For University of Missouri students like Nick Van Schyndel, few experiences are more valuable to his future career than learning how to process meat. 

“I started working at the meat market my freshman year, and I kind of fell in love with it,” he said. “After I graduate, I want to go back to the family farm and hopefully be able to keep providing meat to people all over the community.” 

Van Schyndel, a junior studying agriculture, was among the Mizzou Meat Market staff who moved into a new facility in August. 

“This has been a wonderful opportunity for me to be able to come in and transfer over from the old facility to here,” he said. “We’re also now able to hire on more people and give them more hands-on experiences.” 

A meat lab made for more 

Formerly located in Eckles Hall on the Mizzou campus, the meat market moved down the street to the Michael L. Parson Meat Science Education and Training Laboratory at 1102 Ashland Rd. A gift from the Rosen Family Foundation to CAFNR was announced in April, renaming the student-run storefront as the “American Foods Group Meat Market at Mizzou.” 

The new market opened its doors to the public on Aug. 14 and is open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

“Our capacity in general is so much larger and we’re able to offer more,” said Teagan Schnurbusch, the assistant director of the new meat lab. “Our student employees can really encompass every aspect of the meat industry here.” 

From harvesting meat to learning how to market meat products, Schnurbusch said students in the meat science program will have even more educational opportunities in the new building. 

“It’s really neat to see them evolve with what we can offer at the meat market, but also through classes,” she said. “Incorporating more classes is really important to me as well.” 

Two new courses are set to open to students in spring 2027 in response to increased student interest in meat science. 

“Since we can’t hire every student here in our meat lab, it’s a way that they can still get that hands-on experience,” Schnurbusch said. “That class is also going to talk about pricing, why we cut things certain ways and how we can market ourselves.” 

The new facility also gives students the opportunity to develop their own meat products – an experience that wasn’t as simple in the previous space. 

“We now have the capabilities to easily make those products, and really, the sky’s the limit,” Schnurbusch said. “It’s no longer a theoretical conversation of, ‘This would be a really cool thing to make.’” 

Looking ahead, Schnurbusch plans  to launch two new, state-of-the-art research labs in the building and incorporate an internship program to get more students involved. 

“My whole goal is to yes, teach them about meat science, meat production and the meat industry, but also get them career ready – whether that’s building connections or learning the material to then go find a job,” Schnurbusch said. 

Serving customers, supporting students 

For Van Schyndel, being involved in the meat industry is more than just a job.  

“Being able to come back here and cut meat, it’s an art,” he said. “I also love working with the customers, being able to talk with each one and teach them about what they’re buying.” 

Customers not only receive personal guidance during their shopping experience at the Mizzou Meat Market, but they can also choose from a wide array of unique meat products. Among the fan favorites are the market’s variety of bratwurst flavors and Van Schyndel’s favorite: spicy tiger tails. 

“It’s a snack stick that we use our regular seasoning with, but we add cheddar and jalapeño flakes and they’re absolutely amazing,” he said. “Every single batch they just keep getting better and better and we just keep making modifications to the recipe.” 

When it comes to choosing to shop at the Mizzou Meat Market instead of a local grocery store, Van Schyndel believes community support is key to creating one-of-a-kind opportunities for students like himself. 

“You’re supporting the students,” he said. “Coming and buying meat here is telling the university that it has a good reason to keep letting us do this.”