by Mari Radtke
Friedrichsen Meat Company of Sutherland, Iowa opened for business in 2022. The locally owned business of Will and Macey Friedrichsen began parttime and rapidly grew to a fulltime operation. Will and Macey took advantage of government incentives to increase competition in the meat production sector following the devastation of COVID on numerous industries. Food production capacity was a major focus in the economic recovery. Will and Macey’s business investment is benefitting well from the incentives for economic recovery.
Friedrichsen Meat Company is a local butcher shop focusing on custom meat for farmers and hunters. The shop also offers a variety of retail beef, pork and chicken cuts as well as their own meat products.
Select dry goods and barbeque accessories are featured products. The sauces and seasonings offered are all Iowa products.
Business has gone so well in these first 2 years that it is already time for expansion. Already preparing for construction of a 1440 square foot building to the east. The new space is intended to take existing retail space and expand it. Macey shares how her goal is to create a retail space that features “made in Iowa” food products. The new addition will include a new smokehouse. That tool will enable the in-house production of beef sticks and other smoked meat products.
The existing retail and office space will be converted to additional processing space. The additional processing space will double the beef processing capacity and triple the pork processing capacity. Will adds, “Additional storage space will be great too.”
There is a neat little feature already in use in the retail space. It is a dry-ager. The dorm-sized glass refrigerator is zero humidity and a constant cool temperature. Three prime ribs were hanging there aging for 45-50 days. Following the aging they will be cut into ribeye steaks, packaged and available for retail sale. This is expected to be a very attractive added feature.
The couple is hoping to have the new space operational by December of this year.
There are a few butchering spots still available this year, but are filling fast. They are taking appointments for 2025.
Will expanded production space comes job creation. Macey says to watch their Facebook page for job openings.