Like many meat processors in the country, Burgers’ Smokehouse has tried to operate during the Coronavirus pandemic by making the best of a bad situation. As consumers stayed indoors, they continued to order the company’s traditional country hams and other products through Burgers’ website, catalog sales and retail sales. Then the worst-case scenario for any meat processor occurred.
“Prior to the virus showing up at our doorstep, business was really pretty robust, everywhere except for foodservice, which is no surprise. That industry certainly has taken a direct hit, and our business was no different in that regard,” said Steven Burger, president of the four-generation meat processor located in California, Mo. “But grocery and business-to-consumer business, with our internet and catalog sales, certainly helped offset some of the foodservice loss.”