Residential Gourmet Brent Michaud sells meat to consumers without disclosing additives that affect products taste and texture. Phoenix, Arizona
We are a $200+ victim of Residential Gourmet company! Upon talking to many other citizens, we found many consumers with similar Residential Gourmet experiences. Residential Gourmet representives walked door-to-door (our rep drove an unmarked vehicle and had a freezer full of meats) and deceptively sold us meats containing additives that affect the meats taste and texture -our property also had a No Solicitation sign clearly posted. This rep sold the meats when AZ's s****.>
The Residential Gourmet rep used high-pressure, psychological sales tactics (i.e. offered
to make room in our freezer & sell his freezer and all his products; lowered package prices;
indicated meats were organic, made us feel sorry for him with a hardl uck story). The rep did not verbally/physically disclose the additives to us, as he only displayed the plastic-wrapped meats and not the box ingredient labels. We did not question if there were additives, as the rep said the meats were 'natural'. We obtained the 6 various-cut meat inner boxes (plus the outer box) after the rep tossed those in our trash bin.
After the sales rep wrote his cell phone # (answering service only, no return calls) and left the neighborhood, we grilled two cuts of the Residential Gourmet meats sold to us. We used no seasonings or marinades on the meats - the cooked meats had a mushy/spunge-like texture, were salty and had shrunk considerably. The person who bought the meats has Hypertension and cannot have salt. Neither of us continued eating the steaks after a few bites. We retrieved an inner item box, read the ingredient label (small print) & made a shocking discovery about the additives! We immediately placed numerous calls, emails in order to prevent our check from being cashed & to return remaining products back to Residential Gourmet-we offered to pay for the two cooked steaks. The two times we spoke with Residential Gourmet (one person identified himself as owner Brent Michaud), we were told that the sales rep would be contacted and Residential Gourmet would contact us. A few days later (after not hearing from Residential Gourmet) our bank notified us that Residential Gourmet had cashed our check! We notified law enforcement. We also sent a certified letter to Residential Gourmet- to no resolve.
The 'Premium Beef Ribeye' inner box label reads: Contains up to 12% solution of Ficin, water, sodium phosphate, salt, beef flavor, lemon powder. Processed for The Meat Man, Phoenix AZ 85009. U.S. inspected and passed by department of agriculture, Est. 27220. Outer box wording reads: American Harvest Boxed Beef Co. Inspected for wholesomness by U.S. dept of agriculture P-27220
This report is not about buyers remorse by spending $200+. We paid hard-earned money to Residential Gourmet (not Omaha Meats or Schwans Foods) for food we cannot consume and that was also deceptively marketed! Dont get taken! Dont believe me?...see this
media warning: http://www2.wspa.com/news/2009/aug/05/dont_get_taken_by_door_to_door_meat_sales_scam-ar-2477/
7 Updates & Rebuttals
spassu
Gilbert,Arizona,
Ditto
#8Consumer Comment
Tue, February 03, 2015
I'm going through the same thing with this company. They won't return phone calls or emails. The package they gave me was not worth the cost of my check. Avoid this company. There must be something we can do to get them out of business so no other people go through this. I am getting my lawyer invovled. I was scammed for $600
ramjet
Michigan,Please!
#8Consumer Comment
Wed, July 02, 2014
Please folks, do NOT buy meat (or anything else) from any kind of door to door salesman/saleswoman. Buying meat this this way is a breathtakingly bad idea. Regardless of what they tell you, you have NO idea what it is, where it came from or what it's actual condition is.
Buy meat from a reputable store that you can feel at least reasoanble comfotable with.
Terrible idea.
Scammed by Residential Gourmet
New Mexico,Take Action against Door To Door Meat Seller Crooks
#8Author of original report
Mon, May 12, 2014
REPORT this company and owners! Do NOT stand still as other naive victimes are being scammed!
REPORT them to:
*Arizona Attorney General Office and New Mexico Attorney General Office... URGE them to make Door-To-Door Meat Sales a crime~!
*Local law enforcement agencies
*Consumer Advocate groups
*AARP and all Seniors Groups
*AZ and NM newspapers, television stations (especially *Call 12 For Action)
*Start a Facebook page about their Scams
*BBB... altho' they 'buy' their relatins with BBB
*FDA and all State Good governing groupsa nd boards
*FBI
*Young adult 'gorilla warefare' consumer groups
*Electronic media and Social media sites
Unless we (The People!) take actions and involve others to take actions, these scammers will continue. This company has expanced into New Mexico due to pressures from Arizona citizens. We MUST stop this type of Scam as other States' Attorney Generals have.
campverdekid
Camp Verde,Arizona,
Still up to their old tricks in 2014
#8Consumer Comment
Tue, May 06, 2014
They are still using the same old dirty tricks.
Still in unmarked trucks.
Still using high pressure tactics.
Still selling inferior products.
Still holding peoples funds despite return demands.
Still using down their luck stories.
Now they're taking advantage of the disabled too.
Residential Gourmet Team
Phoenix,Arizona,
United States of America
This complaint has been resolved!
#8REBUTTAL Owner of company
Tue, October 25, 2011
This Complaint has been resolved! We issued a full refund. We also let the people keep all the food that they originally purchased.
They have not retracted any of the slanderous comments that they made. The person who wrote this complaint is not even the person who purchased the food from our company. She has gone around to every web review site she can find and said all kinds of untrue statements that have hurt our company and our families.
Fact: Residential Gourmet does offer All-Natural food.
Fact: Residential Gourmet does offer food that has been processed also.
Fact: Residential Gourmet has a 12 month replacement guarantee not an up sale but an upgrade. It is a FREE upgrade.
Fact: Residential Gourmet uses company vans with the companys name, phone number and website on them.
Fact: Residential Gourmet representatives will offer to throw away the boxes and put the frozen food in the customers freezer. Only as a service to them.
mr rik
miami,Florida,
USA
Don't buy Meat
#8Consumer Comment
Wed, June 08, 2011
from these guys!
Residential Gourmet Team
Phoenix,Arizona,
United States of America
Good Business Ethics
#8REBUTTAL Owner of company
Tue, June 07, 2011
We offer different priced Packages, for different types of customers:The person where money is no object and the very best must be had. The middle of the road customer, where good quality and pricing is important.
The price conscious customer, where good pricing and quality will satisfy their needs. Residential Gourmet has established a reputation as a premium purveyor and marketer of beef, seafood, poultry, pork and other gourmet foods. We have earned this reputation with our commitment to superior customer service and with the quality of our products. Residential Gourmet ships the food to you nation wide or delivers it absolutely free in Arizona.
If anyone has any questions or comments please feel free to contact Residential Gourmet directly.
Thank you,
Residential Gourmet Team
602.795.7335