Business Beat: Week of Oct. 21

Arizona Mobile Meat Processing

Mobile meat processing now available in northern Arizona

Arizona Mobile Meat Processing takes care of elk, deer and custom livestock processing. Right in front of your house. Or in the field. Or at your ranch. That's right, the butcher shop travels straight to where you need it.

Owner Jake Giles says he's the first person to have a fully enclosed mobile butcher shop in the United States.

"It's all self contained. Water, the whole nine yards," he said. "It's a really nice unit. The inspector thought I was nuts when I told him about it but after I showed him the blueprints, he said 'build it.'"

Giles, who has butchered meat since 1995, is inspected by the Department of Agriculture and has a mobile slaughter license from the agency.

The mobile unit is based at Williams Feed and Pet, 283 S. Garland Prairie Rd. Giles travels anywhere within a 100-mile radius, servicing all of northern Arizona.

"I can go out on kills or to private property for ranchers," he said. "Whoever needs an animal processed for consumption, I'm licensed to do it."

Only one animal is processed at a time in the mobile unit. Giles will skin out and quarter elk for hunters and will make sausage or bratwurst on request. All damage to animals is recorded before processing begins to ensure that the meat is of the highest quality.

"What you bring in is what you get back, so take care of it," Giles said.

Cold storage for domestic or wild game is also available at Williams Feed and Pet.

Arizona Mobile Meat Processing can be reached at (602)-525-2832 or locally at 635-4223.