If you’re thinking about starting your own meat processing business, it’s natural to have may questions. This is especially true if you don’t have any prior experience with the meat processing or food industry.
Meat processing can be extremely profitable if you know how to run it properly. Also, this business venture is practically safe from recession.
After all, people will still choose to buy meat no matter what the economic climate is. There may be fluctuations in the consumption of meat, but people will still opt to buy it.
If you don’t have experience in the food or meat industry, don’t fret. In today’s post, we’ve outlined the process of starting your own meat processing business.
This is just an overview of what you can expect from the venture. As always, your specific circumstances may call for more detailed actions.
What Does it Take to Start a Meat Processing Business?
Do Your Research
Knowledge is power. Make sure you do your due diligence by researching about the industry.
Thanks to the internet, there should be plenty of information about the meat processing business available to you.
Reach out to trade groups, farmers, customers, regulatory agencies, and other meat processing business owners. Talking with these individuals will help you determine how you want your enterprise to look.
Are you planning to build a large facility that caters across the country? Or will it be smaller and only operate within the state?
Comprehensive Business Planning
Every business venture needs a plan. You will need to know where you plan to get your supplies – including the livestock, processing equipment, packaging items, and other non-meat supplies.
A business plan also includes detailed research on who your target customers are and your competition.
Another important item in business planning is figuring out all pertinent details about your facility, including the size, location, and construction costs.
Keep in mind that planning your meat processing venture usually takes place in stages. You can’t expect to have all the answers and solutions you need in one go. Thus, it’s essential to be adaptable and creative as you go through your venture’s planning stage.
Make Sure You Have Enough Funds to Start Your Venture
You have to gather sufficient money to fund your venture. Starting a meat processing business is more than just getting a weighing scale, a cutting board, and butcher’s knife.
Once you have a solid business plan, you can start looking into how to finance your venture. If you don’t have personal funds to fund your business, you can search for financial assistance programs.
Some private foundations or public agencies offer grant funding. However, those cases are usually rare, so you will have to explore either private investors or bank financing, or both.
Designing and Constructing the Facility
Your meat processing plant’s design and construction is an integral aspect of the business plan and financing strategies.
This also includes the number and type of meat processing, packaging, and storage equipment you will need.
Reach out to contractors to get an estimation of what your construction expenses will look like.
Obtaining Inspections and Permits
Before you build your plant, make sure you get an inspector to look over the facility’s design. Before you even begin construction, you must have the right business permits, construction permits, and wastewater permits.
If you have been doing enough research in this venture, you should have already determined the rules and regulations involved in the meat processing industry.
Standard Operating Procedures
There are essential SOPs that govern the meat processing industry. Ensure you abide by all these rules, so when your inspection agency examines your facility, everything should be in good working order.