From Family Tradition to National Recognition: The Story Behind Country Meat Shop's Success
The career that would one day earn Mark Reynolds a place in the American Cured Meat Hall of Fame began with an argument over a tractor.
As a teenager growing up on his family's farm outside Moberly, Missouri, Mark and his brother found themselves wrestling in the dirt after a disagreement over a tractor that wouldn't start. Their mother had seen enough.
"She said, You're going to be working at the packing house from here on out," Mark recalls with a laugh. He was 17 years old.
What started as punishment quickly became something else. Working in his family's fourth-generation meat processing business, Mark discovered he loved the challenge. While others may have seen it as routine work, he became fascinated with refining recipes, improving systems and processes, and finding better ways to do things.
"I just fell in love with the meat business," he says. "My passion has always been in making new products."
That passion would carry him through setbacks, career changes, and eventually into building one of Missouri's most respected specialty meat shops.
Located right off of Highway 63 in Moberly, Country Meat Shop has been welcoming customers from all over Missouri since 2011.
Building on a Family Legacy
The Reynolds family's roots in meat processing stretch back generations. Their family business, Moberly Packing Company, had built a reputation around its hams, passing knowledge from one generation to the next.
Then, in 1989, everything changed.
A devastating fire destroyed the family packing plant, and Mark's parents chose not to rebuild. Instead, Mark accepted a position with Oscar Mayer, where he spent about six years learning large-scale food production.
The experience changed the way he viewed the business.
Exposure to heavily automated production lines showed him how the right equipment could improve consistency, efficiency, and ultimately quality.
"When I was at Oscar Mayer, I saw what the power of equipment could do," Mark says.
It was a lesson he would carry with him for decades.
Betting on a Vision
Long before Country Meat Shop officially opened, Mark already had a vision in mind.
Growing up, he'd watched customers walk into the family's processing facility to purchase meat directly. He always imagined creating a place designed specifically for them—a welcoming little shop where customers could browse, ask questions, and leave excited to serve something special around their own dinner tables.
"I always envisioned having a retail front," he says. Down-to-earth with a warm, approachable demeanor, Mark is easy to talk to and his passion for quality is evident in every conversation with him. "Something about waiting on customers and getting them what they wanted gave me a good feeling."
That opportunity arrived when Mark purchased a building along Highway 63 with financing from what is now Regional Missouri Bank, a community bank headquartered in Marceline that has spent more than a century serving businesses and families across north and central Missouri. Mark believed the location could someday become the retail shop he'd imagined for years.
The journey wasn't immediate. Early plans shifted, forcing Mark to rethink the business and ultimately launch Country Meat Shop in 2011.
Those early years required patience and sacrifice.
While Mark poured every available dollar back into the business, his wife, Lara, continued working full-time, allowing the family to invest in the company's future rather than drawing income from it.
"They were lean days," Mark says. "But it all came out in the end."
Mark and Lara Reynolds, the owners of Country Meat Shop, standing with the many awards and honors their meat products have received over the years.
Regional Missouri Bank remained a steady partner throughout that journey.
The bank financed the original building, helped provide operating capital during the business's early holiday seasons, and later supported investments in equipment and expansion as Country Meat Shop continued to grow.
For Craig Plaster, CFO at Regional Missouri Bank, who has worked alongside Mark for more than two decades, those milestones represent what community banking is meant to look like.
"We started him out in a relatively small spot," Craig says. "He's continued to grow over the years. Whenever they needed something, we’ve been able to find options that helped them out along the way."
Never Stop Improving
Today, customers know Country Meat Shop for award-winning bacon, hams, hot dogs, sausages, steaks, and dozens of other specialty products.
Some drive from Kansas City. Others come from St. Louis. During the holidays, customers have even traveled five-plus hours, coolers in tow, to stock up.
That kind of loyalty isn't something Mark takes for granted.
Behind the scenes, he continues looking for ways to improve the business. Whether investing in automated packaging equipment, refining production methods, or perfecting recipes that have evolved over decades, every decision comes back to the same objective: quality.
"I want customers to come back," he says, emphasizing the importance of not only quality but consistency.
That philosophy extends beyond the products themselves.
In 2016, the Reynolds family expanded the operation by doubling the size of the building. In 2022, the retail sales floor was moved to the new addition, creating the welcoming storefront customers see today. The retail space reflects the same attention to detail as the products inside—clean, inviting, and designed to make a memorable first impression.
Special care and attention went into renovating the shop’s storefront in 2022.
"Customers will buy something, and before they've even tried it, they'll say, 'I'll be back,'" he says. "That tells you you're doing something right."
Raising the Standard
Country Meat Shop's trophy case speaks for itself.
National championships. State championships. International gold medals. Hall of Fame recognition.
But perhaps the greatest compliment comes from Mark's peers.
Today, meat processors across the country invite him to teach classes on product development and processing techniques. Rather than guarding his knowledge, he willingly shares it.
"It gives you a good feeling," he says. "If I can help someone avoid the same problems or hard lessons that I went through, that's a good thing."
That willingness to elevate the industry earned Mark induction into the American Cured Meat Hall of Fame in 2025 and the Missouri Association of Meat Processors Hall of Fame in 2026. Meanwhile Country Meat Shop continues collecting national honors for products ranging from hams to bacon to hot dogs.
At the 2026 Missouri Association of Meat Processors Convention, Mark was inducted into the Hall of Fame and was honored with several awards for his products. Pictured left to right: Brooke Reynolds, Lara Reynolds, Mark Reynolds, Allen Carter, and Quincy Reynolds.
For Craig, watching that recognition unfold has been especially meaningful.
"I've watched them grow through the years," he says. "To see everybody else in the industry looking up to him—it is something really special."
The Hall of Fame and national awards are exciting milestones, but they aren't how Mark measures success. He measures it in repeat customers, familiar faces, and families who continue making Country Meat Shop part of their own traditions.
Built on Relationships
Ask Mark what has kept him with Regional Missouri Bank for more than two decades, and he doesn't start with loans or interest rates.
"If I ever needed anything, they were there," he says, adding the importance of walking into the bank and seeing familiar faces you can trust.
"They know who I am," he says. "It feels more like family."
It's a fitting parallel to the business he's built.
Just as Country Meat Shop has earned loyal customers by focusing on quality instead of shortcuts, Regional Missouri Bank has earned Mark's trust through a relationship that has lasted through every chapter of the business—from purchasing the original building to expanding the shop that's now become a destination for customers across Missouri.
Thinking about the next chapter for your business? Whether you're launching a new venture, expanding your operations, or investing in long-term growth, Regional Missouri Bank is here to help. Explore our business banking and lending solutions to see how a relationship-focused financial partner can support your goals