HOMEGROWN CRAFT. Ranch Brand Meat Company, with a regional location in Chippewa Falls (pictured above), began its operations in the summer of 2024. In just a few years time, Charlotte Antczak (left), Jake Rooney (right) and their team of staff have grown to expand their offerings – from self-processing to direct-to-consumer retail efforts.

Family values and complete sovereignty over their products remain at the core of Ranch Brand Meat Company, a newer processed meats purveyor serving the Chippewa Valley.

At “The Barn,” Ranch Brand’s Chippewa Falls location (11728 County Hwy S), tradition meets innovation, according to co-founders Jake Rooney and Charlotte Antczak.

“What started as a passion project has grown into a fully integrated operation and something we take a great deal of pride in,” Antczak said. “Beyond just selling meat, we are offering a connection back to the source and a level of care and control that’s becoming harder to find.”

Beef products available for purchase are sourced from cattle born and raised on the co-founders’ respective family ranches.

Ranch Brand Meat Company’s story begins with Charlotte and her partner, Jeff Antczak’s – another co-founder – hobby Black Angus cattle farm. A growing demand from family and friends for processed meats led to the opening of their first retail meat shop in Chetek in 2020. To maintain quality and control during expansion, they partnered with Jake Rooney – from Rooney Angus ranch – in 2024, to form what has become Ranch Brand Meat Company.

The Chippewa Falls location resides right on the current Rooney Angus property, which offers an intimate and educational buying experience for customers.

“They get to come purchase their meat right there, (in) the same place where it's grown,” Rooney said. “Chippewa Falls is where I was born and raised; we take special pride in being able to provide what we feel is a product our community has not had access to.”

“There’s a sense of pride and responsibility that comes with putting your family name behind a product. We want people to feel like they know us, trust us and are part of what we’re doing.” –Charlotte Antczak, co-founder of Ranch Brand Meat Company

Local pickup options for beef products are available at The Barn, as well as Ranch Brand’s additional meat shops: Downtown Block in Chetek and The Plant in Almena.

From black label steak cuts – filet mignon, New York strip, t-bone, among others – Ranch Brand has equally become known for its bratwurst, craft snacks, prime rib roasts and more.

Every decision, from breeding selections to processing methods, ensures one goal: to create the finest beef possible, Rooney said. Ranch Brand intends to carve out and expand its clientele despite continuing trends of consolidation among meat processors, both nationally and locally.

“We purchased our own processing facility, Almena Meat Company,” Rooney said. “That allows us to oversee every step of the process: from raising the cattle to processing and selling directly to the customer.”

“Like any industry, meat processing and livestock farming come with their share of challenges,” Antczak added. “(Here) there are no middlemen and no question marks about where your food comes from.”

Returning customers of the Chippewa Falls location have built a tight-knit community which celebrates the history of agriculture and farming in the Valley, both co-founders shared. Ranch Brand’s social media platforms are also used by staff to continue conversations with customers, share updates directly from the cattle farms and emphasize the people and places which define the brand.

“There’s a sense of pride and responsibility that comes with putting your family name behind a product. We want people to feel like they know us, trust us and are part of what we’re doing,” Antczak said.

Around the Valley, Ranch Brand’s steak cuts can be found at a myriad of restaurants. In the Eau Claire area, locals can sample those time honored cuts at Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse and Cowboy Jack’s.

It comes as no surprise to see The Wissota Lodge in Chippewa Falls bring the Ranch Brand cuts to their gatherings and seasonal menu offerings.

You too, at home or with family, can savor the mouth-watering cuts – “perfect for slow Sundays” – Ranch Brand Meat Company provides for its growing community.

An interior view of "The Ranch" Chippewa Falls location, pictured above. The local storefront also offers additional seasoning spices, cookware gear and merchandise available for purchase.

"Ranch raised. Ranch proud. Ranch Brand," reads a recent social media update from Ranch Brand Meat Company.

Visit ranchbrandmeatco.com or call (715) 651-1223 to learn more about the business’ mission, vision and fan-favorite meat cuts available for purchase. Ranch Brand Meat Company's Chippewa Falls location, The Barn, offers local pickup options at 11728 County Hwy S.