Farm Field Table is a butcher shop with a mission. And with a planned 2,500 sq. ft. Expansion on the table, the Ferndale-based purveyor of Michigan-sourced meats hopes to further its cause of supporting the state's small and independent farmers.
Farm Field Table is owned by twin brothers Matt and Mike Romine. They got their start in the meat business four years ago, when they opened the Mule Foot gastro pub in Imlay City. Soon, their father started farming mule foot hogs to supply their kitchen. Then, the idea of the brothers opening their own butcher shop started to take form.
They opened Farm Field Table in Ferndale at the end of 2016.
The Ferndale location operates as a butcher and retail shop, serving walk-up customers but also some of the area's most notable chefs. Co-owner Matt Romine says that a significant portion of their customers are the restaurants that routinely make "Best restaurants of metro Detroit" lists, restaurants like Selden Standard and Chartreuse, both in Detroit.
Farm Field Table butchers and sells beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and rabbit, and sometimes goat, turkey, and goose. One hundred percent of its products are GMO-, antibiotic-, and hormone-free, and one hundred percent of its products come from Michigan farms.
"We select farms for quality. The beautiful coincidence is that in search of the best flavor, we find the animals that are treated the best," Matt says. "It's also good for sustainability, both in economic and ecological impact."
With its expansion, the Romine brothers hope to broaden and grow their base of customers. They've purchased $300,000 worth of equipment, and now they're waiting for their lease to finalize so they can open up the expansion, adjacent to their current location, and put that equipment to use.
"To capture smaller restaurants, you have to control costs better, and lower costs," Matt says. "This will allow us to do that."
"Our goal is to support as many farms as we can."
Farm Field Table is located at 1030 Woodward Heights Blvd. in Ferndale.
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