Wild Fork Updates Membership Policy?

Greg Jones

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Anyone else receive an email from Wild Fork that essentially says that at some point they will fire you as an unlimited member if you don’t live in a state where they don’t have physical stores? If I understand this correctly, since I just renewed my annual membership 12/25/22, I’ll be granted an option to renew again on 12/25/23, but the whole thing sounds so bizarre. There are more states that they are cutting off memberships than states they will continue to serve. If I have misunderstood, please enlighten me what this could mean.

Dear valued member,

Effective January 1, 2023, Wild Fork Unlimited will no longer be available for purchase in your state.* This decision did not come easily, but as our company continues to grow, and as we look to build our membership program, we felt we could not serve these locations with the same level of excellence as we can in states where we currently have or plan to have a Wild Fork store in the near future. It is because of this we have decided to discontinue Wild Fork Unlimited in your area.

We understand that this is not the news that our members want to hear. To help lessen the impact, we are offering to extend memberships for any member who held a current Wild Fork Unlimited membership as of December 31, 2022. All will have the option to let their membership renew for an additional cycle, either monthly or annually, or have the option to cancel ahead of the next billing cycle. More details can be found on this, including important dates around cancellation, in the updated Wild Fork Unlimited Terms and Conditions.

Thank you again for being a valued member.

—The Wild Fork Family
.
 
Anyone else receive an email from Wild Fork that essentially says that at some point they will fire you as an unlimited member if you don’t live in a state where they don’t have physical stores? If I understand this correctly, since I just renewed my annual membership 12/25/22, I’ll be granted an option to renew again on 12/25/23, but the whole thing sounds so bizarre. There are more states that they are cutting off memberships than states they will continue to serve. If I have misunderstood, please enlighten me what this could mean.

Dear valued member,

Effective January 1, 2023, Wild Fork Unlimited will no longer be available for purchase in your state.* This decision did not come easily, but as our company continues to grow, and as we look to build our membership program, we felt we could not serve these locations with the same level of excellence as we can in states where we currently have or plan to have a Wild Fork store in the near future. It is because of this we have decided to discontinue Wild Fork Unlimited in your area.

We understand that this is not the news that our members want to hear. To help lessen the impact, we are offering to extend memberships for any member who held a current Wild Fork Unlimited membership as of December 31, 2022. All will have the option to let their membership renew for an additional cycle, either monthly or annually, or have the option to cancel ahead of the next billing cycle. More details can be found on this, including important dates around cancellation, in the updated Wild Fork Unlimited Terms and Conditions.

Thank you again for being a valued member.

—The Wild Fork Family
.
GJ,

Interesting. Thanks for sharing. I don’t know how to interpret the “…could not serve…” statement. I shop one locally in SoCal and just about everything they sell except for spices and seasonings is frozen, lol. The interesting thing is based on their locations nationally, some places have closer interstate border locations by mileage than shipping across the state they are located in. I wonder if it is a tax/clerical nightmare that is driving (no pun intended) the decision to change. If that were the case, they could sell through Amazon and ”outsource” the tracking and reconciliations. Please keep us in the loop just in case this is the beginning of the end of the membership benefits.
 
So, if I understand this correctly, “membership” just provides an advantageous shipping price. Is that correct? It appears that I could still order products from WF, but would have to pay regular shipping fees.

Fortunately, a have a couple of local butcher shops that provide locally sources meat, so I have not ventured into mail order very much.
 
So, if I understand this correctly, “membership” just provides an advantageous shipping price. Is that correct? It appears that I could still order products from WF, but would have to pay regular shipping fees.
Membership gives you free shipping for orders over $35, which the minimum is nothing when you are ordering meat. It only takes 2-3 orders to recoup the $29 ‘membership‘ fee. I placed 18 orders with them in 2022. It’s a good deal, and I’d be willing to pay more for a membership or increase the minimum order amount, but those options do not appear to be on their radar.

For me, the great thing about WF is that they make protein options available to me that are difficult for me to source locally i.e. tri-tip, Picanha, skirt steak, duck, and on, and on.
 
Do I read this right? We don’t have their stores in Ma, so I could still renew, right?
 
Do I read this right? We don’t have their stores in Ma, so I could still renew, right?
I neglected to add this part:

*States where Wild Fork Unlimited is being discontinued: Minnesota, Nevada, Alabama, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kansas, Iowa, New Hampshire, Mississippi, Utah, New Mexico, Delaware, Maine, West Virginia, Washington, Rhode Island, Vermont, Nebraska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, and North Dakota
 
I neglected to add this part:

*States where Wild Fork Unlimited is being discontinued: Minnesota, Nevada, Alabama, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kansas, Iowa, New Hampshire, Mississippi, Utah, New Mexico, Delaware, Maine, West Virginia, Washington, Rhode Island, Vermont, Nebraska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, and North Dakota
Well, being a Washington resident, I’m insulted! :rolleyes: I guess I’ll just have to continue buying from my local sources and mail-order places that don’t discriminate.:ROFLMAO:
 
Well, being a Washington resident, I’m insulted! :rolleyes: I guess I’ll just have to continue buying from my local sources and mail-order places that don’t discriminate.:ROFLMAO:
Any particular mail-order places that you recommend? I’ve ordered from KOW before (pricy, but liked them) and I’m considering placing an order with Porter Road.
 
Any particular mail-order places that you recommend? I’ve ordered from KOW before (pricy, but liked them) and I’m considering placing an order with Porter Road.
When I’m feeling flush and want quality Wagyu beef or Kurobuta pork, I order from Snake River Farms, but they are pricey.

https://www.snakeriverfarms.com/

Shipping is flat-rate: $9.99 Standard Shipping (1 to 3 Day Ground), $24.99 Express Shipping (2-Day Air) or $49.99 Overnight Shipping (1-Day Air).
 
Jim6820, You are correct. SRF is a solid choice. I like Wild Fork for their variety of non-traditional proteins. They carry Yak, Ostrich, beef and pork hearts (and other organs), suckling pigs, separated pig heads, tripe, and other delicacies. They can also order other non-traditional meats and have it in a couple of days so you can be covered from the “rooter to the tooter”. Unfortunately, they still don’t carry pork chitterlings but my local place said they will look into it.
 
Anyone else receive an email from Wild Fork that essentially says that at some point they will fire you as an unlimited member if you don’t live in a state where they don’t have physical stores? If I understand this correctly, since I just renewed my annual membership 12/25/22, I’ll be granted an option to renew again on 12/25/23, but the whole thing sounds so bizarre. There are more states that they are cutting off memberships than states they will continue to serve. If I have misunderstood, please enlighten me what this could mean.

Dear valued member,

Effective January 1, 2023, Wild Fork Unlimited will no longer be available for purchase in your state.* This decision did not come easily, but as our company continues to grow, and as we look to build our membership program, we felt we could not serve these locations with the same level of excellence as we can in states where we currently have or plan to have a Wild Fork store in the near future. It is because of this we have decided to discontinue Wild Fork Unlimited in your area.

We understand that this is not the news that our members want to hear. To help lessen the impact, we are offering to extend memberships for any member who held a current Wild Fork Unlimited membership as of December 31, 2022. All will have the option to let their membership renew for an additional cycle, either monthly or annually, or have the option to cancel ahead of the next billing cycle. More details can be found on this, including important dates around cancellation, in the updated Wild Fork Unlimited Terms and Conditions.

Thank you again for being a valued member.

—The Wild Fork Family
.
I like the irony. “Wild Fork Unlimited Terms and Conditions” seems to have limitations. hehe.
 
GJ,

Thanks for that update. If further proves my theory. The distance from Costa Mesa or Los Angeles to San Francisco is greater than the distance from either of those SoCal locations to Nevada including Las Vegas. I wonder if they are rationalizing their business model and applying the 80/20 rule. Specifically, 80 percent of the business comes from 20 percent of their customers. Or, the antithesis, 80 percent of your problems come from 20 percent of your customers and they are not on the “A“ list therefore, non-essential. I look forward to other theories.
 
Shipping is a tricky, costly business these days and the only way to discount it is to sell your product in sufficient volume to offset the discount costs. The states listed as not eligible for the discounted shipping membership are all relatively sparsely populated and lack access to major shipping hubs. That makes volume sales and streamlined shipping problematic. My guess is that it simply doesn’t “pencil out” to offer discounted shipping in those areas. YMMV
 
Business isn't growing IMHO, it's in trouble like many others.........this year is going to be bad with people losing their jobs and companies/business's coming to an end, you don't have to believe me but it is what it is.
That's what we call reality!
 
Business isn't growing IMHO, it's in trouble like many others.........this year is going to be bad with people losing their jobs and companies/business's coming to an end, you don't have to believe me but it is what it is.
I am in wait-and-see mode on this. I’m not convinced that we will see a serious business down-turn in 2023. The economic signals are pretty conflicted and most crystal balls are pretty murky.

One thing that I do think will change is the successful business model. The pandemic fall-out has changed business fundamentals. Those companies that adapt well to the changes will prosper; those that do not will likely fail.

I suspect that dynamic is what is driving changes at WF—and many other companies. Long-term, I would never bet against a free-market economy!
 
One thing that I do think will change is the successful business model. The pandemic fall-out has changed business fundamentals. Those companies that adapt well to the changes will prosper; those that do not will likely fail.
What business fundamentals have (or will) change permanently that will cause companies to fail?
 
I don't use their service, but I'm curious as to how having an actual storefront in the same state makes any difference on who they do or don't offer the service too.

Recteq doesn't have a store in every state, yet they will gladly sell you one.
 

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