GALESBURG – Back in 1948 a small meat company was started in the town of Galesburg (located between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek). It was originally a meat locker where everyone kept their meat, since not everybody owned a freezer. Over the years it evolved in to butchering, cutting, and processing meats.
Today the Galesburg Meat Company is a full service facility that processes meats, has retail sales, and provides catering services. The company was purchased in the mid 1970s by the Christian family. Since that time, the next generation of Christians have taken over. Mark (son of the original owner) is now running the business and still utilizes his mom to take care of some of the payroll and book work.
Galesburg Meat Company sells everything from specially processed meats, to fresh ground sausage, to packaged seafood, and a wide selection of flavored jerky. We watched Mark and his crew process a full slab of pork in a little less than ten minutes, cutting and slicing pork chops, ribs, pork roasts, and other select cuts. Things like bacon and ham are cured and then later smoked for a full-bodied defined pork taste unique to Galesburg Meat Company.
While many of the big box stories get much of their beef and pork from all over the country, perhaps some all over the world, Mark’s stock is from choice beef cattle all purchased from local farmers. Once processed, their products are vacuum sealed, dated, and ready for sale. The business is located in downtown Galesburg on Mill Street. Their catering business is located next door.
It’s still a small, family operation where quality has never gone out of style. While you can purchase just about anything there, the company has several different boxes and bundles made up in different price ranges. They include things like steaks, roasts, ribs, ham, bacon, hamburger, sausage, seafood, and other specialties liked smoked meats and some chicken items.
The Galesburg Meat Company was also given the champion award by the Michigan Meat Association for jerky in 1999. They won first place from the MMA for their bacon in 2000, and in 2002 the MMA gave them the champion specialty cured award.
Here’s a link to the Galesburg Meat Companywebsite. You can find everything from products to pricing. Find their Facebook page here.
