Peggy Revell
Optimism in the air since the launch of Rainy River Meats Inc. in Emo last month.
“I think it’s gone quite well for a new business,” enthused Steve Loshaw, who, along with other local investors, started up the business to complement the abattoir that had opened last year in Emo—and to hopefully increase the processing capacity while promoting local farmers’ meat products.
Located at 56 Front St. in Emo (the old post office), the business is a “category one”-licensed premise by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, unlike other local processors.
This allows them to sell wholesale to retailers, tourist camps and restaurants, and “third parties.”
“We’ve been very busy,” echoed Marg Irvine, one of the other investors, noting the partners have been “throwing in a lot of hours,” on top of their other jobs, to get the business up and running.
“Ideally, our goal is to have two employees full-time, and it’s working towards that,” Irvine said.
“We’d like to see the wholesale side of it expand, sell more local products through the retailers,” noted Loshaw, adding they’ve had a good relationship with Cloverleaf Grocery in Emo.
“They’ve been supportive and working with us, selling more product out of the grocery store, as well,” he remarked.
They’re also hoping to do some wholesale direct, as well, said Loshaw, including establishing a line of hamburger patties and fresh sausage that they can wholesale on a larger volume, and freezer packs of a combination of cuts.
Since opening, they’ve seen steady traffic at their Front Street location, having opened it up as a retail location alongside the processing part.
With the Clover Valley Farmers’ Market starting up again for the season in Fort Frances, Irvine said they’ve had the opportunity to bring the local meats to sell there and the response has been “very positive.”
“Actually, the second week that I went I had repeat customers,” she remarked.
“Some of them have been on Facebook and said how wonderful the local meat was; that they’ve never had fresh meat,” she added.
