A software startup geared up for hunters has announced a beta launch—just in time for opening day of gun deer hunting season.
Milwaukee-based Field to Freezer has developed an app to match hunters with nearby game processors. The app helps hunters determine store hours and meat processing capabilities with the ease of their phone, according to a press release from the company.
The startup was started by Matt McCoy, an entrepreneur and owner of Brookfield-based web development firm Lanex. McCoy launched the company after personally experiencing the frustration of long lines and lack of insight into a meat processors’ list of services—such as turning the meat into venison steaks, sausages or jerky—after harvesting a deer.
Many game processors, which are often located in rural areas and are independent, are swamped during hunting season and lack websites, he added.
“I frequently waited in line at processors for hours,” McCoy said in the release. “On top of that, sometimes I would get to the front of the line and find the processor did not carry the meat products I was interested in, or I was unsure of what quantity to order of a particular product. I knew there had to be a way to create a streamlined ordering process.”
The Field to Freezer app then allows hunters to locate businesses and contact information during the limited time a hunter can safely transport the animal.
Field to Freezer is also working with game processors to handle their orders more efficiently and help them market to potential customers with special deals and products. It currently has an advertising partnership with Iron Ridge, a Wisconsin-based meat seasoning producer of PS Seasoning, on the platform.
So far, the company has culled a database of more than 1,500 meat processors across the country.
Next year, the company plans to expand its features to include processor-specific menus and in-app ordering with a patent-pending slider scale system to help hunters gauge how much product they can produce from each animal. It also plans to offer an Express Line, allowing hunters to order online and drop off the animal within minutes, the release said.
“Hunting is a rich tradition in Wisconsin and around the country,” McCoy said. “Field to Freezer takes the guesswork out of the ordering process so hunters can enjoy more time with their friends and family, and less time in line.”
Field to Freezer is currently enrolled in gener8tor's gBETA Milwaukee startup accelerator.
