A Milwaukee meat company plans to grow its business by developing a second butcher shop, this time in Elm Grove.
Kettle Range Meat Co. runs a meat processing operation and retail butcher shop at 5501 W. State St., in Milwaukee. Owner and chief executive officer Mark Bearce said many of his customers travel to shop Kettle Range’s products, so he wants to open a second butcher shop to serve clients farther west.
“Milwaukee has really welcomed us with open arms and been supportive,” he said. “Customers have been loyal, and a lot of people come from distant parts of the city to reach us.”
The butcher shop will sell products such as fresh beef, pork, chicken and lamb. It will also offer smoked products, charcuterie and Wisconsin cheeses, Bearce said.
Kettle Range has a network of Wisconsin farmers that serves as the source for the majority of its livestock. Bearce said his team visits farms, knows the producers and selects the animals it processes.
The company leased the property for its future second site on Watertown Plank Road in Elm Grove. Now, Bearce said, Kettle Range is working on financing the project.
Part of that financing package includes seeking a $270,000 loan from the Milwaukee Economic Development Corp. An application submitted to MEDC describes how the loan would support the expansion to a 1,500-square-foot second location, which was previously a Subway franchise.
The current location has 12 employees; the new space would add seven, according to the MEDC application.
Kettle Range estimated the total cost of the project to be $300,000.
Bearce said the timeline for opening the second location would develop after the financing comes together.
The Elm Grove site will focus on retail operations, while most of Kettle Range’s meat processing activities will remain at the State Street location, Bearce said. The State Street facility houses small-batch, old-fashioned meat processing and meat crafting.