Our Story
In the cattle business, the notion of "good stock" goes beyond having a solid, sturdy herd; it's our philosophy that is deeply rooted in respect for the animals, the land, and the heritage of ranching.
Learn more about the history of Goodstock by Nolan Ryan and the philosophy that serves as the foundation of its business, below.
1957
Nolan buys his first calf for $1.00
Nolan officially became a rancher at the age of 10, when he bought his first calf, which he bottle-fed by hand.
1960
Nolan begins playing competitive sports
Nolan’s teenage years were dominated by competitive sports. He excelled not only in baseball, but football and basketball too. This meant he had to make a difficult decision to sell his cattle, but his passion for ranching continued.
1970
Nolan and Ruth buy their first Texas ranch
Although Nolan and Ruth were constantly traveling for baseball, they always came home to Texas in between. So after Nolan won the World Series in 1969 with the New York Mets, he bought his first ranch in South Texas.
1973
Nolan begins to cattle ranch professionally
During the off-season, Nolan worked hard not only training for baseball but also on the ranch, working with the animals he loved. Dedicated on and off the mound, Nolan took his ranching operation seriously and studied while on the road between games.
2000
Nolan launches Nolan Ryan Beef®
After baseball, Nolan partnered with a few other master cattle ranchers to launch Nolan Ryan Beef. The brand has been producing high-quality Texas beef for 20 years and can be found in Kroger supermarkets across Texas and Louisiana, as well as in many professional baseball stadiums around the state of Texas.
2011
Nolan is presented the Golden Spur Award
After 38 years of professionally ranching cattle, Nolan was presented the Golden Spur Award from the Ranching Heritage Association, which recognizes leadership and exceptional service to the ranching community.
2020
Nolan launches Goodstock by Nolan Ryan
Now, after 47 years of experience cattle ranching, Nolan has created a new kind of retail experience by opening a boutique butcher shop in Round Rock. The shop is a place where locals feel warm and welcome, out-of-town visitors feel inspired, and Nolan himself feels at home.
We Partner with Dr. Temple Grandin
We're the first company to invest in and adopt the Temple Grandin Responsible Cattle Care Program.
We believe it's our duty to ensure that only partners providing proper animal care are included in the Goodstock program. While we work with industry leaders, it’s our duty to ensure they remain accountable and true to their word.
Our animal welfare requirements have been founded on and adopted from a culmination of various guidelines from industry-leading organizations.
To learn about those programs, visit the links listed below.
We Take Pride in
Our Work and Food Safety
Food safety is extremely important to us.
The health and safety of our customers is at the core of what we do.
We want our customers to understand that the Goodstock name is synonymous with high quality and ethical practices. All of our products have gone through a rigorous development process and are evaluated individually. We hand select supplier partners who share our food safety philosophy and who operate with transparency and accountability, fostering a food safety culture. Our supplier facilities operate under the regulatory requirements of the FDA and/or USDA.
All supplier facilities are audited on an annual basis by an independent 3rd party. The facilities are compliant with the requirements of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). Nolan Ryan Brands Director of FSQR & Product Development also conducts annual audits of each supplier facility verifying implementation of process controls and established best practices including, but not limited to:
- HACCP plan compliance
- Supplier approval and monitoring
- Hygienic handling of product
- Sanitation programs before, during and after daily operations
- Accurate labeling
- Product traceability
- Environmental microbiological monitoring
- Allergen control
- Compliance with product specifications
- Food security
- Finished product inspection and testing
If potential issues are found, they are investigated and addressed immediately resulting in process control and improvement. Our ongoing performance monitoring of product and production processes enable us to reach our goal of producing the safest and highest quality food possible. We take pride in doing our very best every day for our customers.