Now that we’ve had adequate proof that “too big to fail” is a misnomer for almost any industry, it’s time to focus on the companies that are just the right size to succeed. While the independent processors weren’t immune from the struggles that affected every aspect of the U.S. economy, many of them managed to at least maintain sales, if not grow them.

Looking for that new market, that new product, that new opportunity is what makes this sector of the industry so exciting. The good operators know that stagnation can be fatal to a smaller business, and taking the initiative in a down year will put their companies in a much better position when the economy turns around.
Of those companies that gave their sales figures for the 2009 and 2010 reports, here are the five companies with the biggest sales increase.
Company    2009 sales (in millions) 2010 sales (in millions) percent increase

1. Abbyland Foods Inc.  108.4  221  103.8%

2. Old World Provisions  14.25  20  40.4%

3. Dakota Provisions   125  165  32%

4. Calihan Pork Processors Inc. 17  21.1  24.1%

5. JTM Food Group   82  100  22%

If you would like your company to be a part of the 2011 Top 75 Report, please e-mail Sam Gazdziak at gazdziaks@bnpmedia.com.

The Top 75 List

Rank, Company, Sales (in millions)
1. Stampede Meat Inc., Bridgeview, Ill. 245
2. Superior Farms, Davis, Calif. 225 (est)
3. Abbyland Foods Inc., Abbotsford, Wis. 221
4. Carl Buddig & Co., Homewood, Ill.  220 (est)
5. AB Foods USA, Boise, Idaho 212 (est)
6. Overhill Farms Inc., Vernon, Calif. 209.9 (est)
7. Fair Oaks Farms LLC, Pleasant Prairie, Wis.  205
8. Cooper Farms, St. Henry, Ohio 200 (est)
9. Land O’Frost, Lansing, Ill. 195 (est)
10. Farmer’s Pride Inc. dba Bell & Evans, Fredericksburg, Pa. 192
11. Harrison Poultry Inc., Bethleham, Ga. 183.3
12. Murry’s Inc., Marlboro, Md. 170 (est)
13. Odom’s Tennessee Pride Sausage Inc., Madison, Tenn. 166 (est)
14. Dakota Provisions, Huron, S.D. 165
15. Maple Leaf Farms Inc. 161 (est)
16. Halperns’ Purveyors of Steak & Seafood Co., Atlanta, Ga. 155
17. Rose Packing Co. Inc., Barrington, Ill. 154
18. John Soules Foods Inc., Tyler, Texas 152
19. Mountain States Rosen, Bronx, N.Y. 150
20. Kayem Foods Inc., Chelsea, Mass. 140 (est)
21. Sioux-Preme Packing Co., Sioux Center, Iowa 135
22T. Custom Food Products LLC, Carson, Calif. 130
22T. Stock Yards Packing Co., Chicago, Ill. 130 (est)
24. Strauss Brands Inc., Franklin, Wis. 125
25. J.H. Routh Packing Co., Sandusky, Ohio 124 (est)
26. Bridgford Foods Corp., Anaheim, Calif. 122.7
27. Loggins Meat Co. Inc., Tyler, Texas 115.4 (est)
28. Vienna Beef Ltd., Chicago, Ill. 108
29. Holten Meat Inc., Sauget, Ill. 107 (est)
30. Atlantic Premium Brands, Northbrook, Ill. 106
31T. JTM Provisions Co. Inc. dba JTM Food Corp., Harrison, Ohio 100
31T. Lincoln Provision Inc., Chicago, Ill. 100
31T. Peer Foods Group, Chicago, Ill. 100
31T. ALL Holding Co. Inc., Harleysville, Pa. 100 (est)
31T. Marcho Farms, Harleysville, Pa. 100 (est)
36. Empire Kosher Poultry Inc., Mifflintown, Pa. 99.8 (est)
37T. Chicago Meat Authority Inc., Chicago, Ill. 90
37T. Catelli Brothers, Collingswood, N.J. 90 (est)
39. Barber Foods, Portland, Maine 79.9 (est)
40. Charlie’s Pride Meats, Vernon, Calif. 78 (est)
41. Vincent Giordano Corp., Philadelphia, Pa. 69
42. MBA Poultry, Waverly, Neb. 65 (est)
43. Williams Sausage Co. Inc., Union City, Tenn. 60.6
44T. Freirich Foods Inc., Salisbury, N.C. 54
44T. First Class Foods, Hawthhorne, Calif. 54 (est)
46. Dole & Bailey Inc., Woburn, Mass.  45 (est)
47. Manda Packing Co., Baton Rouge, La. 43
48. Godshall’s Quality Meats, Telford, Pa. 40.5
49. Rocky Mountain Natural Meats, Henderson, Colo. 40 (est)
50. 46 Burgers’ Ozark Country Cured Hams Inc., California, Mo. 38.5
51. Dillon Provision Co. Inc., Dillon, S.C. 36.8
52. Broadleaf (USA) Inc., Vernon, Calif. 32 (est)
53. Ideal Meat & Provisions Inc., Northridge, Calif. 28
54T. Hill Meat Co., Pendleton, Ore. 24
54T. Blue Grass Quality Meats, Crescent Springs, Ky. 24 (est)
54T. Deli Brands of America, Baltimore, Md. 24 (est)
57. Calihan Pork Processors Inc., Peoria, Ill. 21.1
58. Old World Provisions, Albany, N.Y.  20
59. Brookwood Farms Inc., Siler City, N.C. 18
60T. Carlton Farms, Carlton, Ore. 17
60T. Spartanburg Meat Processing Co. Inc., Spartanburg, S.C. 17
62T Sunset Farm Foods Inc., Valdosta, Ga. 16
62T. Pioneer Packing Co. Inc., Bowling Green, Ohio 16
64. Bush Brothers Provision Co., West Palm Beach, Fla. approx. 12
65. K. Heeps Inc., Allentown, Pa. 11.6
66. Gahn Meat Co. Inc., Milwaukee, Wis. 11.2
67. Palmyra Bologna Co. dba Seltzer’s Smokehouse Meats, Palmyra, Pa. 10+
68. Byron Center Meats, Byron Center, Mich. 10
69. Foodway - The Louisiana Way, Shreveport, La. 8.2 (est)
70. Southern Pride Meat Co. Inc., Goldsboro, N.C. 7.1
71. Butcher Block dba North Country Smokehouse, Claremont, N.H. 7
72. Kessler’s Inc., Lemoyne, Pa. 5+
73. Glier’s Meats Inc., Covington, Ky. 3.1
74 Esposito’s Finest Quality Sausage Products, New York, N.Y. 2.8
75. Makowski’s Real Sausage Co., Chicago, Ill. 2.5