Wenneman Meat Company, Inc.

Wenneman Meat Company, Inc., doing business as Wenneman Market, holds USDA FSIS establishment numbers M27499 and P27499 at 7419 State Route 15, St. Libory, Illinois, in St. Clair County. The federal record lists meat slaughter, meat processing, and poultry processing activities, a small size class, and a grant of inspection date on file of August 16, 2021. Cattle and hogs are the species reported slaughtered under inspection, and the plant falls in FSIS slaughter volume category 2.0. The establishment also reports custom-exempt slaughter, meaning it processes animals owned by the customer with packages marked Not for Sale, and reports retail-exempt sales. The company website lists its address as 7415 State Route 15, while the FSIS record shows 7419 State Route 15.

The company website describes Wenneman as a full service, federally inspected butcher shop and meat market that has been a family business for nearly 100 years, with third generation owners named as Brad Schmitz and Paul Otten. The site says the plant processes locally raised beef and pork each week and produces its own line of meat, deli, and poultry products using recipes passed down for generations. It states the facility sits about 40 miles southeast of St. Louis, Missouri. The About page also references a 2011 fire that severely damaged the plant and a reopening in October 2011.

Wholesale and retail channels are both described. The site says Wenneman services hundreds of restaurants, grocery stores, food processors, and other butcher shops in the St. Louis region, offers co-packing for larger customers, and serves wholesale territory reaching St. Charles, Washington, Wright City, and Cape Girardeau in Missouri and Greenville, Wayne City, and Anna in Illinois. Deer processing is offered year round, subject to Illinois DNR permit and confirmation number requirements. Nothing here should be read as a statement that the plant is currently accepting work; details are as listed.

The federal record shows cattle and hog slaughter under inspection plus custom-exempt slaughter, so animals owned by a customer can be handled with packages marked Not for Sale. The website describes Wenneman as a custom beef and pork processor and lists whole and half hog processing and beef side processing. FSIS places the plant in slaughter volume category 2.0 and small size class. Booking procedures, lead times, drop off scheduling, kill fees, and cut and wrap rates are not stated in the sources on file. Deer are accepted year round, field dressed, skinned, or boned out, and Illinois DNR permit and confirmation numbers must accompany the animal at all times; deer must be picked up within 10 days of the pick up date on the ticket or a $50 freezer storage fee applies.

Wenneman Meat Company, Inc. reports custom-exempt slaughter to FSIS, which means it can process an animal a customer already owns (a whole, half, or share bought before slaughter) and return it in packages marked Not for Sale. Most small farms have one or two plants they book with, and the plant's calendar decides the delivery date.

The website says the retail shop is open 7 days a week and invites walk in customers for fresh meats, smoked meats, deli meats, cheeses, meat bundles, and custom cuts, and it points to a full retail price list on the site. Whole and half hog processing and beef side processing are listed for household buyers as well. For those who cannot visit, the site suggests asking local grocery stores on either side of the river whether they carry Wenneman products. Online ordering, shipping, and delivery are not mentioned in the sources on file.

If you are buying a half or quarter animal, the plant is where the animal is processed; the farm sells you the animal. Read how to buy a half cow for the sequence and the math.