PRINCETON, Ky. – Better For Butchery, Inc., a co-packing service provider that supports independent American meat producers, recently acquired a 27,000-square-foot USDA-inspected processing facility in Princeton. 

At a Jan. 20 “Meat + Greet,” hosted by Better For Butchery, farmers, butchers, industry executives and government officials gathered to tour the facility, which will serve as the company’s centralized processing, packaging, cold storage and fulfillment hub.

According to company officials, this expansion, supported by a $2.5 million USDA loan, aims to strengthen local food infrastructure, providing 83 full-time jobs, and serving over 70 restaurants.

Company officials added that the facility will provide consistent quality, reliable scheduling and access to regional and national distribution – capabilities that have historically been difficult for small- and mid-sized producers to secure at scale.

Secure at scale in livestock agriculture refers to the implementation of comprehensive, technology-driven biosecurity, surveillance and management measures across large-scale industrial farming operations to maintain herd health, prevent disease outbreaks and ensure business continuity.

Christopher Roach, Better For Butchery CEO, said the company’s work has been focused on three areas from the start: Helping small family farms monetize and scale their operations; giving local communities access to the nourishment grown in their region; and reconnecting producers and consumers through a transparent, accountable supply chain.

“In this time of mass consolidation and monopolies, our work is proving rural food infrastructure is growth-oriented and investable,” he said at the Meat + Greet event. “We offer hands-on operational partnership for processing, co-packing, storage from the same infrastructure that has powered over $65 million in direct to consumers sales, and provided fulfillment services that have delivered 500,000 orders nationally.”

Travis Burton, USDA Rural Development state director for Kentucky, said of Better For Butchery’s acquisition, “What we’re celebrating today is not just a facility, but rural jobs, stronger markets, and a food system rooted in our local communities. 

“Better For Butchery is modeling a new meat economy that levels the playing field for small, rural farmers,” he said. “Against a backdrop of meat industry consolidation and plant closures, what they are doing is really going to be the model for the rest of the country.”

The building acquired by Better For Butchery was previously run by Porter Road Meat Co., in Princeton. Company officials said this milestone marks Better For Butchery’s growth from turnaround operator to platform-scale processor – formalizing the co-packing, cold storage and fulfillment services the company is already providing to farmers, ranchers and anchor customer Porter Road, and extending that capacity to like-minded third-party partners across America.

Brock Thomas, Princeton mayor, told Farm World, “Better For Butchery is a wonderful community partner. Their business model is a blessing for the City of Princeton, and all of Western Kentucky. It will allow better opportunities for regional farmers, and high-quality products to families.”