Success Story: Yellowstone River Beef

Yellowstone River Beef – Williston, 2025

WILLISTON – In May of 2024, two agricultural families, CJ & Calli Thorne, and Luke & Courtney Taylor, took the next step in their farm-to-fork journey by purchasing Yellowstone River Beef (YRB), a USDA federally inspected beef processing plant in Williston, North Dakota. Although they were not actively looking for a new venture, the opportunity arose in October of 2023. After years of raising and selling beef through Thorne’s own operation, Triangle M Ranch & Feedlot, and working with YBR for processing, they quickly saw the value in owning the facility themselves.

“We had been selling beef directly off our ranch for a few years and had done much of the processing at YBR,” said CJ and Calli. “Both families have been entrepreneurs for a while, so when this opportunity came up, we saw the potential – even though we weren’t really looking for something new.” The plant itself has a long history in the community, known previously as Prairie Packing or Williston Meats, it has served the area for decades. These new owners are focused on bringing back the local connection, detailing “We’re processing local cattle, and working to make sure people in our local communities and the region know what we have to offer.”

With their deep roots in agriculture and extensive experience in the beef industry, the Thorne and Taylor families bring expertise from cow/calf operations to custom feeding. Like any ownership transition, the process came with challenges, which led them to seek support from the North Dakota Small Business Development Centers (ND SBDC). “We knew they had a wealth of connections, resources, and tools for us,” the families shared. Working with Keith Olson from the Williston Center was a natural choice as he had been involved with the plant’s prior transitions.

“Keith helped us with our numbers and helped create a business plan. He asked us questions we may not have thought about,” they said. “I truly don’t know if we would have made this business a reality if it weren’t for the help of Keith at the SBDC.” Since the purchase, both YRB’s custom processing list and their retail sales have grown. They attribute that success to a strong work ethic, deep industry knowledge, and trust within their community. “We are the rancher and the butcher,” they said. “People also know our character, who we are as individuals, and that they can trust us.”

Community support has been a major factor in their success. “It’s really fun when we see new customers walk into the retail store daily. Many of them we’ve learned have come because of word of mouth.” To other aspiring entrepreneurs, their advice is simple, but also powerful as they state, “Running businesses can be incredibly challenging, but also incredibly rewarding. You have to be willing to do the extra, and that includes the little things. Nothing is below you as the owner, and I think that’s important for your employees to see.”

Grateful for the opportunity to bring quality beef to their region, the Thorne and Taylor families of Yellowstone River Beef continue to grow their business and share their story with their customers and employees every step of the way.