Scott Williams, swilliams@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Scott Williams Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats reaches consumers through its retail store in Wittenberg, shown, as well as mail-order business and a network of retail outlets.
Leader Photo by Scott Williams Nueske’s employee Marian Pranke-Kohl prepares smoked sausage for display inside the company’s retail store on Grand Avenue in Wittenberg.
Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats soon will be smoking more than ever.
The Shawano County producer of bacon, sausage and other meats has unveiled plans for an expansion that will more than double the size of its production facilities.
The family-owned business that started in the 1930s with one delivery truck will grow to include a 153,000-square-foot production plant capable of keeping pace with growing consumer demand for the family’s renowned smoked food products.
“We’ve had steady growth,” said Megan Dorsch, marketing manager for Nueske’s. “We want to be able to make enough of our products for everyone who wants them.”
Company officials plan to break ground this spring on expansion of the food plant in Wittenberg in western Shawano County. The project scheduled for completion next year will create 65 jobs, boosting Nueske’s employment from 170 to 235 people.
Erika VanOrder, president of the Wittenberg Area Chamber of Commerce, said local community leaders are excited for the job creation as well as Nueske’s continued commitment to civic improvements in the area.
VanOrder, a former Nueske’s employee, said the family-owned company’s high civic profile makes the newly announced expansion doubly exciting.
“That’s huge for our community,” she said. “Nueske’s is a staple of the community, one of the main hubs of the community.”
The plant expansion is unrelated to a 40-acre site that the Nueske family recently got rezoned for possible commercial development near the Ho-Chunk Casino along U.S. Highway 45.
Founded in 1933, Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats started in a small shed in Wittenberg, with one truck to deliver smoked bacon and other products to customers in the surrounding area.
Now overseen by a third generation of the Nueske family, the business has grown to include mail-order shipping, a vast retail distribution network, and the company’s own retail store drawing a steady stream of tourists and shoppers at 1390 E. Grand Ave. in Wittenberg.
About 10 years ago, the adjoining production plant on Grand Avenue was expanded to its current size of 44,000 square feet.
Consumer demand has continued to grow for Nueske’s diverse array of products, ranging from its original smoked bacon and sausage to an assortment of ham, turkey, pork, beef and other meat choices. The company’s website includes more than 100 different options, as well as seafood, cheese, desserts and gift baskets.
Dorsch said the company has benefited in recent years from heightened consumer awareness about food quality. As consumers have increasingly sought out options for fresh, locally produced food, Dorsch said, Nueske’s has seen its sales climb and its production capacity pushed to the limits.
“It’s been people looking for flavor and premium products,” she said.
Although the privately held company does not disclosure financial data, officials said production demands have increased steadily over the past 10 years.
Wittenberg Village Board member Dean Anderson said the community celebrates the company’s upcoming expansion, as residents take pride in Nueske’s success.
“It’s a homegrown business,” Anderson said. “It means something to the community.”
Consumers should not expect to see Nueske’s introduce radically new products or drift very far from its current formula for success after the expansion.
“We kind of stick to what we know,” Dorsch said. “We stick to the classics, because it’s what we do really well.”