostrich meat are publicized, and as Americans discover how great it tastes, it's only going to become easier to find ostrich meat for sale. The simplest method of bringing ostrich meat into your food business is to buy from an established ostrich meat retailer or wholesaler.

I recommend: Fossil Farms offers ground ostrich meat, fillets, steaks in 8, 6, or 4 oz. portions. Among meat suppliers, Blackwing Meats is perhaps best known for wholesale ostrich meat; they also have a delicious selection of ostrich meat in ground patties, ground bulk, fillets, tenderloin, and steak, roast at wholesale prices.

Choose prepared ostrich meat products

Your customers will love it if you look beyond the obvious. Many ostrich meat suppliers sell ostrich in more unusual formats, like cut up for kabobs or prepared as hot dogs. Sometimes, for a more familiar flavor, the latter is mixed with a small amount of pork or beef.

I recommend: In addition to selling more traditional ostrich meat products, Blue Heaven Ostrich Ranch sells ostrich meat hot dogs, called "Bird Dogs" and mixed with both a little pork and beef. Ostrich.com has an excellent selection of ostrich meat products, including ostrich hot dogs, sausage and snack sticks. ExoticMeatSales.com sells ostrich sausage, seasoned with either pistachios or cherries.

Buy ostrich meat direct from ranchers

Support family ostrich ranchers and buy fine, fresh ostrich meat directly from farmers. Many ostrich ranches offer a selection of products equal to most ostrich meat suppliers in both price, variety, and quality.

I recommend: Golden Dreams Ostrich Farm's selection includes many standard choices, plus kabob meat, brats, bacon, and snack sticks at good ostrich meat prices. Pokanoket Ostrich Farm offers ostrich meat fillets, fajita strips, steaks, roasts, and more.