Owens Market Adds Slaughter Floor
Published: Friday, May 8, 2026
After opening a retail meat store in Kosciusko County in 2024, Mark and Kristy Owens are taking the next steps to fulfill their farm-to-table ambitions. Next month, they will open a second store in downtown Warsaw, and at about the same time, they will begin slaughtering cattle and hogs at their flagship store on S.R. 15, south of Leesburg.
"The reason is we didn't think we had enough to do," Mark said, poking fun at the rapid pace of expansion. "There was always a plan for a second store, and that was to support the actual kill operation. We need that volume going through the plant to support the technology."
That state-of-the-art technology includes a large machine, known as an ultra-cutter, that can grind meat into ground beef, doing the work of four people. Kristy said the machine produces a consistent product.
In another example of their technology, the breakdown room—where packaging occurs—will have video monitors that inform workers how to cut each customer's order. If there is a question about the thickness of a steak, for example, the workers will have two-way radios so they can communicate with the employee at the meat counter.
When a customer buys meat, they will be able to see the product immediately, thanks to transparent wrapping. Most butcher shops wrap their meat with paper.
Owens Fresh Meat Market currently has 20 employees, but Mark and Kristy expect to hire another five to seven workers after the expansion.
Nearly all the fresh meat comes from local farms. John Sands of Silver Lake, who has his own freezer beef operation, produces cattle for the Owenses. When they need more product to fill their meat case, Mark visits the Sands farm and hand picks the cattle that are ready to be harvested.
Sam Beer of Milford raises all the pork sold in the store.
More than just pork and beef, the 26,000-square-foot retail store, complete with a meat counter, deli, bakery, cafe and what's known as Jerky Island, sells many different types of meat, as well as local flowers and in-season produce, all grown locally. It's a reflection of Mark and Kristy's commitment to supporting local farmers, local agriculture and local 4-H and FFA youths. Regarding their support of local youth, the Owenses buy livestock at county 4-H auctions in the area.
Their goal is to offer a farm-to-table market, offering meats with an artisan quality. One example is brats—they come in 82 different flavors. The Owenses also make their own jerky.
"We support a lot of different markets," Mark said, adding that Muslim customers want their meat to be cut in a particular way.
"It's creating that environment to fit every nationality," he said. "Hispanic is a big part of our business. They love the cow heads. They love the stomach, so we're able to use more of the animal."
Mark added that the store also sells odd things, like pig feet, pig noses, pig ears, pig tails, cow stomachs and cow feet.
Austin Owens, who is Mark and Kristy's youngest son, will be working full-time in the breakdown room, a cooled environment designed to prevent bacteria growth. Austin is a certified butcher.
Construction on the kill floor is in the home stretch, and the Owenses are scheduling for the second half of 2026. In addition to hogs and cattle, they will be able to slaughter goats, bison, deer and sheep – almost any livestock, with the exception of poultry. Once the work is finished, the business can slaughter up to 70 cattle and 42 hogs per week, Mark said.
With five larger coolers, the business has plenty of storage space for product.
Kristy, who leads the retail operation at the Leesburg store, said she can schedule customers with her cell phone.
"The nice part is if I'm out at a county fair, and someone says, 'Hey, do you have room?' I can pull that system up on my phone and say, 'Yes, I do. Do you want me to put your name in?' It puts it in and they can see it immediately here."
The second store in Warsaw, located at 1095 Fisher Ave., will feature many of the same products offered at the Leesburg store.
The Owenses live on a farm near Argos. Their passion is farming, but during the COVID pandemic they couldn't find any local butchers to process their cattle. With an entrepreneurial spirit, they began exploring the idea of starting their own meat processing business. Two years ago, they opened the meat market but outsourced all the butchering.
They decided to build their dream in Leesburg, largely due to the positive reaction they received from economic development officials in Kosciusko County. Even before Mark and Kristy made the big decision to convert an old John Deere dealership into a meat market, they were welcomed with open arms.
"When we first came to Kosciusko County, it was 'How can we help?'" Mark said of local reaction. "And every step of the way, Kosciusko County has done that."
Kristy says the local community has been very generous, donating tents and other items for special events held at the market.
As summer approaches, the Owenses are starting to see many familiar faces come into the store, including the "lakers" who are returning for another season. Mark and Kristy hear a lot of comments about the changes they have been making.
"This has been a big deal, I guess," Mark said.
Both Mark and Kristy said this has been an exciting journey thus far, and they are looking forward to what lies ahead.
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