Meat + Poultry - March 2006 - 28

Controlling insurance costs
Group health insurance is another
concern. While Hall has not seen big increases in property or casualty insurance,
the group health insurance the company
offers to its employees is another story.
"Health insurance is not a problem only
for the meat industry but for all small
businesses," Hall says. "It's a continuing
battle for us to have in our budget. It's a
nice benefit, which you need and should
provide to be competitive as far as getting workers for your company. But because the cost is always going up, you're
always looking for ways to save or make
it more reasonable."
Having employees pay part of the
health insurance costs, establishing
and raising deductibles, and negotiating over prescription cards are some of
the things employers can do to offset
costs. Hall says he cannot see any other
way for small businesses to deal with
the situation other than having employees contribute. "If you keep the price of
the insurance the same, but strip everything (the benefits) out, then what do
you have? What are you really offering
your employees? Nothing."
Rick's Garden Spots' Jean Shupp
says she and her husband shopped long
and hard to find insurance for their business. "During the search for insurance,
I noticed something very interesting-
they classified golf courses and meat
plants together. I'm not sure why," she
says with a laugh. "But insurance companies were very concerned about the
use of slicers and knives in the plant.
It took quite a bit of hunting for us to
find something. We went to several
consulting businesses that each handle
several insurance carriers before we
could find one that would take us." The
policy covers anyone who could have
an accident on the property, including
the two women who work part time for
the company.
Much of its business has come from
the retail segment, but Rick's is expanding. As the company moves toward growing its wholesale business,
Jean Shupp notices it needs to transport more items by truck. The compa-

ny is beginning to feel the pinch from
the rising costs of diesel fuel. A major
cost for Rick's is paying for the fuel to
transport live animals from their producers to the slaughtering facility.

She says the process of moving into
the wholesale end of the meat business has been a challenge. Rick's had
been an Illinois Type II plant, which is
equivalent to a "custom exempt" plant

M 0

H
MEAT

PROTEIN PRODUCTS
IMPROVED THROUGH
TECHNOLOGY
MAX
- Inhibits Oxidation
- Stabilizes Seasoning and Spice Notes
- Potentiates Savory Notes
- Reduces Warmed Over Flavor in Pre-cooked Meats
- Masks Soy
MIMIC
- Reduces off-notes associated with Lactates and Diacetates
- Masks Potassium Chloride for Reduced Sodium Applications
- Potentiates Natural Savory Flavor
MINER
- Masks Iron, Liver, and Metallic Notes in Imported Meats
- Inhibits Oxidation
UMAMI
- Enhances Overall Savory Notes
- Increases Salt Perception
- Possible Replacement for Autolyzed Yeast, MSG, and HVPs
- Promotes Synergy amongst Flavor Systems

To learn more about Wix-Fresh™, or to obtain a sample,
contact your Wixon Sales Representative
or Ron Ratz, ron_ratz@wixon.com

WIXON INC.
A

800-841-5304

1390 E. Bolivar Ave. * St. Francis, WI 53235
www.wixon.com
For more information, see Page 89
www.MEATPOULTRY.com

March 2006

MEAT&POULTRY

http://www.wixon.com http://www.MEATPOULTRY.com

Meat + Poultry - March 2006

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