Case Study: Dave the Butcher & AgriForaging Compliance Services

Client: Dave the Butcher Location: 232 Main Street, Beacon, NY 12508 Contact: info@davethebutcherny.com Website: https://www.davethebutcherny.com/

Dave and Melissa Mountain are the husband-and-wife team behind Dave the Butcher, a specialty market, café, whole-animal butchery, and gathering space in Beacon, NY. Since opening on July 4, 2025, they have paired high-quality, grass-fed meats from Hudson Valley farms with a welcoming café rooted in Basque-inspired recipes and communal hospitality.

David’s 20-year culinary background spans Michelin-starred and James Beard–nominated kitchens, with expertise in whole-animal butchery, charcuterie, and salumi-making. Melissa’s event production and customer experience skills shape the atmosphere. Together, they have created what they call “a room of requirement,” a place to find hard-to-source ingredients, share a meal, and be part of something lasting.

Dave the Butcher Challenge

Opening a business that is part retail butcher, part café, and part commercial kitchen meant navigating a tightly regulated landscape with no room for error. Missing permits, inspection delays, or packaging compliance issues could have delayed the opening by months, tying up capital and risking community goodwill before the first customer arrived.

They needed:

• Retail and commercial kitchen licensing

• Packaging compliance for Reduced Oxygen Packaging (ROP)

• NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets (NYSDAM) regulatory alignment

• A comprehensive, site-specific food safety plan

• Supplier approval systems

• Expansion into cured and fermented meats with specialized controls

• Ongoing compliance oversight as operations grew

AgriForaging Compliance Services’ Solution

Licensing & Registration

Guided Dave the Butcher through retail permits and commercial kitchen inspection with NYSDAM, securing all approvals to operate without delay.

ROP Compliance

Developed a ROP program for the market, butchery, in-house charcuterie, and fermented products, integrating required labeling, handling protocols, and safety monitoring.

NYS Regulatory Compliance

Prepared the business for inspections, implemented documentation systems, and removed regulatory bottlenecks through in-depth NYSDAM expertise.

Custom Food Safety Plan & Training

Created a tailored Food Safety Plan covering the retail counter, back-of-house kitchen, café service, and curing and fermentation areas. Trained team on hygiene, temperature control, allergen handling, and cross-contamination prevention.

Curing & Fermentation Support

Because cured and fermented meats face heightened scrutiny for pathogen control, we are building an ongoing, validation-ready HACCP overlay that safeguards both safety and creative goals. This allows the team to expand their charcuterie program and explore heritage techniques with full regulatory confidence.

Site Visits & Layout Optimization

Provided actionable recommendations for kitchen layout, workflow, and sanitation station placement to improve efficiency and safety.

Vendor Approval Systems

Implemented supplier verification tools to confirm local sourcing partners met safety standards before integration.

Ongoing Compliance Partnership

Remain available for real-time regulatory updates, charcuterie program development, safety protocol revisions, and operational troubleshooting, keeping compliance embedded as the business evolves.

Results & Impact

• Efficient, compliant launch: Opened on schedule with all licenses and approvals in place.

• Enhanced food safety: Daily operations supported by a robust plan and trained staff

• Menu expansion with integrity: Fermented and cured specialties position them uniquely in the Hudson Valley food scene

• Operational focus: Owners free to prioritize customer experience, creative menus, and community engagement

Client’s Vision and AgriForaging’s Partnership

"We want to be more than a market or café, a room of comfort where the day is just a little easier and yes, a place for really good food," says Dave.

From the earliest licensing hurdles to advanced food safety and strategic growth, AgriForaging Compliance Services has been proud to partner with Dave the Butcher, building a foundation where quality, creativity, and community thrive on Beacon’s Main Street.