Heritage Meats Enters a New Chapter

Ownership Transition Brings Fresh Vision for Quality-Centered Foods

Authored by Kim Breyley for South East Geauga Quarterly

Heritage Meats, a staple in Middlefield’s Harrington Square, has long been recognized for offering high-quality meats at fair prices. Formerly operated by Perry Miller and Dan Schrock, the business has grown into a trusted destination for families and individuals seeking meat and other goods they can feel good about.

Now, Heritage Meats is entering a new chapter as ownership shifts to Mark Miller, a leader in the region on healthy livestock production, and John Kempf, a nationally respected agriculture consultant known for his expertise in soil, plant, and human nutrition and food system health.

This transition, effective in late October, marks more than just a change in ownership. It signals an expansion of Heritage Meats’ mission: to become a destination for essential foods that are packed with flavor and aroma, and that meet the needs of an increasingly informed and health-conscious community.

The Vision: Staple Foods for True Health

“Our vision for Heritage Meats is to become the destination for staple foods that are selected for flavor as the first priority, and that have a beneficial impact on health and vitality—meat, eggs, dairy, flour, oil, and more,” Kempf explains. “We want to provide products that deliver exceptional flavor and quality, and also improve people’s health.”

Kempf described how many perceived “food allergies” are actually multi-dimensional sensitivities related to production methods. For example, dairy sensitivities often stem not just from lactose, but from homogenization, A1 proteins, pasteurization, or toxins from genetically modified feed.

“One individual might be sensitive to one of those factors, and someone else is sensitive to a different factor,” Kempf explained. “At Heritage, we want to solve for all of them at once by bringing in products that are completely clean, and can be consumed by anyone. In the case of dairy, that can mean sourcing from 100% grass-fed, A2/A2 protein, non-GMO, non-homogenized, and available both pasteurized and unpasteurized, depending on people’s needs.”

The best quality milk Kempf has ever tasted is from Alexandre Family Farms, known for their grass-fed, nutrient-rich milk, yogurt, kefir, and other dairy products with high butterfat content. Kempf consults with the Alexandre Family, who want to make certain that their dairy products contain generous levels of minerals and phytonutrients. Dairy products from outside the community are selected for flavor, quality, and eating experience first, and then for their nutritional value. These products will complement the offerings of local farms like Old Country Creamery’s unpasteurized milk, ensuring options for families with a wide range of needs.

Building on a Strong Foundation

The team at Heritage has developed a well-earned reputation for quality, particularly with beef. “Our vision is to maintain that legacy while expanding it and supporting the community more than ever,” said Kempf.

Mark Miller brings both historical experience and practical expertise. As a local farmer, he has been a leader in developing grass-fed beef genetics and pastured livestock production in the region. Miller is leading the development of the livestock production and meat quality standards that Heritage Meats will use to source their beef, hogs, dairy products, broilers, turkeys, and eggs from the local region.

Miller desires to source as much from the local community as possible. “We have access to animals of superior quality from outside our region,” Miller said. “We can bring in hogs, lamb, grass-fed beef, dairy products, chicken, turkey, and eggs from outside our community. However, we prefer to source from the community if our quality and flavor standards can be met. But we will source outside before we compromise on flavor and quality.”

“Heritage Meats is already known for buying the best quality beef in the community,” said Miller. “We want to further develop local sources who are producing the best quality pork, broilers, turkeys, and eggs in the region, and provide an outlet for those growers. We want to buy the best quality from the community and deliver the best quality to the community.”

John Kempf’s Journey: From Crisis to Innovation

Kempf’s connection to quality food and agriculture is widely known. As a result of experiences on his family's produce farm, he developed a completely different system of crop nutrition management, which can produce crops so nutritious that they are almost completely resistant to disease and insects, and produce nutrient dense food while regenerating soil health.

Today, the system he developed is used on millions of acres of farmland across North America to increase yields, improve food quality, and regenerate soil health. This philosophy—healthy plants, healthy soil, healthy food—now guides his approach to Heritage Meats.

Because of Kempf’s agriculture consulting work, he is closely connected to many farmers across the country who prioritize growing food for nutritional quality and flavor. “I have access to foods of such exceptional quality that you generally cannot find them on retail shelves,” Kempf said. “The best quality foods go into holiday gift boxes or to export markets where they are willing to pay for exceptional quality.”

Heritage Meats will be sourcing products such as wheat flour, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, and safflower oil directly from farms across the country. Their selection criteria are to prioritize the eating experience first, making sure that every product has outstanding flavor, and then ensuring that each product has exceptional nutritional value.

A Destination for the Community

For Miller and Kempf, Heritage Meats is more than a business—it’s a community cornerstone. Their plans include expanding product lines while staying rooted in local partnerships and values.

“There are many growers in our region who can produce to our quality standards,” Kempf said. “Our job is to make quality food accessible, consistent, and trustworthy. We want Heritage Meats to be the place people know they can count on for the foods that truly nourish their families.”

Heritage Meats, 15561 W High St., Middlefield, OH 44062 (Harrington Square) 440-548-1018, heritagemeats.net. Known for: high-quality meats, fair pricing, and now, a renewed vision for flavorful and high quality foods.

-----

Authored by Kim Breyley