The Mail-Journal, Volume 19, Number 5, Milford, Kosciusko County, 17 February 1982 — Page 55

Maple Leaf Inc., Serenade Foods: Nation's largest duckling producer

It was 1968 when a businessman by the name of Donald E. Wentzel began a small, but promising, business known as Maple Leaf Farms. Originally of Chicago, Wentzel, hired Clarence ("Brick”) Meinert as his first employee. The two, first became acquainted in Chicago when both were employees of it. pgr i QUALITY ASSURANCE — Maple Leaf’s Clarence ("Brick") Meinert. director of technical services, works at the lab to assure quality control, environmental control, and conservation for the firm. "Brick” has been with Maple leaf. Inc., since its beginning.

I MAPLE LEAF FARMS, me. jj 0 *’ *' Milford ~ " Sw l*P , ’ es ne W#rW Wi * h Qua,ity Decklings" 2 I Quality You Can Count On! ~ | D. Roast Duckling = ft • Stuffed Cornish o I. Game Hen fcmLL ~ J I • Chicken Kiev I • Chicken Parmagiana I o • Chicken Cordon Bleu 8 [| • Chicken Breasts II o — . 2 I And Introducing Our Two Newest Entrees: I i • Duckling Tahitian 2 !i "Sweet & Sour Boneless Entree" ~ Jj MHHBLfIBHh g 2 ITS e Duckling Onental Kftuuihug X wr ' . . With Oriental Style Vegetables"

Hales & Hunter Feed Company, both settled in this area, one engaged in the feed business and the other in the broiler business. Maple Leaf has since grown into a twocompany integration which includes the mother company Maple Leaf, Inc. and CAD Foods of Wisconsin. Terry Tucker, is the company ’s president. Serenade Foods and affiliate was added to the business in the early 70s with the initial plant completed in 1975. Additions were added in 78 and again in *Bl, twice doubling the square footage of the plant which presently has an area in excess of 40,000 square feet. The company had five employees in 1975 and now has approximately 140-150. The Product Besides the physical expansion Serenade has also increased its line of products. Roast duckling heads a list of some 20 chicken and duck entrees that are now on the retail market including: Chicken Romanoff, Chicken Kiev, Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Rice, Chicken Cordon Bleu. Stuffed Cornish Game Hen, and Chicken Parmigiana, to name a few. Two new products soon to be introduced are Duckling Tahitian, with sweet and sour sauce, and Duckling Oriental, with oriental style vegetables. Both are boneless duck entrees. Maple Leaf acquired C&D Foods of Francisville, Wis., in 1981, adding to its already vast operations for contract egg farms, hatcheries, and grow-out farms, where the ducklings are raised after hatching to around seven-weeks-of-age then processed. With the integration of these companies, Tucker says there are now 120,000 duck breeders in five states including Indiana, Michigan. Ohio,

Wed.. Feb. 17,1982 —Today And Tomorrow

Wisconsin and Illinois. Around nine and one-half million ducks are produced annually with production for 1982 expected to reach 10 million. The feed mill located between Syracuse and Milford produces feed for the Indiana. Ohio, and Michigan operations. A majority of the grain used is bought from local farmers, since Maple Leaf raises little of its own grain. Consumers California leads the United States in its consumption of duck. About 10 per cent of the total production is exported to the far east. Central and South America, and Canada. With more and more restaurants offering duck cuisine, consumption is on the rise. Technical Services As the name implies, technical services. are the detailed operations of the company that check for quality assurance, involving laboratory work; environmental control, including waste treatment: and conservation of natural resources, with regards to energy and soil; all headed by Director Meinert. the first employee. Meinert. a graduate of Missouri University, majoring in poultry husbandry where he also worked towards his master s degree in poultry nutrition, does research work in feed analysis, bacteriology, and environmental studies. He is one of four employees at the company licensed in pollution control by the state to run a waste disposal system such as Maple Leaf's. This is unusual according to the director who says an average company is lucky to have one licensed employee in the field. The other three are Mike Parker, Roy Wheat and Jim Boren

The water recycling process involves some 50 million gallons annually that are stored in a holding facility which can hold up to 58 million gallons at one time. The process removes waste and contaminants from the water which then is used to irrigate the farm’s fields in addition to providing a fish-stocked lake at the farm. This facility was installed in 1976 and protects the environment and conserves natural resources. Feathers With the ever increasing popularity of down vests, coats, sleeping bags, pillows and comforters it’s hot surprising that feathers are now almost as desirable a commodity as the duck itself. Maple Leaf Inc. gained controlling interest in the North American Feather Company of Grand Rapids, Mich., with its purchase of C&D Fowls of Wisconsin. Another company, Eurasia Feather Company is also involved with the separating, washing and purifying of the feathers that are used for both domestic and export customers in the filling of down products. The Maple Leaf success story of a small farm operation growing into an integrated company that is the nation’s leading duck producer, is one based on continual growth, research and education in the industry, solid management, dedicated employees and most importantly an ever increasing food source in the US and abroad: duck. Maple Leaf will continue to grow and a sure sign is the current research into various breeds and feeding of ducks that produce more meat and less fat. We hope to be able to tell the public more about this in our next progress edition in 1984.

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