Rising costs force Crockett Creek Beef Jerky changes

By Rick Laney
of The Daily Times Staff

According to Stan Hitch of Crockett Creek Beef Jerky, the rising cost of cattle, grain and transportation forced the company to make tough decisions recently -- namely, to switch from using U.S. beef free of monosodium glutamate (MSG) to using Argentinian beef, some of which contains MSG.

The Crockett Creek product now on local shelves reflects "transitional" packaging, according to Hitch, and some information on the bags is now crossed out with permanent marker or covered by stickers. In coming days, the company expects delivery of the final version of its new packaging.

For about 30 years, the Hitch family has made beef jerky in Blount County. After developing a home recipe for jerky to take on hunting trips, brothers Stan and B.D. Hitch, along with their father Bob Hitch, started the Crockett Creek Beef Jerky Co. In 2002, the company reportedly employed nine full-time and several part-time workers.

Hitch said the recent changes at his company led him to lay off two full-time employees and two part-time employees.

In a March 27, 2002, interview, Hitch told The Daily Times that Crockett Creek's beef jerky was made from grain-fed beef raised in the United States. He said "no foreign beef is used because the quality is not as good."

Six years ago, Hitch said, "Our two biggest selling points are that ours contain no MSG, monosodium glutamate, which is a flavor enhancer that some people are allergic to. Also, we don't use any nitrites or nitrates. We use exactly the same recipe that we used 25 years ago."

According to the current Crockett Creek packaging, the beef jerky now contains monosodium glutamate (MSG) and nitrites.

About six months ago, Stan Hitch told The Daily Times he was "considering" some international suppliers for his beef -- but that a final decision had not been made at that time.

After traveling to Argentina to meet with suppliers, examine their operations and test their products, Hitch decided to make the changes.

"We knew we had discovered the best meat to make our jerky," Hitch said. "It was much leaner -- being 100 percent grass fed as opposed to feedlots where growth enhancers and hormones are commonly used.

"While there, we discovered they have a state-of-the-art jerky processing plant. We were very impressed with their cleanliness standards and also learned that they are subject to U.S.A., Japan and European inspections."

The company's supplier, based in Brazil, operates 33 beef processing plants in Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.

"They slice the meat according to our exact specifications (in Argentina)," Hitch said. "Then they dehydrate, bulk package and ship it to us for further processing.

"At our plant here in Maryville, we add our original marinades and spices, then hickory smoke it the same as we have for many years."

Hitch said that because the meat is still being processed here, he is not required to list the jerky as imported.

Crockett Creek's product is sold primarily to wholesale distributors and ends up in various retail outlets, from small, mom-and-pop stores to larger retailers such as the Pilot Corp. and Wal-Mart. The company is located at 2134 U.S. 411 South and has a retail store at its facility.

The company established a loyal following over the years by passing out free samples at hunting, fishing and outdoor sporting shows and events.