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For nearly three decades, Critchfield Meats has built its reputation the old-fashioned way: consistent service, strong relationships, and the ability to get customers what they need—fast. That approach has fueled steady growth since the company opened its doors in 1996. But by 2024, the limits of their original facility had become impossible to ignore.

“We were bumping into each other and couldn’t grow,” said co-owner Larry McMillan.

What followed was a decisive expansion that not only solved long-standing operational bottlenecks but also positioned the Lexington-based company for its next phase of growth.

Outgrowing the Original Facility

Critchfield Meats began operations in a 12,168-square-foot building, with roughly 2,000 square feet of office space and about 10,000 square feet dedicated to refrigerated storage. While the space supported the company for many years, increasing volume and product diversity eventually made it clear the facility was holding them back.

Opportunity arrived when a nearby business, God’s Pantry, reached out with plans to sell its building. The 55,000-square-foot facility offered the scale Critchfield needed—and then some.

Mark Critchfield and Larry McMillan didn’t hesitate.

“We decided to jump in and buy it,” Larry said.

The purchase closed in January 2025, with God’s Pantry needing one year to relocate. During that time, Critchfield Meats invested heavily in renovations to tailor the building to their operation.

A Purpose-Built Facility for Growth

Before moving in, the team added a 4,000-square-foot fully refrigerated dock, built a new processing room, and completed extensive repairs and upgrades throughout the building. By June 2025, the facility was ready—and the move itself was completed in a single weekend.

The original building is now for sale.

Larry says the difference has been immediate.

“We’re very pleased with the layout and the size.”

That additional space eliminated congestion, improved workflow, and gave the company room to think beyond its traditional product mix.

More Capacity, More Capability

Since the move, business has grown significantly. The expanded facility has allowed Critchfield Meats to broaden its distribution offering well beyond meat. Today, the company supplies paper goods, spices, chemicals, and frozen vegetables—essentially “anything a restaurant can buy.”

The expansion also added nine new jobs, strengthening both the company and the local workforce.

Operationally, the new space increased refrigerated storage, processing capacity, and dock efficiency. Strategically, it allowed Critchfield Meats to purchase more product directly, reducing reliance on outside wholesalers and improving margin control—particularly for their own family-owned retail market in Lexington.

Serving a Broad and Loyal Customer Base

While many know Critchfield Meats for its retail presence, wholesale and distribution are a major part of the business. The company serves restaurants, universities, foodservice operators, meat retailers, and other distributors. They are an approved Aramark distributor and sell to companies such as Sysco, along with 12–15 additional distributors.

The expansion has widened their geographic reach, including strong penetration in the Cincinnati market, where they sell to approximately 10 distributors.

Notably, Critchfield Meats does very little advertising.

“We’ve pretty much stopped advertising completely,” Larry said.

Instead, growth is driven by sales representatives and long-standing relationships—some customers have been with the company for more than 30 years.

Built on Service and Reputation

Critchfield Meats’ reputation in both retail and foodservice remains one of its strongest assets. The company receives shipments seven days a week and is known for fast, dependable fulfillment.

“If someone orders today, we’ll deliver the same day,” Larry said. “If we don’t have it, we’ll bring it the next day.”

That reliability supports enormous volume. The company sells more than one million pounds of chicken each month and currently generates approximately $50 million in annual revenue.

Looking Ahead: “The Sky Is the Limit”

The recent expansion was not simply a reaction to demand—it was a proactive investment in the future. Over the next five to ten years, Mark and Larry aim to double revenue and continue expanding into additional states.

“The sky is the limit,” Larry said.

After 50 years in the industry, Larry shows no signs of slowing down.

“People ask me why I don’t retire,” he said. “I’m having fun.”

That enthusiasm extends to the team around him. Larry oversees operations and distribution, while Mark handles sales. Five members of the Critchfield family work in the business, alongside a staff Larry describes as “so many good people who know the business.”

A Model for Strategic Expansion

For other meat processors across Kentucky, Critchfield Meats’ expansion offers a clear takeaway: growth requires both readiness and decisiveness. By recognizing operational constraints, acting quickly on opportunity, and investing in infrastructure that supports long-term vision, the company transformed a space limitation into a launchpad for the next decade.

And through it all, they’ve stayed true to what built the business in the first place—family ownership, strong relationships, and an unwavering commitment to service.

In the early morning hours, before the day’s rush begins, there’s a quiet intensity inside Lebanon Meat Market. Knives are sharpened. Cases are stocked with marbled cuts. Steam rises from the kitchen where hot meals are prepared daily. It’s a new chapter for Central Kentucky's meat scene—one that started not in a boardroom, but on a small farm in Bardstown during the uncertainty of a global pandemic.

Josh Geron, owner of Loretto Butcher Shop and the newly launched Lebanon Meat Market, didn’t grow up in the processing business. A native of Barren County, he began processing on a small scale during COVID-19, simply trying to keep food on the table. That hands-on start eventually led him to purchase Loretto Butcher Shop in February 2022—a modest processing and retail facility in Loretto, KY.

Expansion Fueled by Encouragement

Loretto’s small size and limited foot traffic made it clear early on that if Geron wanted to grow his retail presence, he’d need to look beyond city limits. The push to expand came from local voices—particularly community member Jay Grundy, a real estate professional and Kentucky Farm Bureau agent, who encouraged Geron to bring a retail model to Lebanon. Lebanon offered fewer regulatory hurdles, a growing population, and a strong sense of community support. Those factors, combined with funding assistance from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board (KADB) and business development guidance from KCARD, helped bring the new retail space to life. Lebanon Meat Market opened its doors in September 2025.

A Transparent, Kentucky-Centered Retail Experience

The new retail store offers a wide range of products, including fresh meats, a freezer section, and a large variety of Kentucky Proud items. A commercial kitchen on-site allows the team to offer hot food and ready-to-cook meals, reducing waste and enhancing convenience for customers.

A standout feature of the store is a large viewing window—an intentional design choice that reflects Geron’s commitment to transparency. Customers can see what’s happening behind the scenes, offering a rare level of openness in the meat industry.

The space also includes a walk-in “meat cave,” initially planned as a beer cooler, but reimagined to better serve the store’s growing inventory of fresh products. The layout is designed not just for function, but for a quality customer experience rooted in trust, integrity, and cleanliness—core values that Geron says guide every decision, even when those decisions come at a cost.

Balancing Retail with Processing Roots

While the Lebanon store is the new face of the business, the original Loretto Butcher Shop remains active as the main processing hub for his business. Geron credits a strong management team—particularly the son of the shop’s previous owners, a skilled butcher with years of experience—for helping him keep both sides of the business running smoothly. This structure allows Geron to be more present in Lebanon while ensuring the processing side remains consistent and efficient.

Investments in automated equipment like slicers and wrappers have further streamlined operations. The addition of a commercial kitchen has created new revenue streams and reduced food waste through value-added products.

Hiring and Labor Challenges

As with many in the skilled trades, staffing has been a significant challenge. Geron describes hiring as an “uphill climb,” particularly in finding employees with the necessary skills—or willingness to learn—for this type of work. Despite these hurdles, the business continues to grow, adapting operations and staffing to
meet demand.

Strong Response and Regional Reach

Since opening, the response from the Lebanon community has been overwhelmingly positive. The retail model has proven far more efficient, with single-day sales in Lebanon now outpacing what would have taken two weeks in Loretto. The store has even drawn customers from as far away as Indianapolis, Winchester, and Bowling Green—evidence of growing regional interest in locally sourced, small-scale meat retail.

Geron continues to work closely with Kentucky farmers and producers, featuring their goods in the store and strengthening local supply chains. When asked about the broader impact, he shared that “It is huge. It takes away from the big box retailers.”

Looking Ahead

Geron’s vision doesn’t end in Lebanon. With the model proving successful, he’s now thinking about franchising and hopes to open another retail location in the next two years. His advice to others in the industry: “Be brave and take chances… It’s punting the ball and hoping someone catches it.”

He also emphasized the importance of having a strong support system—including other processors—as well as a strong faith base, something he identifies as central to his journey and decision-making.

A Family-Focused Mission

Of all the milestones in this expansion, one of Geron’s proudest achievements is having his family involved in the business. The venture isn’t just about meat—it’s about building something sustainable, meaningful, and grounded in the values he holds dear.

From a small farm in Bardstown to a thriving storefront in Lebanon, Josh Geron's journey is one of resilience, risk, and rootedness. What began as a necessity during a crisis has become a business model that uplifts local producers, strengthens small-town economies, and brings transparency back to the meat counter. At the heart of it all is a commitment to doing things the right way—even when it's harder—and a belief that small, thoughtful steps can lead to lasting impact. Just like the early mornings at the butcher shop, where each day begins with purpose, Geron’s story is a reminder that success is often found not in big leaps, but in steady hands and strong values.

The Covid-19 pandemic taught our nation many things. One of those things was the volatility of our nation’s food supply chain. With many families left wondering where they could get food and shelves left empty on many occasions, proteins became hard to find and prices reflected it. Consumers felt it in their pocketbooks and inside their homes at the kitchen table. The large meat processing companies were faced with unprecedented closures and meat was not making it to markets. That’s where the small to mid-sized meat and poultry processors stepped up their game. So many across the country accepted the challenge and set record levels of production. The small to mid-size processors intensified production and helped their farmers and communities. Without these processors, the market could have been completely turned upside down. Farmers had a way to continue processing their livestock and poultry. Consumers had another avenue of attaining meats for their families.

The work of the small and mid-sized processors didn’t go unnoticed. Even President Joe Biden addressed what the loss of processors would mean when he said “Without meaningful competition, farmers and ranchers don’t get to choose who they sell to. Or put another way, our farmers and ranchers have to pay whatever these four big companies say they have to pay, by and large. But that’s only half of it.These companies can use their position as middlemen to overcharge grocery stores and, ultimately, families.”

Today, the small and mid-sized processors face a new challenge. A challenge that will ultimately be too much for many. You see, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is going to regulate wastewater from meat and poultry processors. Yes, we all want clean water, and no one is arguing to not take measures to ensure it, but we need a solution that is viable for even the smallest meat processor. The EPA is proposing a wastewater management system required by all processors regardless of size, production, or output. This will impact USDA and custom processors. The proposed cost of these regulations are $5,000 to $3.2 million upfront and $5,000 to $400,000 annually for maintenance and testing. We are only a couple months away from a final ruling on this and no one knows what equipment will be needed. With that range of costs, processors are terrified….justifiably. Wastewater management can’t be a one size fits all solution and certainly can’t be one that threatens the existence of thousands of small companies across the country.

Let’s discuss who is impacted by these regulations and how.

The small to mid-sized poultry and meat processor

They are the most directly impacted. They are forced into paying for, creating the infrastructure, and maintaining the wastewater management systems. As mentioned above, this can be very costly. These types of costs are sunk costs with no way to recoup. It doesn’t increase efficiency, productivity, or help operational processes. Therefore, it is not an investment! To continue operations, most will have to raise costs to the consumers. With inflation and food costs already soaring, this is not something any meat processor or retailer wants to do.

The consumer

Cha-Ching! The consumer will undoubtedly pay more at the checkout for all meats. If the processor can stay open, their costs just went up….most likely substantially. Therefore, those costs must be passed on to the consumer. If the small and mid-sized processors don’t survive, it opens up the market to the Big Four processors and now they can charge whatever they want for their products. No one charges less.

The farmer/rancher

Finding a processor is already a challenge to livestock farmers and ranchers. Often, processors are already operating at maximum capacities so finding one to accept animals can be difficult. Not all processors process poultry so there are already limited poultry processors. Not all processors process sheep and goat so there are already limited sheep/goat processors. If processors face shutting their doors, this becomes even more difficult. For the sheep and goat producers, the remaining processors will undoubtedly see an increase in the demand for beef and pork processing making is harder to locate processor for sheep and goat. While it is hard to put a number on the impacts of this, you can see it will be much more difficult and costly to process your livestock. With fewer processors, there is a reduction in competition. Therefore, farmers are most likely going to have to accept less for their animals. Harder to sell and for less money is a hard pill to swallow for livestock farmers and ranchers.

So what’s next?

The industry was pretty much blind-sided by these new regulations. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced earlier this year that it intends to update its water pollution rules for meat and poultry processing facilities for the first time in nearly 20 years, following a lawsuit from environmental groups and animal rights activists arguing current standards are too weak. Proposed regulations are scheduled to come out in December 2023, followed by a public comment period. Final regulations are expected to be implemented in December of 2025.

It is time to speak up!

• Contact your state’s congressmen and senators and tell them you want to see this stopped or amended.
• Make sure meat processors and livestock producers are aware of this potential regulation and how it might devastate their businesses.
• Watch for the EPA’s proposed regulations and make your voice heard during the comment period. These should come out in December 2023.

The EPA seems completely disconnected with the agriculture and meat processing industries. Or simply don’t care. They refer to small business as one with less than 1,000 employees! This illustrates the disconnect between the agency and how our industry operates.

Speaking up in numbers is a must! Tell your story to let them know how you will be impacted.

Animal-raising claims, such as “grass-fed” and “free-range,” are voluntary marketing claims that must be approved by FSIS before they can be included on the labels of meat and poultry products sold to consumers.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it is implementing a multi-step effort aimed at strengthening the substantiation of animal-raising claims. This action builds on the significant work USDA has already undertaken to protect consumers from false and misleading labels and to implement President Biden's Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American economy.

“Consumers should be able to trust that the label claims they see on products bearing the USDA mark of inspection are truthful and accurate,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “USDA is taking action today to ensure the integrity of animal-raising claims and level the playing field for producers who are truthfully using these claims, which we know consumers value and rely on to guide their meat and poultry purchasing decisions.”

Animal-raising claims, such as “grass-fed” and “free-range,” are voluntary marketing claims that highlight certain aspects of how the source animals for meat and poultry products are raised. These claims must be approved by USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) before they can be included on the labels of meat and poultry products sold to consumers. FSIS most recently updated its guideline on these claims in 2019.

FSIS has received several petitions, comments, and letters from a wide range of stakeholders asking the agency to reevaluate its oversight of animal-raising claims, specifically, how they are substantiated. In addition, the veracity of “negative” antibiotics claims (e.g., “raised without antibiotics” or “no antibiotics ever”) has come into question.

FSIS, in partnership with USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS), will be conducting a sampling project to assess antibiotic residues in cattle destined for the “raised without antibiotics” market. The results of this project will help inform whether FSIS should require that laboratory testing results be submitted for the “raised without antibiotics” claim or start a new verification sampling program.

FSIS will also be issuing a revised industry guideline to recommend that companies strengthen the documentation they submit to the agency to substantiate animal-raising claims. The agency plans to strongly encourage use of third-party certification to verify these claims.

Together these actions will be used to guide potential rulemaking on animal-raising claims. USDA looks forward to continued engagement with stakeholders as it works to ensure these claims meet consumer expectations.

Article originally published by American Association of Meat Processors 

The demand for skilled talent in the meat industry is strong at the state and national level. Michigan State University Extension is offering a workforce development opportunity formatted as an online meat cutter training course. Whether you are a current or aspiring meat cutter or just looking to gain additional meat science knowledge, this self-paced course, which is open to the public, offers detailed demonstrational beef and pork cutting videos, supplemented with helpful information for any meat enthusiast.

Offered on-demand, the online meat cutter training course includes multiple demonstrational videos on pork and beef carcass breakdown (Figure 1) into wholesale, subprimal, and retail cuts.

Videos include:
Beef Forequarter Breakdown

• Skirt steaks
• Brisket
• Bone-In Chuck
• Boneless Chuck
• Short Ribs
• Rib

Beef Hindquarter Breakdown

• Bone-In Loin
• Boneless Loin
• Sirloin
• Round
• Flank

Wholesale Pork Carcass Breakdown

• Ham
• Boneless and Bone-In Loin
• Belly
• Spareribs
• Boston butt
• Picnic shoulder

This interactive certificate training program also includes material and exercises covering meat inspection, food safety, beef grading, fabrication, meat grinding, aging meat, retail display, and labeling. In addition to serving as a training asset for meat cutters, this course will also benefit employees with cut identification, packaging, and labeling to aid in sales, marketing, and customer service. Upon successful completion, each individual will receive a Certificate of Completion. Registration details can be found on the Meat Cutter Training Course website. Course content is estimated to take 6 to 8 hours to complete, and the course is designed for participants to work as their own pace as time permits. Registration is $125 and includes continued access to course materials.

Original post made on American Association of Meat Processors site. 

AAMP Welcomes KAMP

The American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP), North America’s largest meat trade association, welcomes the Kentucky Association of Meat Processors (KAMP) as its newest state affiliate. AAMP now has 30 state and regional associations among its affiliates. “KAMP was formed to create a network of meat processors operating in Kentucky to allow for better communication of information pertinent to our industry, the open exchange of ideas and challenges, and closer ties between processors. KAMP will work to represent processors across the state in helping solve issues that face the industry,” said Jennifer Hardin, KAMP Executive Secretary. She said that there had been a state association in Kentucky that dissolved decades ago. This new association formed in 2022 and officially got off the ground this year. “The reviving of the association will help lead to a better-unified meat processing industry in the state. It will give meat processors the opportunity to work with others in the industry and provide help to reach common goals of processors,” Hardin adds. There are more than 100 small meat processors in Kentucky, most of which are family-owned businesses, as well as a handful of poultry processors and country ham producers. There is a mix of both USDA-inspected and custom processors. KAMP will work to provide a unified voice and representation at both a state and national level. One of the association’s current initiatives, Hardin says, is to find ways to better recruit, train and retain employees. The KAMP Board of Directors is as follows: John Edwards, Trackside Butcher Shoppe, Campbellsburg, KY Chris Milam, Hampton’s Premium Meats, Hopkinsville, KY Dr. Randy Smoot, Green River Meats (under construction), Campbellsville, KY Allison Boone Porteus, Boone’s Butcher Shop, Bardstown, KY Rich Albrecht, Thompson Equipment & Supply (Supplier Member) Dr. Gregg Rentfrow, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture (Ex Officio Board Member) Myrisa Christy, Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (KCARD) (Ex Officio Board Member) Warren Beeler, Western Kentucky University (Ex Officio Board Member) Any processor who joins KAMP will gain access to a group of fellow meat processors offering a network of individuals with similar needs and experiences. KAMP will serve as a proactive voice for meat processers at a local, state and national level, and it will help encourage development of university and extension programs to benefit the industry. The association has planned a joint event with the Indiana Meat Packers & Processors Association for September 8-9, 2023. The “Bratwurst & Bourbon Tour” will involve a visit to a local meat processor as well as some bourbon distilleries, ending with a dinner in Louisville. “Teaming up with the Indiana association allows us the chance to network with even more processors. We will have suppliers joining us as well,” Hardin says. Hardin notes that Kentucky processors have operated for decades without the support of an association behind them. “We want our processors to know that you are not alone in running your business, and we want to offer support. By joining KAMP, our meat processing in the state will only strengthen, and we will have a much louder voice,” Hardin says. “As an organization we have jumped right into addressing many of the issues that face meat processors. We have gone beyond just getting our feet wet, and I am working daily to provide ways that strengthen our industry in the state. We are addressing regulation issues, grant funding, workforce development and several other areas that impact our state's plants.”