DELPHOS, OH (WLIO) - They have been talking about it for three years, and now Jim and Andrea Rode have broke ground on their dream.
Rode's Meats is an over six million dollar investment that will build not only a meat processing plant in Delphos but a retail space where they will sell meats and cheeses. They will employ around 20 people when it is complete. The Rodes saw a need for this type of business locally because more people were looking for locally sourced meat during the pandemic. Plus, with increased demand, local producers may have to wait a year to 18 months to get their meat processed, but the Rodes say their business will help speed things up and make a big difference.
"A lot of people don't realize when you call a packer up and say that we can get you in 18 months from now. That animal isn't even born yet," says Jim Rode. "So, it takes a little bit of time and timing to figure that out and get it there on time. So, there is definitely a need for it and we can cover a pretty big area and we will have the capacity to do quite a bit."
"There is a need for it here in the area," says Andrea Rode. "You have to drive 45 minutes in any direction to get fresh meat, and we're really excited because we raise the meat. So you will be getting farm-grown meat, from our farm, and we are going to be bringing it to the butcher shop and we are going to be selling it to the community."
Rode's Meats is coming to the Delphos Industrial Park, which is seeing a lot of growth, with the multi-million dollar expansion of Lakeview Farms just one street over.
"It's a good community," says Delphos Mayor Doug Mullenhour. "There's a lot of good hard-working people here, and it's a great community to raise your family and work."
Rode's Meats plans to open up in June or July of 2024.
