The Fischer family moved to New York from their Amish community in Pennsylvania to start a dairy farm in 2008. New York promised a better market and land prices that were nearly 1/10 of those in Pennsylvania by acre. They settled on a 70 acre plot and invested in a herd and buildings, but soon the global recession caused milk prices to drop severely in 2009, leaving the family looking for new sources of income.
In 2013, Betsy Fischer convinced her husband to build out a commercial kitchen in one of their structures, and they started diversifying into baked goods. They sold at farmers markets around Central New York and the Mohawk Valley, enough to support the farm through the ups and downs of the milk market.
The shift from dairy to chicken
Reuben Fischer remembers his mother’s persistence and creativity. “In 2015, Mom decided to experiment with the chicken pie because we were tired of just seeing pastries… she liked the idea of offering our customers something more wholesome,” he explained. The pies took off in popularity, and in 2018 the family sold off the rest of their dairy herd to focus on the bakery.
COVID-19 shut down the markets in early 2020, leaving the Fischers with an uncertain path forward. They spent the beginning of the year converting part of an empty dairy barn into a processing facility so the chickens used in the pies could be raised by the family and processed on-site.
Demand grew, and soon the facilities were upgraded and expanded. The business now works with around half a dozen former dairy farmers in the area to raise chickens sold as whole birds and custom cuts, and Reuben has taken the lead on running the chicken business, along with his father, Amos. They now employ 15-20 people daily and process up to 2,000 birds per order.
“Our biggest goal is to help local farmers make a living.”
– Reuben Fischer
By The Numbers
- Family-owned
- Sourcing from over 7 family farms
- 20+ employees
A community-based business
The high quality of their product is a direct result of their dedication to their community. Their birds are raised on farms an average of 15 miles from the processing facility, by friends and family who have converted to raising chicken from dairy due in part to the stability that the Fischer’s plant has brought to the region.
Their attention to quality and community is apparent in the details too– the vegetables in the chicken pies are grown on their own farm or nearby, and even the breadcrumbs for their chicken nuggets and patties come from a family bakery down the road.
High quality products
Morning Star’s practices are based on family values, and the whole family is involved in business decisions. This has led to processing practices that are wholesome, healthful, and environmentally responsible, supporting the well-being of their community of farmers and customers.
They offer pasture-raised and antibiotic-free chicken, and always air-chill their meat rather than the standard industry practice of water-bath chilling, which involves chlorine and bloats the meat with water weight. Their air-chilling methodology ensures a fresher, natural taste free of chemical processing.
The short travel distance from farm to plant puts less stress on the poultry and allows for a much more humane transport process. Spacious transport with short durations also lowers mortality rates.
Leveraging partnerships to navigate New York State Programs
The Nourish NY program, launched in Spring 2020 as a pandemic relief program, has been important for Morning Star’s growth, and Headwater has been there to support and facilitate program participation. Large purchases of chicken for food banks under the program proved invaluable when farmers had excess capacity but limited market access during the first years of COVID-19.
Since then, Nourish orders facilitated by Headwater have helped Reuben and his team weather the seasonality of the market– New York winters don’t offer opportunities for pasture-raising, so Headwater has helped Morning Star find demand for humanely raised, cage-free chicken to ensure continued revenue year-round.
Plus, Headwater and Morningstar are working together to develop new products to meet market needs and best utilize Morning Star’s capabilities.
They’re working together to develop the first NY-sourced chicken nuggets and patties for school lunches, developing a new recipe to include plant-based ingredients in the chicken mix to decrease the product’s environmental impact. In addition, they’ve collaborated to find ways to utilize the full animal to maximize the value coming off the farm by getting organ meat to ethnic marketplaces, for example.
Collaborations such as this are essential as they pave the way for innovative approaches toward food production and distribution. Through their combined expertise and resources, Headwater and Morning Star are setting a precedent for how companies can work together to bring about positive change, culminating in products that are beneficial for both the consumer and the planet.
Staying grounded through growth
Headwater has supported the Morning Star team throughout the ebbs and flows of their growth, helping them differentiate by increasing their valued attributes and keeping costs competitive.
“We take a collaborative approach with our customers and suppliers,” explains Stefan Schwartz, Headwater’s Director of Program Development. “Harmonizing supply and demand requires a two-way conversation. We make sure everyone has the information they need to work towards meaningful and durable solutions.”
Though their recent growth has been fast, the family is dedicated to maintaining their values and keeping their community as a first priority. “Our biggest goal for the future is to help local farmers make a living,” says Reuben. “And, of course, to keep growing the chicken pie business. Because that’s always been something that we as a family love doing.”
Interested in sourcing from Morning Star? Contact Stefan Schwartz, Director of Programs at Headwater.