For almost 150 years, residents of Northern Kentucky have turned to the Rice family for their meat product needs. Sometimes it was at a market stall in Covington, and sometimes it was at their local grocery store or neighborhood chili parlor. Throughout its history, the company now known as Blue Grass Quality Meats has become synonymous with excellence.
Five generations of Rices have overseen the business, starting with Christopher Rice in 1867. Many things have changed his start at that market stall, naturally; Blue Grass had sales of about $22 million last year and operates out of a 65,000 square-foot facility in Crescent Springs, Ky. However, some things haven’t changed, notes Dan Rice, chief financial officer.