The Choctaw Nation, in partnership with several other companies, founded Three Rivers Meat Company, which will provide quality food and employment opportunities to area residents.
Residents of Octavia/Smithville, Okla. know that running to the grocery store isn’t a quick fix in their area. You’ll have to drive almost an hour to buy something that your local convenience store or Dollar General store doesn’t have in stock. Additionally, there were few employment opportunities in the area. It still is.
The Choctaw Nation is partnering with regional investors to create and operate Three Rivers Meat Company, which will improve food availability and job security in the region. It will be the only facility within an 800-mile radius to offer high-quality custom meat processing, premium value-added products, a café, retail store, fresh meat market and Oklahoma products under one roof.
During the planning stages, we visited facilities in Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, and even Wyoming to provide ideas to provide the best functionality possible. During the construction phase, 90% of the contractors were local.
Sixty percent of the company’s employees are members of the Choctaw Nation. If spouses of tribal members are included, that number increases to 74 percent.
Andrea Goings, food safety coordinator for Three Rivers Meat Company and a member of the Choctaw Nation, previously commuted from nearby Beachton to DeQueen, Arkansas. She wakes up at 1 a.m. every day to work a three-hour shift at Pilgrim’s Pride. “It’s nice not to wake up at one in the morning. I can see my family more,” she said.
Employees are taught to conduct business according to the “golden rules”. Managers make every effort to provide the best working and living conditions and train those who have no experience.
Choctaw Tribe member Dusty Nichols is an investor, rancher and Smithville native. He praised tribal councilman Eddie Bohanan for understanding the region’s needs and helping make the project happen.
Other local investors include a professor of meat science, a leader in global meat industry research and innovation, a deer processing plant operator, and an award-winning producer of value-added products for over 25 years.
(Left to Right) Andrea Goings and Andrew Hagelberger demonstrate a large pellet smoker that can hold 900 pounds of meat.
Three Rivers Meat Company is a USDA-inspected facility with special inspectors on site to ensure that animals are treated and harvested humanely, food safety and quality standards are met, and products are produced safely. Nichols said processed foods and meats can be sold and shipped across state lines anywhere in the United States subject to USDA inspections.
The animals you bring to processing will be the animals you take home. There is a tracking and weighing system in place to ensure quality: cameras, tip tags and weight proof are recorded on harvest sheets upon arrival, post-harvest and upon receipt.
The facility will process beef, pigs, lamb and goats. Seasonal game meat will be processed in a separate facility. The company will also process Choctaw Nation beef to be sent to local Choctaw schools and businesses.
The facility’s full-service retail store sells cuts of meat including steaks, ribs, chicken, barbecue, hamburgers, sausages and salamis, cheeses, deli meats and prepared foods such as smoked ribs, brisket, French tacos, pork tenderloin with bacon , stewed pieces of meat. BBQ pork, baked beans, stuffed jalapeños, cold salads and more. The food island will be stocked with kitchen and camping essentials, including fresh fruits and vegetables, coffee and canned goods. There will also be a frozen section for meats, pizza and ice cream, as well as areas for produce, dairy, fresh meat and beverages.
The 3,500-square-foot retail space houses the Three Rivers Café, where customers can enjoy a lunch of fresh meats and homemade ingredients. The certified kitchen will prepare delicacies and dishes from the daily lunch menu, as well as a salad bar, homemade desserts and an ice cream buffet.
Three large on-site smokers and grills can accommodate up to 900 pounds of meat, which will be prepared for consumption in retail stores, cafes or for bulk orders. Products, including beef jerky, deli meats, sausages, sausages and hams, will be produced on site and sold in the store. They will also be sold at other retail outlets, including Choctaw Nation businesses. Three Rivers Meats is proud to have one of the best jerky and sausage producers in the industry.
Gifts include custom Three Rivers coffee mugs, thermos mugs, water bottle t-shirts, sweatshirts and hats. Oklahoma packaged foods such as candy, crackers and snack cookies will also be available. Three Rivers Meat Company’s signature barbecue sauces and seasonings will be available for purchase and online ordering will be available in the near future.
Offering private and group tours of the entire property, window views provide a first-hand experience.
Three Rivers Meats will have its grand opening on April 12, 2024. Visitors can tour the factory, taste the products, visit the café and shop in the shopping area.
Follow Three Rivers Meat Company on Facebook and website for the latest news and promotions.
We accept birthday wishes for children aged 1, 5, 13, 15, 16, 18, 21, 30, 40, 50, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80 and older. Couples can send a silver wedding anniversary notice on their 25th wedding anniversary, a golden wedding anniversary notice on their 50th wedding anniversary, or a 60+ wedding anniversary notice. We do not do wedding announcements. News and sports materials will only be accepted from graduates of higher education institutions, if space permits. We welcome all correspondence from members of the Choctaw Nation. However, due to the high volume of mail, it is impossible to publish all letters sent by our readers. Letters selected for publication should be no more than 150 words. We need full contact information. Only the author’s full name and city will be published. All events submitted to Biskinick will be held in the month of the event or the month before the event if the event occurs on the first day of the month.
Obituaries are available only to members of the Choctaw Nation and are free. Biskinick only accepts obituaries from funeral homes. Family members/individuals may submit a funeral notice if it comes from a funeral home or is printed in a local newspaper through the funeral home service. Full handwritten notices will not be accepted. Biskinik is committed to serving all Choctaw people. Therefore, any handwritten notice received will be searched online for official notices from the funeral home. If he is not found, efforts will be made to contact the family and arrange formal notification. Due to space limitations, obituaries are limited to 150 words. Biskinika’s online journal will include a link to the full obituary.
Post time: Jul-07-2024