The faces behind the name Trenton processing
Meet the owners
Our names are Cody and Sheldyn Schneider. We both grew up in Beckemeyer. We also own the Carlyle Meat Market. We have a beautiful little boy, Leo, who just turned one in January. We are excited about this journey and we are trying very hard to keep everything the same as Gary, Jeanette, and Judy have. We hope to be able to meet all of you at some point!
For those of you who know us, you know we put our whole heart & soul into something & you can expect nothing less. We have worked very hard to get to where we are at today and we are going to continue to do so!
How Trenton Processing started
How it all started
Calvin and Loretta Schwend purchased Trenton Frozen Foods in 1964 from Mr. Bill Ranz. The building at that time was divided in two parts. Half of the building was the tractor shop and half was the butcher shop. They only butchered about two beef and two hogs a week. They rented lockers to individuals and that was the bulk of the business. The only existing portion of the building is the slaughterhouse.
When the business was purchased, Calvin worked at National Food in Belleville as the head meat cutter and he and his family resided in Highland, IL. As the business began to grow, he quit National Food and devoted all his time to his new business now called Trenton Processing Center. They began to butcher more beef and hogs so they needed more help to get it all done. They hired two meat cutters to help with their custom processing services. Custom processing was the biggest part of their business because most families were a lot larger back then and they all brought in a beef to be cut and wrapped in order to feed the family.
Opened Up A Retail Shop
A retail shop was then added so when they were not processing they were cutting sides of beef for customers or any other special cuts they might have ordered. The guys would wait on the customers and check them out themselves.
Family business
As their children got older, they began to work in the business on Saturdays and days off from school. The girls would wrap meat and stuff hamburger or whatever else had to be done. The only boy, Gary, was interested in making sausage. Back then we made pork sausage, country style summer sausage, liver sausage, and a few others. Today, we offer a wide variety of prize winning sausages, and cured items. Every year there is a convention where you enter products and they are judged on appearance, aroma, and taste. The Retail shop is filled with many awards from all the prize-winning products.
Business sold to their childrens
In 1991, Calvin and Loretta sold the business to three of their five children. The business was kept the same as before except a wholesale route and a catering business were added. The new additions kept everyone busy.
