Navigating Small Town Meat Processing with Marc, Cedar Road Meats

In this episode of Meat Success, Katie Olthoff, co-founder of ChopLocal, interviews Marc from Cedar Road Meats in Wisconsin. Marc details the history and evolution of the family-owned business, which began in 2004 and recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. Initially focused on survival and providing local farmers with quality meat processing services, Cedar Road Meats transitioned to a federally inspected facility, expanding its offerings to include a storefront and sales in supermarkets. The conversation delves into the challenges and strategies of running a small meat processing business, such as dealing with seasonal dips, the importance of skilled labor, the shift away from deer processing, and exploring value-added products. Marc emphasizes the importance of consistent quality service, improving internal processes, customer communication, and maintaining good relationships with both employees and local farmers. He also shares insights on the impact of the pandemic on the business and future growth strategies that involve leveraging online sales and innovative marketing.Make sure to sign up for the Spring Webinar Series, where we are sharing strategies on how to better sell your meat! Learn more here: https://www.choplocaluniversity.com/blog/2025-meat-marketing-webinarsAnd learn more about ChopLocal and ChopLocal University Below!https://choplocal.com/https://www.choplocaluniversity.com/