Recommended Free Tools
Clemens Food Group’s change was not simply to build a bigger pork plant. After Michigan hog producers approached the company about a new facility, Clemens worked with them to develop its Coldwater, Michigan, plant, opened in 2017. Then-CEO Doug Clemens described the arrangement as a “coordinated system”: partners contributed expertise and capital assets rather than Clemens owning every step from farm to finished product. He later said the company expanded into hog production as hog supply declined and independent producers became fewer.
What changed in Clemens’s approach?
The business moved toward coordinating more of the pork supply chain while relying on partners for parts of it. That distinction matters: “vertical” integration can suggest one company owns every stage, but Doug Clemens’s 2018 explanation emphasized matching each stage with the people and assets suited to it.
In an interview published October 23, 2018, by Successful Farming, then-CEO Doug Clemens said Michigan hog producers approached the company about developing a processing plant in Coldwater. Rather than describing the project as a Clemens-only expansion, he framed it as a partnership in which producers and the processor each brought strengths to the arrangement. He put the principle succinctly: “Coordinated is a much better approach.”
The interview was written by Betsy Freese, who disclosed that her father sold hogs to Hatfield for more than 30 years. That context is relevant when reading her account of the producer-processor relationship.
#1 Best Overall
- [FOOD-GRADE MATERIAL] The stainless steel lung remover are made of high quality German Stainless Steel that are food-grade, FDA-Compliant. The wooden handle not only provides a comfortable grip but also reduces the risk of electrostatic discharge commonly associated with plastic handle.
- [ERGONOMIC DESIGN] Our product handle is made of handmade acacia wood, The ergonomically designed handles offer you a soft and secure grip when you use the efficient gutting tools, even under wet hands and prevent that thumb muscle strain.
- [MULTIPURPOSE KITCHEN TOOL] Our lung scraper are suitable for quickly and easily removing the lungs of a variety of poultry, including chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, upland birds and more. Relieving the pressure from your hand even when prolonged use or heavy duty tasks. Improve your food prep efficiency by saving time to shift back and forth between different tools.
- [EASY TO CLEANING] The stainless steel head and natural acacia wood handle wipes clean with just soap and water. Easy to hand wash as there are no crevices for meat to hide, Please wash, wipe off the water and keep dry after each use to prevent rust and corrosion. Not dishwasher safe.
- [IDEAL AS GIFT] The lung rake is a great gift for thanksgiving, christmas, A practical gift for home cooks.
Why did Michigan producers approach Clemens?
The producers wanted a new processing facility, and Clemens had the experience and business infrastructure to help develop one. The plant gave Michigan producers a local processing outlet connected to a larger pork company’s operations. The account establishes that producers initiated the approach; it does not provide a detailed breakdown of each partner’s investment, ownership stake, or contractual terms.
Clemens’s company history says Coldwater opened in 2017. By the time of the 2018 interview, Successful Farming reported that the facility was processing 10,000 hogs a day. Clemens’s history likewise describes 10,000 hogs per day as the plant’s capacity. Those figures describe Coldwater, not the company’s current total throughput.
Rank #2
- Small but Mighty Sausage Stuffer: Precision-machined metal gears resist wear for smoother, longer-lasting performance vs plastic. Sturdy metal base and included clamps keep the stuffer secure for one-person use. Great for sausages and snack sticks
- Easy Filling, Cleaning, Setup: Removable stainless steel cylinder makes this sausage stuffer simple to fill and hand-clean. Built-in air release valve reduces air pockets. Includes a user manual for assembly, safety, and sausage-making guidance
- Durable Stainless Steel Build: Precision-machined carbon steel gears prevent slippage and wear, while the protective gearbox cover shields food from contaminants. Ideal meat stuffer for beef, pork, poultry, venison, and other ground meat
- Versatile Stuffing Tube Set: Includes 3 plastic stuffing tubes—11/16", 7/8" and 1" OD—for bratwurst, Italian sausage, summer sausage, and other sausage casings. Hand-wash only. Perfect kitchen appliance for small batch sausage making
- Product Dependability: We offer a two-year factory warranty on our sausage stuffer and lifetime customer support for any issues you may have. We carry replacement parts for a large variety of our products, past and present
Why did Clemens move into hog production?
Doug Clemens’s stated reason was supply security. In the interview, he said, “The hog supply started to go down,” and connected the shortage to the reduction in independent hog producers. His explanation was that a processor dependent on outside supply had reason to take more responsibility for ensuring hogs were available.
He also recalled the company’s response to a steep hog-market decline in 1998: “We knew that without producers we didn’t exist.” The remark captures the commercial logic behind the coordinated approach: the processor needed producers, and producers needed reliable processing access. The interview provides Clemens’s rationale, not an independently measured account of industry-wide producer numbers or supply trends.
Rank #3
- 【Extremely sharp knife】When supplying meat such as large pork, lamb or beef, a slaughter meat industrial processing knife is the most suitable tool for this job because it allows you to effortlessly cut through large meat or evenly sized slices.
- 【Excellent performance】The high quality high carbon molybdenum steel blade has good stainless steel performance and keeps the v-edge 16°angle of the knife edge, ensuring its super sharpness and excellent flexibility.The knife can freely and flexibly travel through the meat, and to a greater extent can help penetrate tough cartilage, break down beef, and even trim meat fat with ease.
- 【Non-slip grip design】The ergonomically designed handle is made of Santoprene with an anti-slip grip, which fits the natural curve of your hand, while it determines the maneuverability, control and comfort of the knife. Even when using it with wet hands, you can control it very well.
- 【The right knife type for you】 Every day in the slaughterhouse each knife will operate a considerable amount of cutting, choose a sharp, comfortable slaughter knife, both to make meat division more accurate and beautiful, but also to make you work more easily and labor-saving.
- 【YOUSUNLONG experience】 We use high quality high carbon molybdenum steel blades and Santoprene handles, and YOUSUNLONG's deluxe packaging protects the blades from being shipped intact, just to ensure that our slaughter series of industrialized processing knives will meet your expectations. the YOUSUNLONG team has worked hard for over 15 years to become a trusted partner for chefs around the world.
Coordination versus owning every stage
Clemens’s model sits between a purely arm’s-length buying relationship and complete ownership of every link. In his account, partners could contribute specialized knowledge, farms, or capital assets while Clemens focused on the processing and food-production work in which it had experience. The company today describes its operations as vertically coordinated across farming, processing, and transportation, a formulation consistent with that emphasis on connecting stages without claiming that it owns every asset involved.
| Business question | What the Clemens account says |
|---|---|
| Who initiated the Coldwater project? | Michigan hog producers approached Clemens, according to the 2018 interview. |
| What made the arrangement different? | Doug Clemens described partners contributing strengths and assets rather than Clemens owning every step. |
| Why add hog production? | Clemens said declining hog supply and fewer independent producers prompted the company to take greater responsibility for supply. |
| What capacity figure was reported? | Coldwater was reported at 10,000 hogs per day in the 2018 interview; Clemens’s company history also calls that the plant’s capacity. |
Capacity did not guarantee more output
The Coldwater capacity figure was not a promise of unconstrained production. In 2018, Clemens identified hog availability, labor, and customer demand as factors affecting whether the plant could add shifts or increase output. These were interview-era constraints, not a statement of current operating conditions.
Rank #4
- High-Efficiency Commercial High-Power Motor: With a 750W high-power commercial motor, achieve rapid and uniform tenderization at an elevated efficiency. This electric tenderizer reduces labor costs and marinade time, streamlining your kitchen operations.
- Top-Quality Stainless Steel Blade Assembly: A set of 67 precision-crafted stainless steel blades ensure commercial-grade tenderizing, enriching meat's texture. These finely sharpened 304 stainless steel blades, with their optimal comb spacing, prevent clogging and preserve the meat's integrity and flavor.
- Efficient Meat Tenderization: Enhance the flavor and texture of your dishes with ease. Tenderizing dimensions span 0.24" - 6.61" (6mm-168mm) in length and 0.12"-0.87" (3-22mm) in thickness. With a quick-start feature, this meat tenderizer tool adeptly tenderizes lamb chops, pork loin, chicken breasts, beef steaks, fish fillets, duck breast, and other meats.
- Simple, Safe, and Convenient Operation: Four-step uncomplicated process coupled with an internal drive and stainless steel casing ensures a safer and more convenient user experience.
- Durable High-Quality Materials: The entire body is made of 304 stainless steel, ensuring durability and longevity, making tenderizer machine the top choice for worry-free commercial use.
How Coldwater fits the company’s history
Clemens’s company history dates its pork business to 1895, when John C. Clemens began taking pork from his farm to Philadelphia. The company reports later milestones including the launch of Farm Promise in 2014 and the Coldwater facility’s opening in 2017. Its current company pages describe Clemens as a sixth-generation family-owned business spanning hog farming, food production, and transportation. In 2024, the company says it acquired Kunzler.
The history helps explain why Coldwater was more than a stand-alone plant opening: it fit a long-running pork business seeking a dependable connection between production and processing. But the clearest account of the strategy remains Doug Clemens’s 2018 explanation of why the company preferred coordination with partners over owning every stage itself.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Quick Recap
Sources
- Betsy Freese, “How Clemens Changed the Pig Business,” Successful Farming, October 23, 2018
- Clemens Food Group, company history
- Clemens Food Group, company overview
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
