Maplewood Meats: “Our family’s passion is quality meats”

Jennifer Much

Contributor

January 24, 2024

GREEN BAY — For three decades, Maplewood Meats has been crafting homemade sausages and cured meats at its facility on the outskirts of Green Bay.

Located at 4663 Milltown Road parallel to Highway 29, Maplewood Meats opened in 1983 to offer a place for local producers to have pork, lamb and beef processed to their specifications.

Four decades later, the meat manufacturing shop has grown to be one of the go-to spots for premium meat products — and there’s more to come, with a planned retail expansion.

Expanding to improve efficiency
The shop’s recognizable facade hasn’t changed much in the last 40-plus years — except for an exterior signage change in 2022, replacing the aging sign with a large-scale LED marquee.

The adjacent interchange construction happening on Highway 29, Plant Manager Brad Van Hemelryk said, prompted the sign replacement, to increase visibility.

On the docket now, Van Hemelryk said, are interior updates and retail expansions — a project he said has been a long time coming.

“We have been working on this project for a little more than a year now,” he said. “But it does go back much further, beginning with the new VV Highway Interchange Project.”

The expansion, Van Hemelryk said, will add approximately 1,500 square feet to the store’s existing retail space.

“We will be remodeling the existing retail location,” he said.

Both spaces, Van Hemelryk said, will incorporate new checkout lanes and a new vestibule entrance.

The expansion, Brad Van Hemelryk said, will add approximately 1,500 square feet to the store’s existing retail space. Submitted Rendering

“We feel the changes to the checkout process will dramatically improve the customer experience and overall provide us with greater efficiency,” he said.

Enhancing the shopping experience
Slated to begin March 1, Van Hemelryk said the goal of the project is to “truly enhance the customer experience when visiting our retail store.”

The planned updates, he said, will offer an innovative opportunity for customers to shop with ease, as well as access a greater variety of products.

“We feel the most exciting part of the project will be the TOGO unattended shopping area,” he said.

The TOGO area, Van Hemelryk said, will be open seven days a week and well-stocked.

Customers will be able to shop from smart refrigerators and pay via credit card or from their mobile devices.

“This will be a unique shopping experience that will allow our customers access to our products outside of normal business hours during the week, and even if they need a quick stop to grab a package of snack sticks,” he said.

This upgrade, Van Hemelryk said, will streamline how Maplewood Meats serves its customers.

“The TOGO unattended shopping area is going to be an amazing addition,” he said. “Those who need a last-minute item on Sunday before a (Green Bay) Packers game will now have access to our products.”

Gratitude for their customers
Van Hemelryk said the updates at Maplewood Meats were planned and developed with their supportive customers in mind.

“We view this expansion and remodel of our retail store as a thank you to our customers for their support over the years,” he said. “We have been blessed with tremendous organic growth over the years and that is a true testament to the support from our customers.”

Van Hemelryk said an extensive amount of time was put into the details of the remodel and that providing a warm and welcoming atmosphere was at the forefront of the discussions.

“We are excited to share the quality of finishes that have been selected and unique elements that will be placed throughout the spaces,” he said.

Renderings, Van Hemelryk said, give the public a glimpse of the impending transformation — working with Excel Engineering in Fond du Lac to help bring their vision to life.

Brad Van Hemelryk said the TOGO unattended shopping area will help streamline how Maplewood Meats serves its customers. Submitted Rendering

Schuh Construction out of Seymour has been hired as the general contractor for the project.

“We also worked diligently with the DOT (Department of Transportation) and most importantly with the support of the Village of Howard to lay the foundation for future growth,” he said.

Between the customers and crew, Van Hemelryk said the project stems from an outpouring of help from all.

“We couldn’t do it without them,” he said. “We take a lot of pride in crafting high-quality products, but we also feel the service we provide is an equal component to the consistency and growth of the business.”

Even more, from a business standpoint, Van Hemelryk said he is proud of the success surrounding the plant and retail sector at Maplewood Meats and is looking forward to customers experiencing the changes.

“We have been blessed with the support from our customers over the years, as we felt it was time to give back (to them) in a way that directly correlates to their shopping experience,” he said.

Though a specific completion date is not yet set, Van Hemelryk said it is expected to be completed this year.

More updates, including details on a grand opening, Van Hemelryk said, will be released at a later date.

For updates on the expansion, follow Maplewood Meats on Facebook or visit maplewoodmeats.com.