The Mail-Journal, Volume 23, Number 8, Milford, Kosciusko County, 19 February 1986 — Page 64

Today And Tomorrow — Wed., Feb. 19,1986

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~ L -~—--— ■ v^/ , - aHSK - * J f «n» I fii / ■’« 4’ i : . M*M» ■ iy . 1 jTu • 1 ’. II _T-i *--| 1 —» «>RSri-vWI riH tti JLr2L9ii CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS — Maple Leaf Farms Inc. has enjoyed almost 30 The largest producer of duckling in the world, Maple Leaf has approximately 50 peryears of success in the Milford area, getting its start in 1958 on a farm located just south cent of the American market, having produced about 11 million ducks in 1985. of town.

Maple Leaf leads the nation in duck producing

“If we could get every family unit in the U.S. to eat one duck a year our business would increase four times what it is now,” commented Richard Fox, training and development manager for Maple Leaf Farms Inc., Milford. Despite the superb taste of duckling, most American families resort to the better known taste of chicken; however, it should be noted that dinosaur meat was also popular before extinction, something that Maple Leaf personnel may take solace in as they put their efforts of replacing the chicken with the duck into full throttle. “The average consumption of duck per person was three-tenths of a pound last year compared with 50 pounds of chicken,” Fox said, Despite the statistics, Maple Leaf Farms Inc. has ventured forward to become the U.S.’ largest producer of duckling. With a humble beginning in 1958, the company, founded by Donald Wentzel, was located on a farm just south of Milford, producing 5,400 birds per week. The years that followed were a period of growth and expansion to gain a greater share of the market

••• . - - . • . - ■ . . • ■ • .} ..' . Chef-quality you can count on. ! pHM feSEsJa <b urn o I Maple Leaf Farms, Inc., P.O. Box 308 Milford, IN 46542 (219)658-4121

areas that Maple Leaf served. Then in the mid-1970s the company formed an affiliate, Serenade Foods, to produce fully roasted half duckling. The plant was completed in 1975 and began to produce the fully roasted half duckling and expand into other further processed poultry items. Maple Leaf now owns and operates two hatcheries, one in Cromwell and the other in Kansasville, Wis. The two hatcheries are capable of producing 300,000 ducklings per week. In order to support the feed requirements of the Indiana duckling operation a feed mill was constructed in 1978, near Milford. The mill produces all the feed requirements in Indiana at the rate of 1,000 tons of feed per week. In December of 1985 Maple Leaf purchased another feed mill located in Burlington, Wis., from the Hubbard Milling Co. This mill will supply the 1,000 tons of feed needed for the Wisconsin duckling operation. From the modest beginning of 5,400 ducks processed per week in the first year of operation, Maple Leaf Farms, which changed its name to Maple Leaf Farms Inc. in December of 1985, is now producing 49,000

ducks per day. The total production for the year 1985 was around 11 million ducks. “They come quacking in the back door and go out the front door frozen, it’s really quite awesome, it’s a science,” Fox said. A part of Milford for the past 30 years, Maple Leaf Farms Inc., is proud of its heritage and according to Fox, “We plan to stay in Milford for a long time, it’s our home port.” With the corporate headquarters in near town, the company employs approximately 400 people in the Milford facilities and 900 people corporate-wide. Thirteen company-owned grow out farms and 29 independent farms make up a viable source of duckling for the firm, which has two feed mills (Syracuse and Burlington, Wis.) and two hatcheries (Cromwell and Kansasville, Wis.). The* company also owns three breeder farms and accommodates 22 independent farms. With Chinese eating an average of one billion ducks a year, the Milford company also hopes to become a large part of that market. “We’re expanding our overseas market, we feel we have the ability to help

those cultures to improve production,” Fox said. While the Chinese may appreciate the taste and other characteristics of duckling more than Americans, Maple Leaf still hasn’t given up its efforts to lure the American consumer. “Historically, Americans have the image of a wild duck, which has a lot of fat on it to protect it from icy water, but our ducks never touch the water,” Fox said, adding, “Maple Leaf duckling is genetically engineered without fat.” Duck, which is all dark meat, is also lower in cholesterol than chicken and higher in protein, something that may help lure the health-conscience consumer into the market. With 14 products in a variety of sizes and packaging and a new fully roasted whole body duck ready to serve, including either orange or cherry sauce. Maple Leaf Farms Inc. continues in its efforts to win over American families. “It has a distinctly different (better) taste than chicken and is easier to prepare,” Fox said. “If I can prepare it anyone can.”