Meat+Poultry - March 2023 - 27

" I'm third generation and then my son,
Hunter, fourth generation, is the plant manager, "
said Robbie Shoults, co-owner. Robbie's mother,
Brenda Shoults, is the other co-owner, at Bear
Creek Smokehouse. " My daughter [Krysta
Shoults Coleman] is also fourth generation and
acts as a buyer for the general store and helps
run it. We have grandkids in and out of the
store all the time, so on any given day you can
catch four generations in there at one time. It's
pretty cool. "
ALL IN THE FAMILY
In addition to parents, children and spouses,
in-laws and cousins complete the total of
16 family members that work at Bear Creek
Smokehouse. Many family members also live
on the property, and have for generations.
Shoults' grandfather divided the property
between his three children and gave some of it
to Robbie and his cousin.
" My dad has two sisters, Becky and Nancy,
that live on the property, they're about a mile
from me, " Shoults said. " My mom is still in the
old home place that my great granddad built.
My dad was actually born in the bedroom
my mom sleeps in. My son Hunter is about
two miles back in on the place. My daughter
Krysta lives in Marshall and drives out every
day. We're a hunting family, we love hunting
out here on the property, we've got all the
cattle out here and it's laid back. It's just a
little slice of heaven to us. "
With the higher number of family members
involved in the day-to-day operations of
Bear Creek Smokehouse, there's bound to be
disagreements when decisions on business
matters arise. For certain decisions, Bear
Creek will default to those with expertise in
the area the decision affects.
Robbie and Hunter recently took a trip to
Chicago to look at two different companies'
slicers. Because Hunter is the plant manager,
Robbie will consult with him and the two of
them will decide on the purchase. However,
other decisions call for different strategies.
Each decision is unique.
" We'll try to include my mom and my
daughter, my wife and whoever else because
I would love hearing everyone's perspective
on something when we get ready to make a
move to do something different, whether it
be introducing a new product, the possibility
www.meatpoultry.com | 03.23 | MEAT+POULTRY
27
of opening another location or something
like that, " Shoults said. " We all need to listen
to everybody's input because it does affect
everybody, all the family members. "
The Bear Creek family stays tight no
matter the obstacle. It's an approach to family
business that sees the family as the most
important thing. The business exists as a
context the family operates in. The opinions
of family members differ within and outside
of the business, but the family remains tight
knit either way.
" I think the main thing is we still all get
together and enjoy meals together with my
mom, myself and my wife, Tracy, and all of
our kids and our grandkids, " Shoults said. " I
think it's all about just staying tight outside
the business as well, not necessarily in the
business. We're tight outside the business.
I think it helps you improve relationships
when it comes to being under the roof of the
business. I'm just so thankful all my kids and
my wife and everybody just has such a strong
work ethic. "
He offers a quote that hangs on the wall
of his office describing his feelings about
his family and the business they all operate
together, " Happiness is getting to go to work
every day with the ones you love the most. "
The Shoults family members
all wear many hats in the
day-to-day operations.
Robbie often wears a
chef's hat and is not afraid
to do some cooking.
" Happiness is
getting to go to
work every day
with the ones you
love the most. "
- ROBBIE SHOULTS
Meat+Poultry - March 2023

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