BREMEN -- A locally owned meat processing business will take its products global and operate a USDA-approved facility with an expansion project in eastern Fairfield County.

Rienschield's Finer Meats owner Kenny Rienschield purchased a 26,000-square-foot-building, more than twice the size of his current shop, to operate a spin-off company called Rienschield Gourmet Sausage. The $1 million investment in property and renovations gives the company the capacity to enter into the private label manufacturing of sausage products and market products internationally.

"I can do Internet sales and ship out of the U.S.," he said. "Without a USDA-facility I couldn't ship anything. Whatever people got, they would have to buy it here."

Rienschield's Finer Meats, which produces approximately 50 products, has been in the community since 1982, mostly as a custom butchering shop for farmers and hunters. It produces 2,000 pounds of sausage a week in the current 10,000-square-foot building.

It will be able to produce 15,000 pounds a week in the new facility, a former Anchor Hocking property, a few blocks away from the current site.

Rienschield's Finer Meats will continue to operate as a retail store.

The expansion project is expected to generate $15,000 in property taxes and nearly $2,000 in income taxes annually for the village.

"We're very excited about any business expansion in the village," Mayor Dave Ray said. "The fact that it's one of our own makes it even better. There will be some additional jobs, and we're very excited about that."

The Village Council last week unanimously approved giving the company a 10-year, 50 percent abatement on real estate taxes on any improvements Rienschield makes to the new facility and on personal property taxes on new equipment and inventory.

The Fairfield County Commissioners also approved the deal last week.

Fairfield County Economic Development Director David Zak believes the expansion will solidify business in the county's eastern quadrant. He worked on the project with Rienschield for about six months.

"We have a couple of industrial parks off of U.S. 33, but there aren't any industrial parks out there," Zak said. "Growing business out there is really good for that neck of the woods. That building could've just sat there."

Rienschield was a young boy when he started in the meat processing business.

"I started out in eighth grade as a clean-up boy in a little shop in Rushville," the 48-year-old said. "That's where I learned how to do the slaughtering process."

Rienschield worked at Hill's Market in Rushville through high school. He purchased the business at age 22. By 26, he purchased a second store. He operated both stores for five years, but eventually closed down Rushville site.

"Up there you always rented or leased the building, and there was no room for growth," he said.

In 1985, Rienschield entered his first sausage product into an Ohio Association of Meat Processors event. He entered the contest for the first time and gained recognition.

"We made it about as old-fashioned as we could make it, and we won Reserve Grand Champion. The unique thing about it is we had just started making it December 1984. It just seemed like after we did that we started making all different types of sausage."

Since then, the company has collected more than 50 awards.

It also has earned the patronage of many residents in Bremen and the surrounding area.

"It's been a destination point for a lot of people," said Brian Householder, president of the Bremen Area Chamber of Commerce.

Robert Barnes and his wife, Michelle, have shopped at Rienschield for 10 years.

"It's a small facility, and they definitely need to expand because of the people that go there," said the 46-year-old. "A lot of people really rely on their meat."

Since 1985, Rienschield has set his sights on expanding and operating a USDA-approved facility. But his facility was too small, and he didn't have the resources to pursue those goals.

But two years ago, the Ohio State University Agriculture Department began courting Rienschield to be part of its Ohio "Signature Beef" program. Being part of the program required having a USDA-facility.

Acquiring the old Anchor Hocking property was the first step to bringing his dream to life.

"I always drove by that building and said, 'Oh, that would be a nice facility to operate out of,' " he recalled. "I was approached in March and asked if I was interested in the building.

The building is more than double the space in his current shop. Building a facility that size would have been too expensive, he said.

Many of the machines, including the smokehouse, will be automated. The building also will house the company's offices. Rienschield and his wife, Katy, do much of the work at home.

The new facility, which is expected to be done by February or March, will produce sausage patties, hot dogs, brats and summer sausage under the "Signature Beef" label.

OSU will become one of Rienschield's customers and suppliers, providing organically grown beef and pork. Rienschield and OSU also want to develop an internship program so OSU students can experience how a modern meat processor operates.

Rienschield said he also is happy this project will benefit his employees. Twelve people ranging from a 14-year-old clean-up boy to a 73-year-old, who has been with the company from its inception work at the company.

He plans to add10 full-time and part-time positions during the next three years.

"Some of these (men) have been here 10 and 17 years," he said. "They need to make some more money, and this is a way I can retain them, too."

Originally published Sunday, August 15, 2004

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