When discussing the past couple of years in the meat industry, Cloverdale Foods’ fourth-generation CEO Scott Russell describes a waterfall, where you’re constantly getting hit from one stream of water or another. “One day it’s on the market side with a particular segment, such as food service. Another day, its challenges in logistics, whether it be trucking, both inbound and outbound,” he says.
The Mandan, N.D., processor has had to move from one crisis point to the next, like most in the industry have done. However, before COVID-19 ever reached the United States, Cloverdale had taken steps to strengthen its company culture and decision-making process. As a result, it was able to adapt quickly to the many industry changes that took place and is one of the relatively few processors today that can boast of full employment.