ELMORE – I first stumbled upon Tank’s Meats in a freezer case at a roadside gas station convenience store called Ozzie’s General Market, located on the outskirts of Sylvania, where Central Ave. becomes State Route 120.
Who knew this frosted curiosity would lead me to northwest Ohio’s finest purveyor of all things butchered? Dare I say, Meat Mecca?
Founded in 1907 by F.J. Tank, Tank’s Meats in Elmore has been family owned and operated for 118 years. Fred Tank started out harvesting and processing local beef, pork, poultry, turkeys and geese while selling retail from a downtown storefront. He made fresh deliveries via horse-drawn wagon and sleds.
Fred was joined by his son, Walter and Elfreda Tank in 1937. Through subsequent generations of family ownership, the business has been aggregated under one roof, just off the Ohio turnpike at Exit 81.
Kurt and Eric’s father, Alois Amstutz, immigrated to the United States in 1964 after answering an ad in a Swiss newspaper for a sausage-making apprenticeship. He married into the Tank family in 1976, with nuptials to Marcia Amstutz, the daughter of Walter and Elfreda Tank. Al’s expertise in specialty Swiss and German products expanded the range of offerings.
Tank’s Meats is currently led by 4th-generation brothers Kurt and Eric Amstutz, who manage operations, processing and distribution of high-quality meats to independent grocers, restaurants and food banks within a 180-mile radius of their Elmore headquarters. The brothers grew up at Tank’s Meats, working alongside their father who taught them the craft of butchering and preparing cuts for market.
From the early age of 14, Eric and Kurt worked after school and on weekends, instilling a strong work ethic and familiarity within the industry. They would make deliveries via moped and participated in raising sheep, goats and chickens on their five-acre property.
Eric oversees sausage making and smoked meats, coming up with new recipes and managing relationships with suppliers, while Kurt manages USDA compliance and permitting, sales and distribution. Continuing the family’s multi-generational tradition in the meat processing business provides a sense of pride, and working day-to-day with family yields its own rewards.
Kurt and Eric have developed a strong working partnership by focusing on shared goals, learning to communicate and compromise, and putting in the effort to understand each other over many years of working side-by-side. This flexibility and commitment to the business, and to each other, is a big part of their success.
The business has gone through many changes as consumer tastes and preferences have shifted, along with changes in regulation and compliance standards. The growth of commercial farming and ranching practices have outpaced smaller family-run independent farms, and led to producer aggregation and specialization.
Tank’s no longer slaughters live animals, preferring the consistency and availability offered by specialty partners. Consumer’s bulk purchase of beef and pork are less frequent due to a variety of factors, like decreased average family size, lower homeownership percentages, and less time for food preparation. Deep freezers and home-cooking are being replaced by more accessible fast-casual options and food delivery apps. Food technologists and vegetarian alternatives continue to innovate plant based alternatives too.
Sourcing high-quality, consistent ingredients from trusted suppliers is critical to maintaining their reputation and growing market share. They’ve stayed relevant by investing in technology and automated equipment for tasks, like portion cutting and patty forming, mixing and sausage stuffing, and smoking meats while relying on a core group of experienced butchers.
Tanks’ works with restaurateurs to devise custom cuts that satisfy their needs for size and presentation. Tank’s can also create custom bacon and sausage formulations.
In addition to producing their own products, Tank’s works with local suppliers to bring a broad selection to their retail clients. From Amish pastrami to all-natural pet treats, soup bones to stock, Tank’s has it all.
They make cured meats, deli meat (garlic bologna, yum!) and smoked meats, like landjaggers and dried sausages. They process venison for hunters and can mix ground beef and pork to exact specifications. One of their specialties is crafting jalapeño cheddar summer sausage chubs! Weekly specials are available on their Facebook page.
With over a century of business development and improvement, Tank’s Meats is a resource for culinary connoisseurs in northwest Ohio. Kurt and Eric’s kids are currently on-site learning the business and working to extend their family’s legacy.
In addition to their Elmore retail store, Tank's Meats is available at Churchills (Maumee & Perrysburg), Zavotski, Kilgus and Ozzies General Market.
Tank's Meats is open Mon-Fri from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. - noon.
