Andrea and Jim Rode walk toward the ground-breaking ceremony for Rode’s Meats near Delphos on Friday morning. The new meat-processing plant is located at 1000 Colletta’s Way, across from Lakeview Farms.
Precious Grundy | The Lima News
DELPHOS — A new meat-packing company is several shovels-full closer to reality just outside Delphos.
A groundbreaking took place Friday morning for Rode’s Meats in Delphos. Jim and Andrea Rode have made headway on the new meat packing company.
“Andrea and I have been working on this project for three years,” Jim Rode said. “We’re excited to bring this venture of ours because we know it’s very needed in this community and the surrounding area. None of this would have happened without the help of many people.”
The facility, located at 1000 Colletta’s Way, across from Lakeview Farms, will include 18,000 square feet and add around 20 jobs to the area. Rode’s Meats will sell deli meats, cheese and more from local farmers.
Rode thanked the many organizations, friends and family who helped along the way. In May, Allen County commissioners approved a 90%, 10-year tax abatement. Delphos Mayor Douglas Mullenhour and Allen County Commissioner Cory Noonan thanked the company for investing in the region.
“I want to take every chance I can to say thank you to the entrepreneurs,” Noonan said. “They have the dream, they have the vision, they put the money, they take the risk, and then they get the reward.”
It was satisfying to see for Dave Stratton, president of Allen Economic Development Group.
“We work closely with Jim and Andrea, we work closely with the commissioners and, our goal is to see what we can do to try to bring progress to bring viable business to really enhance our community, to create jobs, to see what we can do to make for a better community for all,” Stratton said.
The meat-packing plant will strengthen the region, Stratton said, so it made sense to help the company with incentives.
“We believe that small business is really the backbone of Allen County. We believe that we need Rode’s to be able to support economic development,” Stratton said. “So what do we do? We look at all the different resources that might come to the table to help. It could be county folks, it could be city and Delphos people. It could be that we go to JobsOhio and look more at a state level. We might look at Ohio Department of Development and what kind of partnerships we can make.”
Reach Precious Grundy at 567-242-0351.
