The New Year should be a busy year for small and mid-sized meat processors. After two years of meteoric growth and an influx of state and federal dollars to help strengthen the U.S. meat supply chain, there are numerous processors who have big plans for the coming year or two. Companies are looking to expand their facilities, acquire new machines and pursue new market opportunities.
The expansion is the flashy aspect of growth. Bringing in a new packaging machine or a smokehouse, or adding on 10,000 square feet to a plant is a noteworthy accomplishment and is worthy of some attention. It’s a sign to your customers, your employees and the industry in general that your business is strong and successful, and you have to grow to accommodate your expanding operations. However – and I’m paraphrasing the late, lamented Uncle Ben of Spiderman fame – with great growth comes great responsibility.