Rinkes, Pfrang families take over Holton Meat Processing
Two local families who have been producing Angus cattle in the Holton area for several years recently purchased the Holton Meat Processing facility in an effort to get more Angus beef to the area market.
“This was just the final leg in the farm-to-plate process for us. It was good for us to have the opportunity to buy this part of the process,” said Lynn Rinkes, one of the new owners of the facility since Jan. 4.
Rinkes, her husband Bruce and son Brandon joined with Gary Pfrang and his sons, Derek and Corbin, to form Holton Meat LLC for the purchase of the facility after previous owners Dan and Cathy Hartley announced their plans to retire in recent months.
“We’re all Angus producers, and we were looking at trying to do something for a private label for our own Angus products,” Rinkes said.
That private label is Flint Hills Premium Natural Meats, a brand exclusive to the Rinkes and Pfrang families and available only at Holton Meat Processing. The latter part of that statement could change, however, Rinkes said, as the possibility of branching out to area supermarkets is “in our future plans.”
“We’re not 100 percent there yet,” she said. “We’re still trying to get our feet wet. It’s been lots of work.”
Rinkes, a retired meat inspector for the Kansas Department of Agriculture, also noted that the families are also interested in talking with local pork producers to help them get their animals to market.
“If someone calls and wants to order half a pig or a whole pig, we're hoping to have a supplier for that,” she said. “But we're also looking for the opportunity to sell some locally-grown pork at retail.”
Rinkes also noted she’s the only member of the partnership that works at the facility “on a day-to-day basis,” but she often gets a little help from the “younger generation” of the two families.
“Derek, Brandon and Corbin have been helping out when they can. They’re kind of in here at various times, helping with marketing, new ideas and new product lines. It’s good to see the younger generation getting into this kind of thing,” said Rinkes, who also noted that Pfrang’s wife, Susan, often helps out on weekends as well.
The faciliity will also continue to produce and sell its own beef sticks and sell Alma Creamery cheese, in addition to continuing to offer custom processing for area meat producers, she said. Beef and pork bundles will also continue to be offered, along with half and quarter-animal orders.
“People can call and get custom processing done on anything they'd like to order,” Rinkes said. “We can also customize it to whatever they'd like to have in their bundle.”
Holton Meat Processing is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday. For more information, call 364-2331.
