Ali's Halal Meats - - From META!

Ali Outadi (L) and Abbas Outadi at their sheep operation near Boise, Idaho.
 
Success Story—From Farm to Fork
 
Ali Outadi, age 53, and his 28-year-old son Abbas recently launched a sheep production operation called Ali’s Halal Meats to serve the fresh meat needs within the local Muslim community. 
 
Ali and Abbas came to Boise from Iran in 2001 and 2005, respectively, as refugees. Ali works full-time for Walmart and also owns a home-based leather goods business. He made and exported leather bags in neighboring countries and Europe for 25 years before coming to the U.S.  
 
Abbas also works for Walmart, attends Boise State University, and lives with his parents and two younger adult siblings. Abbas enjoys working with Ali in the sheep operation and admires his father’s entrepreneurial drive. “My father learned how to raise and care for sheep and the halal slaughtering ritual from his brother who continues to raise 300 head of sheep in Iran,” states Abbas, “and now he has taught me.”
 
Ali had first come to META in 2003 to seek assistance in launching his part-time leather and fabric goods manufacturing and repair business. META financed the heavy industrial sewing machines that Ali needed to start his business that he operates from his garage. Ali successfully paid off his $9,000 loan to META despite the fierce competition from the many “Made in China” fabric and leather manufacturers that appeal to many price-conscious Americans.
 
Recognizing a need within the local Muslim community as well as from a growing American market wanting to buy fresh and locally-raised sheep, Ali and Abbas came to seek META’s technical assistance and to request financing to launch their sheep operation. The men told META’s team about a fellow Persian-American who agreed to lease them a 10-acre parcel that had adequate water, pasture, small truck, and a shed for storage. In October 2009, with the Outadi’s savings of $1,000 to invest into their business, META loaned them $5,000 to finance working capital and to purchase sheep, feed, and other supplies needed.
 
Ali’s Halal Meats now has a herd of 25 sheep which they bought, depending on animal weight, at local auctions between $70 to $100. The business sells a fatted live animal for $150 or if slaughtered for $200. All slaughtering is done on-site at the leased property and is done in accordance with Islamic religious requirements. Currently, there are four ewes that will be giving birth this spring—two of which are carrying triplets! 
 
“All of their business is primarily marketed by word-of-mouth within the Muslim community,” according to META Program Director Ron Berning. “Earlier this year, however, I convinced the Idaho Business Review to develop a full-page story with photo that gave them great publicity and has broadened their customer base.”   
 
For more information, contact Ron Berning at rberning@mtnstatesgroup.org