If there was ever a company that exemplified the challenges and changes through the history of the small meat processor in 20th century America, it would have to be Paradise Locker Meats in Trimble, Mo., that bears that title.

It started out as a locker plant in 1946, one of perhaps 10,000 such facilities that covered the United States. A locker plant was usually a small family shop that slaughtered and processed livestock for local farmers and ranchers. And since they flowered in a time before most homes had a freezer, the facility had storage lockers where those families who had their animals processed there could keep the meat frozen and retrieve what they needed when they needed it.

The Lizar family built the small structure and ran it for two generations in the community of Paradise. They sold it to the Mynatt family who operated it for another two generations, over 20 years. In 1995 a couple named Teresa and Mario Fantasma bought the operation and continued slaughter and processing services for farmers and hunters. They had three employees, processed about 10 hogs and 10 beef a week, and had started to offer some frozen retail products...that is until a smokehouse fire forced the shutdown of the Paradise plant in June of 2002.

Determined to overcome that adversity, they found ground in the community of Trimble, about five miles away, and built a new facility, taking only their family and the shop name with them.

Mario still comes into the shop monthly, particularly when there is an employee meal served so he can visit with the staff of over 50. Teresa continues to tackle the financial and bookkeeping duties for the shop.

But things changed. The lockers are gone, and the big game processing has been discontinued.

Next-gen ownership

Steering the business today are Mario and Teresa’s sons, Louis and Nick Fantasma, who have helped oversee expansion of the new plant to 24,000 square feet.

“The business has changed, but we remain true to the core values upon which the business was founded,” Louis, 43, points out. “We support 350 farmers and livestock producers who trust us to harvest and process their animals. Every week we process 300 to 350 animals and many of those farmers have their private labels on the meat which they can sell to others. It’s done under USDA inspection five days a week.”

Paradise Locker Meats is not just a “hunk and chunk” meat shop. From their 800-square-foot retail store, they offer prepackaged meats, including quality local beef, Wagyu, Berkshire pork and bacon, lamb, Amish-raised chicken, turkey and even exotic species of meats.

Nick, at 41, runs the retail area and advises that shoppers who want different weight cuts can call in a day or so ahead and their special orders will be waiting for them to pick up.

“We don’t have whole loins sitting around but try to standardize the meat cuts we offer,” he said. “We make our own sausages, some 30 different varieties and flavors. Among our selections are habanero mango, supreme pizza, reuben, Philly, and alfredo chicken with mushrooms and mozzarella brats. There is the always-in-demand summer sausage, jerky, ring bologna, snack sticks and hams.”

He notes that the shop produces five styles of bacon, ranging from sugar cured, smoked pepper, smoked jalapeno, applewood shoulder and jowl bacon.

An inside glimpse of their offerings can be found on the company’s website: paradisemeats.com.

While the brick-and-mortar retail area may not seem that large, it is the internet side of their retail shop that “wows” on-lookers even more. They can choose from gift certificates to 15 different varieties of gift boxes, or as the Fantasma’s call them “centerpieces.” These selections range from ready-to-eat snack meats like summer sausage and jerky, to such delicacies as corned beef tri-tip roasts or standing rib roasts. Paradise Locker Meats does its own fulfillment and shipping of those orders that come in electronically.

The company now slaughters and processes about 300-350 animals (multiple species) per week at their plant in Trimble, Mo. (Source: Paradise Locker Meats)

Family matters

Louis is not only the plant manager, but also the chief operations officer. He and Nick are true believers that the future depends on a management team that considers all ideas and options. He explained that such a team is imperative and lays the groundwork for when the brothers will become the owners of the thriving business.

“This is a tough industry and there are new challenges every day,” he said. “It is vital that we have the right people in place on this team, that they have been trained properly and that they can share with us what today’s customer prefers, how their habits are changing and then offer ideas on how we can work in that direction to satisfy future needs.”

Nick added his concerns about what is happening to food as the center of a family meal:

“It’s not just something that you put in your mouth to tide you over until the next sports practice or event,” he said. “It’s more important than that. It is the fact that in the past, meals meant something and they need to regain that spotlight by our thinking ahead.

“I would say that we are meat and food geeks. It’s what we talk about for hours at a time when we visit with other small meat processors who not only share their ideas but are all learning from each other.”

It is apparent that the Fantasma brothers have listened a lot and are focused on what they do best. Both father Mario and Louis were past presidents of the Missouri Association of Meat Processors. Louis won the Accomplishment Award from the American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP) in 2018. That award is given to processors who have helped achieve growth in their company, developed new products or made major strides in the meat industry. Earlier this year Louis was elected as the 2nd Vice President of AAMP.

But there is something about the Fantasma family that says they don’t just talk the talk...they walk the walk. A few examples:

• In the past 15 years, the folks at Paradise Locker Meats have won over 200 awards for their products in state, regional, national and international competition.
• Outside of their business they are supporting through donations the efforts of several food banks, individual families, police departments and schools.
• They donate pig eyeballs and tracheas to medical groups and schools for studies and training students.
• Their products are purchased and served by some of the nation’s top chefs.

Entrepreneur’s spirit

It would be easy to explain other ways in which the Fantasma’s stand out from the crowd and symbolize where small processors are or should be headed for the future. It’s things like being audited by three outside organizations for verification of product claims like animal feeds and humane handling or their passion for marketing.

At a discussion among employees, they decided to invite customers to join “The Meat Geek Nation” to receive news about new products they have developed or specialty items that are now available. So popular was this promotional concept that they are looking into getting “Meat Geek Nation” tee-shirts for sale to their customers.

When asked why he started in this business, Mario reflects:

“Because I’m crazy. I always wanted to own my own business. Seventeen years of working for someone else just wasn’t fulfilling. When we moved to Trimble in 1993, it was just sheer luck that we saw an ad in the local paper that the locker was for sale.”

Mario describes how the business has changed:

“It’s definitely not the one-man show anymore. When I opened the shop, I never dreamed we would be where we are now. I think there’s a lot of things to consider, including some divine intervention, that has helped us make decisions after the fire that poised us to be in the position we are in today. Hard to pinpoint anything specific, but I know that I always felt this push to keep moving forward.”

His wife Teresa added that it has been a blessing to watch the business grow through the years, noting that “we were fortunate to be in the position for me to leave working for others and step into a full-time position in the business about nine years into owning Paradise Locker. Without a college education, we figured things out as we went and utilized a lot of consulting and made our own mistakes along the way.

“We learned a lot from our Missouri and American Associations of Meat Processors, including how to work as a family business. The hard work that the boys have put into it has enabled us to work together well and make it easier to transition the business over to them soon. The growth we have had comes from great customers, great employees, our faith and family, with a lot of blessings along the way.”

Paradise Locker Meats and this small meat processing family epitomizes so much that the industry represents. You could call it spirit.

And, by the way, the family name Fantasma originated when a baby was left at the door of an orphanage and the nuns took him in. Not knowing where he came from, they named him Attilio Fantasma. It translates into “ghost.” That was five generations ago but that spirit of caring still dwells at Paradise Locker Meats.