Beef FAQs | USDA Grades, Cuts & Programs | STX Beef Co.
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Everything you need to know about STX Beef Co.: our USDA-graded boxed beef programs, product specifications, and how to partner with a trusted Texas beef distributor.

About STX Beef Co.

STX Beef Co. is a USDA-inspected Texas-based boxed beef distributor headquartered in Corpus Christi, Texas. The company sources, processes, and distributes premium boxed beef nationwide through three branded programs (Republic Reserve, Texas Star, and STX) with certified Angus options available across all three, serving independent distributors, retail grocers, butcher shops, and foodservice operators across the United States.

STX Beef Co. is headquartered in Corpus Christi, Texas. Our South Texas roots are reflected in everything we do: the cattle we source, the regional ranching relationships we maintain, and the standards we hold every box of beef to before it leaves our facility.

Yes. STX Beef Co. operates under full USDA inspection, and every cut we distribute is USDA-graded. Our facility adheres to SQF (Safe Quality Food) and GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) standards, giving distributors and retailers confidence in the safety, traceability, and consistency of every box.

STX Beef Co. operates three branded programs (Republic Reserve, Texas Star, and STX) with certified Angus options across all three, covering the full USDA quality spectrum from Prime to Select under one roof. That structure lets a single partner source across multiple price points and quality tiers with consistent specifications, reliable supply, and one accountable relationship. Republic Reserve is federally recognized under USDA AMS specification G-18, and all Angus tiers run through a single-source, Temple Grandin-designed harvest facility for tight program consistency. We build long-term partnerships, not transactional ones, and our South Texas heritage informs the quality standards we will not compromise on.

Yes. Beef is our sole focus and our specialty. We believe in doing one thing exceptionally well, and that means delivering premium USDA-graded boxed beef to the distributors, retailers, and foodservice operators who depend on consistent quality and supply.

Our Programs & Brands

STX Beef Co. operates three branded boxed beef programs: Republic Reserve, Texas Star, and STX, with certified Angus options available across all three.

Republic Reserve is the premium tier, an Angus-only program featuring USDA Prime and Upper 2/3 Choice beef. It is officially recognized by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service under specification G-18 as the STX Premium Republic Reserve Angus Beef Program.

Texas Star is the signature mid-tier brand family, available in a standard Texas Star line and a certified Texas Star Angus option. Texas Star delivers consistent USDA Choice quality at a price point built for a wide range of foodservice and retail operators.

STX is the value-tier brand family, available in a standard STX line and a certified STX Angus option. STX Angus spans USDA Prime, Upper 2/3 Choice, USDA Choice, and USDA Select, giving distributors flexibility across grade levels within a single Angus program.

Republic Reserve is STX Beef Co.'s premium Angus-only boxed beef program featuring USDA Prime and Upper 2/3 Choice beef. It is officially recognized by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service under specification G-18 as the STX Premium Republic Reserve Angus Beef Program, meaning every certified carcass meets specific federal standards for marbling, ribeye area, hot carcass weight, maturity, and Angus genetics.

Republic Reserve is designed for high-end foodservice operators, fine dining restaurants, steakhouses, and specialty retail butcher shops where exceptional marbling, consistent grading, and superior eating quality are non-negotiable.

Texas Star is STX Beef Co.'s signature mid-tier brand family, available as standard Texas Star and as the certified Texas Star Angus option. The program centers on USDA Choice beef and delivers excellent quality and consistency at a price point built for a wide range of foodservice operators, retail grocers, and casual-dining concepts. Texas Star is the everyday workhorse of the STX lineup, the program most operators build their core menu or meat case around.

Texas Star Angus is the certified Angus option within the Texas Star brand family. It carries the same Texas Star mid-tier positioning and consistency, with verified Black Angus genetics for operators who specifically want Angus beef without stepping up to the premium Republic Reserve tier. Texas Star Angus is a strong fit for steakhouses, full-service restaurants, and retail meat cases that merchandise Angus as a quality call-out.

STX is STX Beef Co.'s value-tier brand family, available as standard STX and as the certified STX Angus option. The program is built for distributors and retailers who need reliable supply, consistent specifications, and strong unit economics across high-volume foodservice and retail operations. Standard STX delivers dependable everyday boxed beef, while STX Angus adds verified Angus genetics across multiple USDA grades.

STX Angus is the certified Black Angus option within the STX brand family, spanning USDA Prime, Upper 2/3 Choice, USDA Choice, and USDA Select grades. Every STX Angus animal is raised by U.S. ranchers under strict genetic guidelines, hand-selected for program eligibility, fed for approximately 180 days on a balanced ration, and processed through a single-source Temple Grandin-designed harvest facility. The result is a flexible Angus program that lets distributors and operators source verified Angus beef at the grade level that fits their menu and price point.

The right program depends on your concept, price point, volume, and whether Angus genetics are a menu or merchandising requirement.

Fine dining, steakhouses, and specialty retail typically choose Republic Reserve for its USDA Prime and Upper 2/3 Choice grading and G-18 certification. Mainstream foodservice and full-service grocery typically build around Texas Star, with Texas Star Angus as the upgrade option when an Angus call-out matters. High-volume distributors and value-driven retail typically choose STX or STX Angus for reliable supply, consistent specifications, and strong unit economics.

Many partners run more than one program simultaneously across different product lines. Contact our sales team to talk through fit.

The STX Angus Program

The STX Beef Co. Angus program is a premium Angus beef program built on verified Black Angus genetics, responsible ranching, consistent feeding, and single-source harvest practices. From ranch to harvest, every step is designed to deliver dependable quality for chefs, retailers, and distributors who need reliable Angus beef programs at multiple grade levels.

The program is available across STX Beef Co.'s portfolio: Republic Reserve is Angus-only at the premium tier, while Texas Star Angus and STX Angus offer Angus options at the mid and value tiers.

Every animal in the STX Angus program is verified Black Angus, hand-selected against strict genetic guidelines for program eligibility. Cattle are raised by U.S. ranchers under long-term supplier relationships focused on animal care, quality, and consistency. The genetic foundation ensures dependable performance on the rail and a predictable eating experience for the end customer. Republic Reserve carries an additional federal genetic standard under USDA AMS specification G-18, requiring phenotypic or genotypic compliance with the American Angus Association's Live Animal Specification.

STX Angus cattle are fed for approximately 180 days on a balanced nutrition ration designed for consistent marbling and performance. The extended feeding window is a key driver of the program's eating-quality consistency. It allows the cattle to develop the intramuscular fat (marbling) that determines USDA quality grade, while the balanced ration keeps fat development uniform across the herd.

STX Angus beef is harvested at a single-source, Temple Grandin-designed processing facility. Temple Grandin is the internationally recognized authority on humane livestock handling, and her facility designs are used industry-wide to reduce animal stress and improve both welfare and meat quality. Processing in a single-source plant rather than multiple facilities is also what allows STX to maintain such tight specification consistency from box to box. The controlled environment supports both animal welfare standards and program quality standards at the same time.

The STX Beef Co. Angus program is available across four USDA quality grades: USDA Prime, Upper 2/3 Choice, USDA Choice, and USDA Select. This grade flexibility lets distributors and operators source verified Angus beef at the exact quality level that fits their menu, price point, and customer expectations, all within one program with consistent genetics, feed, and harvest standards. Republic Reserve sits at the Prime / Upper 2/3 Choice end of that range under federal G-18 certification.

G-18 is a USDA Agricultural Marketing Service specification that establishes the federal standard for the STX Premium Republic Reserve Angus Beef Program. Carcasses certified under G-18 must meet specific phenotypic or genotypic Angus genetics requirements (per the American Angus Association's Live Animal Specification), grade USDA Choice or Prime with a minimum Modest⁰⁰ marbling score, be classified as Steer or Heifer, fall under 30 months of maturity, and meet defined limits on ribeye area, hot carcass weight, fat thickness, and other physical characteristics. Certification is performed by official AMS graders, and the G-18 designation establishes federal recognition of Republic Reserve as a controlled, verifiable beef program.

Products & Specifications

Boxed beef refers to beef that has been broken down from full carcasses into primal and subprimal cuts, vacuum-sealed in plastic bags, and packed into standardized cardboard boxes for shipment. Boxed beef is the standard format used throughout the U.S. wholesale beef industry because it dramatically simplifies cold-chain logistics, extends shelf life through vacuum packaging, and lets distributors and operators order exactly the cuts they need rather than entire carcasses.

STX Beef Co. carries USDA Prime, Upper 2/3 Choice, USDA Choice, USDA Select, and Ungraded beef across its three branded programs. Republic Reserve focuses on USDA Prime and Upper 2/3 Choice under federal G-18 certification. Texas Star centers on USDA Choice, with Texas Star Angus offering the certified Angus option at that tier. STX and STX Angus span the broader USDA grade spectrum from Prime down to Select. Contact your STX sales representative for current availability by program, cut, and grade.

A beef primal is one of the large, foundational sections that a beef carcass is broken down into during fabrication. The USDA recognizes eight major primals: Chuck, Rib, Loin, Round, Sirloin, Brisket, Plate, and Flank (with the Shank typically counted alongside). Every cut you see at retail or on a restaurant menu (ribeye, brisket, flat iron, tri-tip) comes from one of these primals.

Subprimals are the smaller cuts that primals are broken down into at the wholesale level, before retail or portion cutting. For example, the Rib primal is broken into subprimals like the ribeye roll (NAMP #112A) and the back ribs (NAMP #124). Most boxed beef is sold at the subprimal level, giving buyers flexibility to portion cut, grind, or merchandise the product to their own specifications.

STX Beef Co. carries cuts from all major beef primals: Chuck, Rib, Loin, Sirloin, Round, Flank, Plate, Brisket, and Shank. Available subprimals and trim levels vary by program. View the full STX product catalog for spec sheets by primal, NAMP/IMPS number, weight range, and fat trim.

NAMP and IMPS are standardized numbering systems for beef cuts. NAMP stands for the North American Meat Processors Association; IMPS stands for the USDA's Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications. The two systems share the same numbering convention, and together they give every wholesale beef cut a unique number so buyers, chefs, and operators can specify exactly what they need without ambiguity.

For example, NAMP/IMPS #180 is always a strip loin (boneless, well-trimmed) regardless of which supplier ships it. Every cut in the STX product catalog carries its NAMP/IMPS number.

Yes. The full STX Beef Co. product catalog is available on our website. It includes detailed specification sheets for every cut, organized by primal, with NAMP/IMPS numbers, box specifications, weight ranges, fat trim levels, and program availability. View the STX product catalog here.

Vacuum-packaged boxed beef should be stored between 28°F and 32°F to maximize shelf life and food safety. At those temperatures, vacuum-sealed subprimals can typically hold 30 to 45 days from the pack date depending on the cut, grade, and handling. Always verify pack dates on each box and follow first-in, first-out rotation. Frozen storage at 0°F or below extends shelf life significantly. Consult your STX sales representative for cut-specific shelf life guidance.

Beef Grading 101

The USDA grades beef on two factors: quality grade (which predicts eating experience) and yield grade (which predicts the amount of usable meat).

Quality grades, in descending order, are Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner. The top three (Prime, Choice, and Select) account for nearly all beef sold to consumers and foodservice. Grading is voluntary and is performed by trained USDA graders who evaluate marbling (intramuscular fat) and maturity (animal age) on the ribeye muscle between the 12th and 13th ribs.

USDA Prime is the highest beef grade, awarded for abundant marbling that delivers superior flavor and tenderness; USDA Choice is the next tier with moderate marbling.

Prime represents roughly 5 to 8 percent of all graded beef and is most often found in fine dining and specialty retail. Choice accounts for the majority of beef sold in the United States and is the workhorse grade for grocery and casual foodservice. Both grades meet the same USDA safety and processing standards. The difference is marbling and eating quality.

Upper 2/3 Choice refers to the top two-thirds of the USDA Choice grade based on marbling score: beef that nearly qualifies as Prime but just falls short. USDA Choice is divided into three thirds (low, middle, and upper) based on marbling. Upper 2/3 Choice captures the middle and upper portions, delivering near-Prime eating quality at Choice pricing. It is a sweet spot for quality-conscious operators, chefs, and certified Angus programs where consistent marbling matters but Prime pricing is impractical.

USDA Select is the third-highest beef quality grade, below Prime and Choice, with slight marbling. Select beef is leaner than Choice and is typically priced lower, making it a common choice for value-conscious foodservice and retail programs, ground beef applications, and operators where consistent leanness is a priority. Select is fully wholesome and USDA-graded. It simply carries less intramuscular fat than the higher grades.

Marbling is the intramuscular fat that appears as small white flecks running through the lean of a beef cut, and it is the single biggest factor in eating quality. Marbling is what makes beef flavorful, juicy, and tender, because intramuscular fat melts during cooking and bastes the muscle from within. The USDA quality grade a carcass receives is determined primarily by marbling score evaluated at the ribeye between the 12th and 13th ribs: the more abundant and finely distributed the marbling, the higher the grade.

Angus refers to a specific cattle breed, while "regular beef" can come from any breed; Angus beef is favored because the breed tends to produce more consistent marbling. Angus cattle are predominantly black-hided, and the breed has a strong genetic predisposition toward intramuscular fat development. STX Beef Co. offers certified Angus options across all three of its branded programs: Republic Reserve is Angus-only, Texas Star Angus is the Angus tier within Texas Star, and STX Angus is the Angus tier within STX.

Working With Us

To become a STX Beef Co. distributor, submit a Partner Request through our website. Our sales team reviews every application and follows up to discuss your volume needs, market territory, and program fit. We prioritize long-term partners who value consistency, communication, and relationship-driven business. Start your Partner Request here.

The terms are often used interchangeably in the beef industry, but in practice a distributor typically holds branded programs and sells to a defined set of customers, while a wholesaler may resell commodity beef across a broader, less branded book of business. STX Beef Co. operates as a distributor: we hold and represent three branded programs (Republic Reserve, Texas Star, and STX, with certified Angus options across all three) and build long-term partnerships with the operators and retail customers who carry them.

Yes. STX Beef Co. supplies restaurants and foodservice operators across the United States, primarily through distribution partners. Steakhouses and fine dining concepts typically run Republic Reserve. Full-service and casual-dining operators typically build around Texas Star or Texas Star Angus. High-volume concepts and value-focused operators often choose STX or STX Angus. Contact our sales team to discuss restaurant program fit in your market.

Yes. STX Beef Co. works with independent grocery retailers, specialty grocers, and butcher shops looking for premium boxed beef programs with consistent specifications and reliable supply. Many of our retail partners carry more than one STX program to cover multiple price points in a single meat case. Contact our sales team to discuss retail program fit.

Yes. STX Beef Co. is always interested in conversations with qualified ranchers and cattle producers who can meet our supply and quality standards. Reach out through our website with details about your operation, herd size, and breed program, and our team will follow up. Submit a rancher inquiry here.

The STX Partner Portal is a private area of the STX Beef Co. website reserved for approved distribution partners. Once approved, partners get access to current sell sheets, specification documents, program pricing guides, and marketing resources for all three STX programs. Apply for access through the Partner Request page.

Ordering & Logistics

Orders are placed directly through your assigned STX Beef Co. sales representative. If you do not yet have a representative, contact us through our website and we will connect you with the right person for your market and program needs.

Minimum order quantities vary by product, program, and shipping destination. Contact your STX sales representative for current minimums, pricing, and availability in your market.

Lead times vary depending on the cut, program, current availability, and shipping destination. Your STX sales representative confirms accurate lead times at the time of order so you can plan inventory and menu commitments with confidence.

Yes. STX Beef Co. serves distribution, retail, and foodservice customers across the United States from our Corpus Christi, Texas headquarters. Shipping logistics and frequency depend on your location, order volume, and program mix. Contact our sales team to discuss distribution availability in your specific market.

Every STX shipment moves under refrigerated cold-chain conditions to maintain product integrity from our facility to the receiving dock. Boxed beef is vacuum-packaged at our Corpus Christi facility and shipped on temperature-controlled trucks. We work with established carrier partners experienced in protein logistics to keep product within USDA-compliant temperature ranges throughout transit.