(Riverton, WY) – After about 7 years of planning and building, a new USDA livestock processing facility is in the home stretch of opening this summer.
Genuine Meats is located at 4454 Airport Road and has already started taking appointments for cattle, bison, hogs, and lambs.
Managing Partner Beau Sheets is excited to work with local producers and plans to process about 50 head a week.
There is a need for Wyoming beef to stay local, he explained. However, the slaughter and processing capacity hasn’t been here. “We want to keep beef local and promote our ranchers. We have the best beef in the world.”
Another partner in this new facility is fourth-generation meat processor Bruce Westlake.
Up until they retired in 2017, Bruce and his wife Evelyn operated Farmers Packing Company in Kinnear that was started by his grandfather in 1947.
Since last spring, the two of them have been teaching Beau how to process the animals from start to finish and how to paper wrap, which was a customer favorite, Bruce noted.
“Evelyn is a pro at wrapping and tucking those corners in tight.”
Along with the paper wrap style, Genuine Meats will use their sausage, ham, and bacon recipes. “We are excited to carry on their legacy,” Beau said.
Consumers will be able to buy directly from them, and they will offer private labeling for producers.
They will also be adding over 20 jobs to the community when fully operational which will hopefully be by the end of July.
As previously mentioned, they are taking appointments now.
You can reach out through their Facebook page, by emailing [email protected], or by calling (307) 840-1641.
They will also have a website going online in the coming weeks, www.genuinemeats.com.