DIETERICH, ILL. — The state of Illinois reached an agreement with Frichtl Processing and Slaughtering LLC to invest $2.5 million in the company’s expansion through an Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) for Startups tax credit program. Under the agreement, Frichtl will purchase space in the Industrial Park East in Dieterich, Ill., to construct a new 9,227-square-foot meat processing and packaging facility.

Frichtl’s Processing and Slaughtering is a majority woman-owned small business. Owners Rachel and Zach Frichtl, wife and husband, bring 15-plus years of industry experience to the company, which was founded in 2023.

“After 15 years of butchering on the family farm, we've gained extensive experience and honed the craft, which has provided a solid foundation for our new venture,” Rachel Frichtl said. “In 2023, recognizing the increasing demand in the market, we shifted focus towards developing a comprehensive business plan, leveraging the connections made through local resources such as the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity.

“With key partners like the Village of Dieterich supporting zoning and ordinance requirements, the Effingham Growth Alliance aiding in economic development strategies, and Dieterich Bank facilitating financial services, alongside support from the SBDC at IECC for business planning, this collaborative approach will enable us to expand offerings and possibly increase production space, tapping into a broader range of products and services to meet customer needs more effectively.”

The new facility will feature state-of-the-art equipment, improving processing efficiency, and will include a front retail store that offers a variety of products, such as produce, baking goods, canned goods, dairy and frozen foods. The processing plant will specialize in beef, hogs and deer, providing locally sourced meat products for customers in the retail store.

With the new facility, the city of Dieterich — known to be a food desert — will gain access to nutritional foods while bolstering economic growth with the creation of six new full-time jobs and the support of local farms.