When you visit Dayton Meat Products in Malcolm, Iowa, there stands a very good chance that a member of the Dayton family made your sausage, packaged your bacon, checked you out and even talked to you about buying a grill. They probably butchered the livestock you brought and catered your big dinner. They even packed the well-received gift boxes that you handed out to employees and customers at the holidays. It’s a lot of work for one family, but the Daytons have been keeping Iowans’ kitchens well-stocked for 60 years.
Lawrence Dayton bought the town’s locker plant in 1959 and renamed it Dayton Meat Products. He operated it for 40 years before selling it to two of his sons and his son-in-law. The three partners and their families have kept the business prospering since 1999. The scope of Dayton Meat Products has continued to expand under three generations of family operation.