Gemstone Grass Fed Beef

The existing theme was a constraint rather than an asset. It could not be meaningfully extended to support subscriptions, wholesale, or the visual direction the brand needed, and trying to patch it further would have created more problems than it solved.

We built a custom theme on Shopify 2.0 using Dawn as the foundation, with a full component system designed around Gemstone’s brand. Farm photography, typography, layout structure, and collection architecture were all built to reflect the quality and story behind the product, not just to display it.

Gemstone now has a theme built around their brand and product range that they can extend as the business grows, without being constrained by a generic template.

Many of Gemstone’s customers purchase beef boxes on a regular basis, but there was no convenient way to turn those repeat purchases into an ongoing relationship. Customers had to manually reorder each time they needed to restock, creating unnecessary friction and making it harder for the business to capture predictable recurring revenue. 

We integrated Shopify’s native subscription functionality directly into the storefront, allowing customers to choose a recurring delivery schedule from the product page. The subscription experience was fully incorporated into the custom theme, creating a seamless purchasing flow that feels like a natural part of the site while avoiding the added complexity and cost of a third party subscription platform. 

Customers can now set up recurring deliveries in just a few clicks, making it easier to keep their freezer stocked without the hassle of reordering. For Gemstone, subscriptions create a more predictable revenue stream, strengthen customer retention, and deepen relationships with their most loyal buyers. 

Wholesale buyers need a different purchasing experience than retail customers. They expect account level pricing, the ability to place larger orders efficiently, and a buying flow that does not require them to go through a standard retail checkout. Managing wholesale through the retail storefront was not sustainable as the trade side of the business grew.

We integrated SparkLayer to create a dedicated wholesale portal within Gemstone’s Shopify store. Approved trade customers can log in to access their own buying experience, complete with account level pricing, streamlined ordering tools, and a flow built for larger volume purchases. Everything runs through the same Shopify backend, keeping retail and wholesale operations connected without requiring a second store.

Wholesale buyers now have a purpose built portal that makes ordering faster, clearer, and more professional. For Gemstone, the setup centralizes retail and trade management in one Shopify admin, reducing manual pricing work while giving the wholesale side of the business room to grow. 

Shipping perishable beef across Alberta requires more than a standard ecommerce setup. Delivery options, service areas, and carrier availability vary by region, making it essential that customers see the right shipping methods at checkout. Without location based logic in place, there was a risk of incorrect shipping options, fulfillment complications, and increased customer support overhead. 

We implemented ShipperHQ to manage Gemstone’s regional shipping requirements, configuring custom rules that dynamically present the appropriate delivery options based on each customer’s location. This ensured the checkout experience accurately reflected the realities of shipping fresh and frozen products across Alberta. 

Customers are shown accurate shipping options tailored to their location, creating a smoother and more reliable checkout experience. For the Gemstone team, automated shipping rules reduce manual intervention, minimize fulfillment errors, and provide greater confidence that every order can be delivered as promised. 

Gemstone’s tallow balm line is rooted in the same values that define the beef business, sourced from the same cattle and produced with the same commitment to quality and transparency. While closely connected to the farm’s story, the products appealed to a different buying mindset and required their own dedicated experience within the store. Without clear positioning and presentation, the line risked being overlooked within the broader catalog rather than recognized as a distinct and growing part of the brand. 

We built the tallow balm collection into a dedicated section of the store, complete with its own navigation entry point and custom collection page. Designed to align with the broader Gemstone brand, the experience clearly communicates what the products are, where they come from, and why they belong alongside the farm’s beef offerings, helping customers discover and understand the line easily. 

Customers now have a clear path to the tallow balm products they are looking for, supported by an experience that explains the products and their connection to the farm. Rather than feeling like an add on within the catalog, the line stands as a natural extension of the Gemstone brand, strengthening its credibility and helping drive discovery across both product categories.