Ashby opens new USDA inspected poultry processing plant

<i>Originally published in the June 26, 2009, print edition.</i>

By Dick Hagen

Ashby (population 469) sits snuggled in the northeast corner of Grant County with a few lakes and hills adding to its scenic beauty. It’s a quiet, picturesque community just off Interstate 94 about midway between Fergus Falls and Alexandria. Until the tourist season kicks into gear, there is not a whole lot of action in Ashby these days unless you swing onto Melby Avenue and park in front of an old brick-faced building sporting a sign above the front door reading TFC Poultry. Step inside and you’re witnessing a beehive of activity because TFC Poultry is about to go “big time.”

TFC Poultry is spending about $750,000 for a complete renovation of this building which dates back to 1939 and housed the original Farmers Produce, a co-op market for local egg and turkey producers also providing a retail store for fresh dairy products, eggs, poultry, even cheese and meat products. Over the years the building changed from cooperative ownership to private, but poultry processing declined from 160,000 birds per year down to only about 38,000 before two young brothers rented the business in 2007 and cranked it up to 80,000 birds processed in 2008. Even with enthusiastic new managers, the old plant just didn’t provide any production efficiencies.

Today, the entrepreneurs — Darrin, 20, and Trent, 23, Froemming — are about to launch a sparkling, stainless steel, custom poultry processing plant that they hope will soon be processing over 200,000 birds per year. Locally grown broilers will be the major source of feedstock for this new plant, which will be employing 22 to 24 people. The brothers also plan on processing geese, ducks, pheasants, even chucker.

“Catering to local and area markets will be their strength. But it’s the ambition and knowledge that they already possess that made me feel good, even excited about being their banker,” said Lon Rylander, president, First State Bank of Ashby.

Darrin just graduated from Ridgewater Community College in Willmar. Trent picked up his bachelor of science degree from North Dakota State University in 2007. So what convinces these two that they can make a poultry processing plant financially doable?

“We surveyed most of the previous customers of Farms Produce before we started. We quickly learned the potential demand for fresh and frozen, naturally grown poultry meat was surprisingly strong,” Darrin said.

They also traveled, visiting poultry processing facilities in Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Mississippi and Alabama. Travels also included poultry trade shows and marketing conferences. “The more we got into the industry, especially after our first year running this business, talking with food service firms, restaurants, schools and brokers, the more we could sense a marketing opportunity for the niche bird, especially be it organic, local, natural and farm fresh.”

At this stage, TFC raises most of its broilers on their 800-acre home farm which has a facility for handling upwards of 20,000 birds. But they also contract with local farmers who provide the housing and grow out additional birds.

“We’re the only full-time custom slaughter U.S. Department of Agriculture-inspected poultry processing plant in the Upper Midwest. And we’ll adjust to whatever the market provides, be that just one bird for a local customer or 100,000 birds for a commercial grower,” Trent said.

How big might TFC become? You sense the boundless optimism of these two when Darrin answers, “Unlimited!” They’re already predicting about 140,000 birds processed in 2009, yet they were three weeks away from finishing construction when The Land visited April 28. But Darrin said 200,000 birds per year should be readily doable once the new system becomes totally operational.

What do Mom and Dad Froemming think about this new enterprise? “They pray for us,” Darrin joked. Both young men compliment Ashby for the support and encouragement. And their local banker is 100 percent sold on his two youngest, and perhaps one of his biggest, loan customers. “He didn’t ask for co-signers, not even from our parents. So we really appreciate his confidence in us and our project,” Trent said.

“They’re definite go-getters and they’re not afraid of working. The job they did last year in turning the operation around was pretty phenomenal,” Rylander said, noting that the business had struggled under the past two owners. “These two young men have a vision. I’ve tasted and cooked many of their birds. They have a niche for growing broilers and it is certainly reflected in the taste of their birds. I love to cook and believe me there is a difference in their naturally grown birds with rations devoid of growth stimulants and other antibiotics.”

The Froemmings visited four area communities when searching for a potential building site for their new business. “But Ashby was an easy choice. It’s really a tight-knit community and they provided some great tax credits,” Darrin said.

Food service buyers and poultry brokers will provide the marketing muscle, at least initially for TFC Poultry. Once things get going, TFC sees its own delivery routes to resorts, restaurants and food stores throughout the area. Plus they’ve got their eyes on growing markets throughout the Upper Midwest, maybe even nationally as internet marketing of home-grown foods continues to gain favor.

Meanwhile, that retail counter up front that served the Ashby community for 60 years will still be there, offering a variety of organic wheat flours, spices, baked goods, beverages, dairy products and fresh poultry cuts, plus smoked and fresh bacon from Schaefer’s Meats of Sauk Centre. “Once the tourist season starts up, I think we will be amazed at how much traffic we’ll have. And nothing like a fresh broiler, or turkey, or duck to take back to the cabin for a special grilled dinner,” Darrin said.