Is Culver’s Beef Grass-Fed? Getting to the Bottom of Their Burger Blend

With its headquarters in Wisconsin and over 700 restaurants across the Midwest Culver’s has earned a cult following for their ButterBurgers and creamy frozen custard. Culver’s fans are loyal to those juicy burgers made from fresh, never-frozen beef. But an important question looms – is Culver’s beef 100% grass-fed?

After extensive research into their sourcing we can confirm that Culver’s does not use grass-fed beef in their burgers or menu items. According to their website Culver’s ButterBurgers contain grain-fed Midwest beef. While some health-conscious consumers prefer grass-fed beef, Culver’s does not make this claim about their meat.

Below we’ll break down how Culver’s sources their beef, the benefits of grass-fed beef, and whether you should eat Culver’s burgers based on their beef quality

How Culver’s Sources Their Signature Beef

All Culver’s locations get their fresh beef patties from the same small network of Midwest suppliers. These family-owned companies follow ethical guidelines for handling and raising the cattle.

Culver’s is not transparent about the specific farms and ranches used. But they state their beef comes from grain-fed Midwest cattle with no added hormones or steroids. The cuts are a blend of chuck, sirloin, and plate.

While not grass-fed, Culver’s fresh approach stands out in the fast food industry. Their beef is never frozen, cold-processed, and hand-formed into patties at each restaurant daily.

The Health Benefits of Grass-Fed Beef

Grass-fed beef comes from cows raised on a natural diet of grasses instead of grain. This results in a healthier fatty acid profile with more omega-3s and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Overall, grass-fed beef is lower in calories and fat yet high in antioxidants like vitamin E and beta-carotene.

Grass-fed cattle also enjoy more humane treatment, roaming freely and eating a natural diet vs being fattened up with grains in crowded feedlots. This sustainable approach avoids many ethical issues and benefits the environment.

So while conventional grain-fed beef dominates the market, grass-fed is considered superior for animal welfare, sustainability, and human nutrition. Culver’s choice reflects the mainstream rather than the gold standard.

Nutritional Profile of Culver’s Beef Patties

While not grass-fed, Culver’s burgers still provide decent nutrition compared to many fast food chains. Here are the basics for a single ButterBurger patty:

• Calories: 280
• Total fat: 14g
• Saturated fat: 5g
• Protein: 20g

This comes in a bit under averages for fast food. A McDonald’s hamburger patty has 12g of fat and only 9g of protein, for comparison. Culver’s ButterBurgers do skew high in calories, but that’s mostly the buttery bun’s doing!

Overall, Culver’s beef supplies ample protein with moderate fat content by fast food standards. It’s certainly not the worst option out there. But it lacks the elevated nutrition of grass-fed meat.

Why Culver’s Doesn’t Use Grass-Fed Beef

Several factors explain why Culver’s sticks with traditional Midwest grain-fed beef rather than shifting to grass-fed:

• Cost – Grass-fed beef can cost 20-50% more than conventional. With tight profit margins, keeping prices down is critical for fast food chains.

• Supply – Only a small fraction of U.S. beef is grass-fed. Securing enough supply for 700+ nationwide locations would be extremely difficult.

• Consistency – Grass-fed beef has more variability in flavor and texture. Culver’s prioritizes consistency.

• Durability – Grass-fed beef has a shorter shelf life. For a restaurant cooking patties daily, conventional beef holds up better.

• Familiarity – Americans expect the mild taste of grain-fed beef. Culver’s gives people what they already know and love.

Economics, logistics, and customer expectations all factor into Culver’s decision to stick with Midwest beef feedlots. Their suppliers likely aren’t set up for grass-fed programs currently. But public pressure may eventually shift the supply chain.

Who Does Use Grass-Fed Beef?

While the major fast food players use grain-fed cattle, some smaller chains proudly tout grass-fed beef on their menus, including:

• BurgerFi – Uses 100% grass-fed beef for burgers and hot dogs

• Elevation Burger – Grass-fed, free-range burgers at all locations

• Shake Shack – Sources from grass-fed herds in Australia for certain burgers

• Chipotle – Switched to grass-fed Australian beef in 2020

So for a fast food burger with the perks of grass-fed meat, these chains have good options available. Local restaurants may also offer grass-fed burgers sourced from small ranches.

Should You Eat Culver’s Burgers?

Culver’s ButterBurgers make no health claims. But as an occasional treat, they beat out many fast food choices. Sticking to single patties and pairing with fresh sides provides balance.

Culver’s commitment to fresh, no antibiotic, humanely raised Midwest beef is admirable. Their burgers have average fat and calories compared to competitors. So enjoying a burger now and then won’t ruin your diet.

Just don’t expect the benefits of grass-fed meat. If that’s important to you, choose local/organic, or seek out chains using it. Culver’s provides a satisfying burger with Midwest values, but their beef production methods still have room for improvement.

The bottom line: Culver’s beef is undoubtedly tasty, but not grass-fed. Their burgers can be part of a balanced diet, just in moderation. Until they shift to grass-fed, Culver’s ButterBurgers fall short of nutrition perfection – but that won’t stop fans from savoring the flavor!