Ralphs conducted four years of research before going forward with the creation of California Beef, which uses only grain-fed Holstein cattle procured through five feeders, all based in California's Imperial Valley.

Plus, many locations have an in-house butcher, which can be a great value for savvy shoppers. For example, they will chop up a roast into stew meat, saving you time at home and usually a few cents off a pre-cut package of the same meat. “If you're willing to ask for it, they'll do it,” Demer says.