Discover: Centennial Cuts
“We take great pride in being an all-colorado brand”
- Luke Larson, Centennial Cuts
Tell us about yourself! What’s your background and what do you do?
I’m Luke Larson, co-founder of Centennial Cuts. My wife Kate, boys Ledger (4) and Kellan (1), and I ranch and feed cattle in Southeastern Colorado. My two brothers and I are the second generation to run cattle on our ranch South of Fowler, CO. Our father, Bill Larson is a cattle (ruminant) nutritionist and he spent his career traveling the nation to help his clients provide the very best feed rations possible. Denver was an ideal location to headquarter out of due to this travel so the family moved from South Dakota to Denver, CO in the early ’70s. As a result, we grew up “city kids” in Arvada. Despite growing up in the city, Dad made an effort to expose us to agriculture as much as possible. Family vacations were spent at cattle conventions and we kept active showing livestock (mainly lambs) in 4H - county fairs (Boulder County), state fairs and National Western. I graduated from Colorado State University in 1997 with an animal science (meat science emphasis) degree. CSU furthered my love for all things cattle and beef.
How did you learn your craft? Tell us about your first finished product.
I've grown up in the cattle business and graduated from Colorado State with an animal science degree and meat science emphasis. From an early age, I dreamed of creating our own beef brand. After 30 plus years of producing finished cattle and selling them to the major packers, we have found the "secret sauce" to providing our customers with the juiciest and most flavorful beef they will ever enjoy.
Where does the name of your business come from?
Centennial Cuts is named after Colorado being nicknamed the "Centennial State.” Colorado gets this nickname because it became a state one century after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
How long does it take to make your product and what’s involved in the process?
From birth to harvest it takes roughly 2 years. We then age the beef for another 2 weeks to 30 days. Great things take time and our delicious beef is no exception!
Where does your inspiration come from?
“We love the ranching lifestyle and are constantly learning from our neighbors and others in the industry”
It has been a dream of mine from a young age to start a branded beef of our own. After many years of producing cattle of different types and raising them in various ways, I finally felt confident that we had the right formula to market our very best beef directly to consumers under our Centennial Cuts brand. We truly love the opportunity to market this beef directly in a manner that allows for direct conversation with our consumers. We learn so much from them about what they like or don’t like, and I believe they value the opportunity to learn more about where their food comes from and how it is produced.
What’s your favorite product that you’ve created?
Our Bone-in Ribeye on the smoker - reverse-seared!
What question do you get asked the most at pop-up markets?
“Is your beef natural or organic?” Although our beef could be labeled as natural, we don't market it as such. We don't raise our cattle with "growth-promoting hormones.” We feel our beef tastes better without them. Food grown slower tastes better we believe. However, there is a common perception that beef from cattle given growth promotants is "pumped with hormones" which simply isn't true. A single serving of Brussel sprouts, for example, contains far more estrogen than a large steak from a steer given growth promotants. We like to keep it real at Centennial Cuts and let our delicious and nutritious products stand on their own.
What’s something unique about you that most people don’t know (or wouldn’t guess)?
Our very best beef is from Jersey cattle which is a dairy breed. Jerseys grow slower and are much smaller than other breeds at a mature age. As such, they aren't popular at all with mainstream beef production. They just don't “fit.” However, beef from Jerseys has won many taste tests for flavor, juiciness, and tenderness. Jerseys "fit" right in at Centennial Cuts because we value flavor and juiciness above all else.
What’s your favorite beverage to sip on?
Bourbon - preferably a Colorado bourbon - one large ice cube.
What’s up next for Centennial Cuts?
We have been focused on farmers’ markets, pop-ups and special events in marketing our products. We plan to always involve these markets in our marketing and distribution plan. You just can't beat the direct interaction with our customers and feedback/education received on both sides. What’s up next is hopefully the addition of some restaurants and specialty butcher shops featuring our Craft beef.
Are you worried about plant-based meat alternatives and lab-grown meat?
No, and here's why:
Because beef produced from cattle simply tastes WAY better.
Because the world needs more Cowboys, not less.
Ranching preserves our grasslands and wildlife populations. Land on which cattle are grazed is unsuitable for crop production. Cattle and cattlemen/cattlewomen are great stewards of these lands and there is nobody better suited or more motivated to preserve them.
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