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All About Bessie

We Believe in Transparency

  • Why Are You Called Bessie?

    Bessie ignited from the passion of preparing, cooking and eating good food with good people.

    People is the key part...Bessie is an actual "person's" name meant to encapsulate how friendly and supportive our team and farmers try to be for our customers. It also sounds like a cute cow name hehe!

    By kindling close relationships with local farmers, we strive to make food work for all people. Bessie takes care of our family with healthy natural meats from locally raised farms. Taking our food from the farm and extending the impact well past our tables.

  • Who Cares For Bessie Animals?

    Bessie works with honest and responsible farmers who love and respect for their animals. We only source our fish and meats through experienced, independent farms—never from concentrated feedlots or meat brokers. 

    We highlight local Alberta farms and share as much about the breeds and how farmers care for their animals as possible. 

    Curious about our farms? Read more about our Farmers here.

  • What Do Bessie Animals Eat?

    Bessie takes a down-to-earth approach putting the well-being of animals first. All Bessie animals are raised without the use of added hormones or antibiotics. If an animal does get sick, we use treatment (under veterinarian guidance) to save its life. Any animal treated with an antibiotic will be separated from the herd, and the meat will not be sold for consumption.

    Bessie animals are not implanted with growth hormones or use antibiotic feed additives -- it simply isn't necessary for our animals and the land they are raised in.

    Canadian regulations for meat are very stringent. All proteins that we eat in Canada must undergo a withdrawal period prior to processing (mandated by the CFIA) to ensure no antibiotics end up in the meat that touches our plates.

  • How Will My Order Arrive?

    We pack all orders tightly and carefully into insulated packages that should keep your food frozen until the end of your delivery day.

    Bessie will deliver to your provided shipping address. We will send you a text notification that your order is out for delivery and confirmation upon delivery. If you are not home (and not reachable), we will leave it at your doorstep if the weather allows. If not, your order will be redelivered another day unless specified otherwise.

    Please note that any orders with alcohol requires someone over the age of 18 to receive it.

    If a problem occurs with your package, let us know and we will do our best to figure it out and solve it!

  • How Do I Schedule My Delivery?

    Once your order is placed, we will text you with delivery options. We do our best to work with your schedule and location. We try to group our orders together for areas on the same day as best as we can! This helps with costs and with sustainability!

    Calgary:

    Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Fri 12PM - 4PM

    Cochrane & Chestermere:

    Tues 12PM - 4PM

    Airdrie:

    Fri 12PM - 4PM

    Okotoks:

    Thursdays 12PM - 4PM

    If you live in an area that isn't listed, please give us a shout and we'll do our best to deliver a Bessie Box to you (or set up a pick up)!

  • Where Does Bessie Deliver To?

    We deliver to Calgary, Airdrie, Okotoks, Chestermere, Cochrane, and some other areas close to Calgary.

    We used to operate in the Greater Edmonton Area, but are unfortunately only taking special requests for deliveries for the region going forward.

    We do offer pick ups! Send us an email at get@bessiebox.com.

  • What Should I know About Growth Hormones & Antibiotics?

    Bessie takes a down-to-earth approach that puts the well-being of animals first. All Bessie animals are raised without the use of added hormones or antibiotics. If an animal does get sick, we will use treatment (under veterinarian guidance) to save its life. We help them when they need it.

    Any animal treated with an antibiotic will then be removed from the herd and the meat will not be sold for consumption. Bessie doesn't implant growth hormones or use antibiotic feed additives because it simply isn't necessary for our animals and the land they are raised in. 

    That being said, Canadian regulations for meat are very stringent. All proteins that we eat in Canada must undergo a withdrawal period prior to processing (mandated by the CFIA) to ensure no antibiotics end up in the meat that touches our plates.

  • How Do I Change Details Of My Order/Subscription?

    Use the Account Management button (top right "person" icon) to login and make adjustments to your Bessie account. Your Bessie account allows you to change your order contents, skip scheduled orders, reschedule deliveries, pause subscriptions, and more!

    If this is difficult, contact us and we will do it for you!

  • Does Bessie Deliver Through Fedex?

    No. We use local couriers and drivers!

  • Who's Our Butcher?

    We work with a local abattoirs (provincially inspected and/or federally inspected) that cut all of our meats right down to our detailed request.

    All orders are portion-wrapped in vacuum-sealed packages for compact storage and ready to be pulled out of your freezer for a great meal, regardless of group size.

  • How Long Will It Keep In My Freezer?

    A long time! Health Canada recommends that beef maintains quality in the freezer for 6–12 months depending on the product. Bessie products are vacuum-sealed and should be able to maintain freshness for long periods of time in the freezer.

  • How Much Does Delivery Cost?

    $15 for any orders less than $75. Free delivery for any orders over $75!

  • When Does Bessie Deliver?

    Once your order is placed, we will text you with delivery options. We do our best to work with your schedule and location. We try to group our orders together for areas on the same day as best as we can! This helps with costs and with sustainability!

    Calgary:

    Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Fri 12PM - 4PM

    Cochrane & Chestermere:

    Tues 12PM - 4PM

    Airdrie:

    Fri 12PM - 4PM

    Okotoks:

    Thursdays 12PM - 4PM

    If you live in an area that isn't listed, please give us a shout and we'll do our best to deliver a Bessie Box to you (or set up a pick up)!

  • Are Bessie Products Certified Organic?

    Bessie operates with select partnering farms depending on the product and on the region. Bessie travels to every farm and completes quality assurance checks for animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and ethical industry practices. Many of these quality assurance checks are identical to those needed for organic certification.

    Even though Bessie's standards are just as high as these certification bodies, not all farms are the right fit for certification. Third-party certification can be prohibitively expensive for our farms, and we understand when they choose not to be certified.

    So, while farms may not be Certified Organic, most of our farmers operate within these ethics and guidelines.

    Please contact us with any specific questions related to Bessie products, and we will do our best to answer them in full detail.

  • How Can I Cancel My Subscription?

    Our subscriptions can be cancelled at any time. Use the Account Management button (top right "person" icon) to login and make adjustments to your Bessie account.

    Your Bessie account allows you to change your order contents, skip scheduled orders, reschedule deliveries, cancel/pause subscriptions, and more!

    If need a helping hand with this process, contact us. We're happy to help!

  • Are Bessie Products Certified Halal Zabiha or Kosher?

    Bessie is working to gain Halal Zabiha (machine slaughter) certification for our beef products. Please note, this process is still humane and done with the utmost care for the animal.

    Bessie's chicken has achieved Halal Zabiha certification—but only for special orders! The animals are hand-slaughtered in an inspected facility with supervision by an official. Their facility is located right beside where their chickens are raised. The entire process is handled with care and respect.

    Please contact us if you would like to know more or make a purchase for a halal product. We will be able to help you out!