In 1908 H.K. Eames of Chico, CA operated the Chico Ice & Cold Storage Co. and offered farmers the facilities of his plant for storing their fresh meat. In 1917 Mr. Eames added another room with a chopping block and set of butcher’s tools, but the farmer had to do his own cutting, wrapping and placing of meats in the locker.

In 1912 Clarence Birdseye started a five years journey around the Labrador waters in which he traveled by dog sled and collecting furs for sale. During this period, Birdseye noted that duck and caribou frozen in the extreme cold of midwinter were better than those frozen in the spring or fall. He noticed how easily food was preserved in the arctic climate. He watched the Eskimos’ rudimentary quick-freeze methods, a process by which items are frozen at such a speed that only small ice crystals are able to form, and noted that quickly frozen fish retained flavor and texture better than fish frozen slowly.

He entered the wholesale fish business in 1922 and experimented with the process of quick freezing food that he had learned while in Labrador. In 1923, with an investment of $7 for an electric fan, buckets of brine, and cakes of ice, Birdseye invented and later perfected a system of packing fresh food into waxed cardboard boxes and flash-freezing them under high pressure. In 1926, Birdseye had developed a quick-freeze double-belt machine weighing 20 tons. It was later transformed into a more transportable multiple-plate freezer, which was to become widely used in the frozen food industry.

Clarence Birdseye became known as the father of frozen food and was a man of extraordinary vision, insatiable curiosity, and enormous persistence. Birdseye made two major contributions to the concept of freezing food-the importance of freezing food so rapidly that there would be no damage to its cellular structure (affecting taste, texture, and appearance) and freezing food in a package that could be sold directly to the consumer.

Grocery stores became interested and provided small bins made of wooden frames and chicken wire. The grocery stores rented freezer storage for their patrons. In 1928, the first establishment was built for the primary purpose of renting frozen food lockers in Parsons, Kansas.In 1934, Rex Coal & Ice Co. (Creston, IA) was the first locker to offer processing services and storage.

In the mid 1930’s builders of locker plants and locker plant equipment organized the Frozen Food Locker Manufacturers. By the late 1930’s the Frozen Food Locker Manufacturers was eventually known as Frozen Food Locker Institute (FFLI) – Supplier Group.In 1937 Iowa organized the first state association of locker plant operators and other states soon followed. In 1939 leaders of a number of state locker associations met in Des Moines, Iowa. They organized the National Frozen Food Locker Association (NFFLA) – Operator Group.

This was a model cold storage locker exhibit plant
on the Iowa State Fair Grounds held in Des Moines, IA (1939).

Cold storage locker establishments were forced to diversify their business to stay in business. Cold storage locker establishments offered more services to their customers. Chilling and aging carcasses under controlled temperature maintained the quality of the meat as well as decreased spoilage that might occur under less than ideal conditions, Meat cutting services insured uniform thickness any way the customer requested. Wrapping services and fast freezing technology helped maintain the quality of the finished product. Curing and smoking services were also offered under controlled temperatures and sanitary conditions and performed by experts in the meat industry.

On December 7-9, 1939, the first Annual Convention of the National Frozen Food Locker Association was held in Des Moines, IA. Topics discussed at the convention included plastic packaging materials (i.e. Cry-O-Vac bags), meat cutting procedures, and the economic effects of locker services.A trade show was also held in conjunction with the convention. Exhibitors displayed locker storage equipment, refrigeration equipment, packaging materials, and meat processing equipment.

Officers were elected at the first National Convention of the National Frozen Food Locker Association. From left to right: Roy G. Meyers, president, Falls City, Nebraska; Albert Guggedahl, secretary, Des Moines, Iowa; Frank C. Smith, treasurer, Ames, IA. Other officers elected at that time and not appearing in the picture were: Robert B. Snowden, Jr., first vice president, Memphis Tennessee; H.A. Dudley, second vice president, Tacoma, Washington; Max DeFouw, third vice president, Oregon, Illinois.

In 1942 the national membership totaled over 3500 members. In 1944 a verbal agreement was entered into between the suppliers (Frozen Food Locker Institute) and the locker operators (National Frozen Food Locker Association) to jointly sponsor the annual convention and exhibition in 1947. In 1947, Al Guggedahl (Executive Director of the National Frozen Food Locker Association) resigned for health reasons. Keith Bauder, a prominent and successful locker operator from Fort Plain, New York, accepted the appointment as the National’s new Executive Secretary for $1 per year with the understanding that the headquarters would eventually be moved from Des Moines, Iowa to Chicago, Illinois and that George Schiemer would head up the office staff. The National Frozen Food Locker Association headquarters moved to Fort Plain, New York. Meat processing clinics were held in conjunction with the 8th Annual Convention (1947). The sessions consisted of meat fabrication demonstrations, poultry processing demonstrations, slaughtering demonstrations, and curing demonstrations.

In 1948 the National Frozen Food Locker Association headquarters moved to Chicago, Illinois.

In 1949 two separate conventions were held in Chicago, Illinois. The National Frozen Food Locker Association met in September, and S.T. Warrington was hired as full-time Executive Secretary for the association. The Frozen Food Locker Institute met in October where Albert Todoroff was named the Executive Secretary of the Association.

The first annual Ham Show was held in conjunction with the 10th Annual Convention of the National Frozen Food Locker Association. 65 hams were entered and judged in four classes. The Annual Ham Show continued until 1953. In 1950 the National Frozen Food Locker Association and the Frozen Food Locker Institute agreed to jointly sponsor the national convention in October at the Palmer House in Chicago, Illinois. At the 1950 convention a negotiating committee was activated consisting of four member from each group to bring about a resolution of the conflict between the two groups.

Large banquets were traditionally held at the annual conventions. This was the 10th annual banquet
at the National Frozen Food Locker Association convention held at Stevenson Hotel, Chicago, Illinois.

The result… the two associations merged to become the National Frozen Food Locker Institute (NFFLI). The news of this merger was announced at the convention and released in the publication “Locker Management and Locker Operator.” On January 1, 1951 the Board of Directors of the National Frozen Food Locker Institute hired Robert L. Madeira as the new Executive Secretary.

The NFFLI headquarters moved from Chicago, IL to Elizabethtown, PA. Although the welcome mat was always out, only a few operators had the opportunity to drop in at the 113 North Market Street headquarters. The Institute staff consisted of four full-time employees, including Bob Madeira.

At the 15th Annual Convention (September 19-22, 1954) the Annual Ham Show changed its name to the National Ham Show. The National Ham Show continued until 1965.

In 1955 the NFFLI changed its name to the National Institute of Locker & Freezer Provisioners (NILFP). The name change was more representative to the work performed by the operators. In 1956 the NILFP moved to a new location at 224 East High Street in Elizabethtown, PA. At the 27th Annual Convention (August 7-10, 1966) the National Ham Show changed its name to the National Ham & Bacon Show. The National Ham & Bacon Show continued until 1968.

At the 29th Annual Convention (August 11-14, 1968) the National Ham & Bacon Show changed its name to the National Ham, Bacon & Sausage Show. The name change represented the variety of products produced by its membership. The National Ham, Bacon & Sausage Show continued until 1975. At the 34th Annual Convention (August 12-15, 1973) the membership unanimously voted to change the official name to the American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP) and adopt a new logo.

In 1974 Stephen F. Krut was hired as Director of Public Relations for AAMP.

At the 37th Annual Convention (August 1-4, 1976) the National Ham & Bacon Show changed its name to the American Cured Meat Championships. This name change increased the variety of products that could be entered and judged. The competition is still to this day referred to as the American Cured Meat Championships.

In 1981 Robert Madeira stepped down as Executive Director, and Stephen Krut was appointed as the new Executive Director of AAMP. Robert Madeira was appointed as Executive Director Emeritus, and he retired from the Association on January 1, 1986.

In the Spring of 1986 the AAMP headquarters was remodeled on 224 East High Street in Elizabethtown, PA. On November 3, 1989 ground was officially broken for the new home of the American Association of Meat Processors. The building project was considered, developed and approved by AAMP’s Long Range Planning Committee, Building and Executive Committees and the Association’s Board of Directors. The new building was developed on a 5.26 acre site in an undeveloped area of Elizabethtown. The extra acreage was purchased for future development. The ground floor is about 10,000 square feet and the lower level was developed to lease to outside tenants to help AAMP pay the mortgage and to leave room for expansion of AAMP if needed.

The development of the new AAMP building continued throughout the winter and was formally dedicated on October 28, 1990. Donations were acquired throughout the development process to subsidize a majority of the costs. The mortgage was paid off January 9, 2001. In the year 2000, the first ever meat industry scholarship was awarded. AAMP received over $45,000 in cash and pledges.

In 2003, Jay Wenther was hired as Director of Science and Technology, and he was promoted to Assistant Executive Director in 2004. In 2006, Steve F. Krut stepped down after over 32 years with the association. Jay Wenther assumed the role of AAMP Executive Director. In 2011, AAMP develops 10 new HACCP plans as a member resource and benefit.

Jay Wenther stepped down for another position in the meat industry in 2013. The Association hired Chris Young as Outreach Specialist and Marty Manion as Executive Directly later that year. At the 76th Annual Convention, June 18-20, 2015, in Springfield, IL, the membership voted to change the association’s logo. The new logo launched on September 1, 2015. AAMP had not had a new logo in 46 years.

In November 2015, Marty Manion steps down for another association position in Naples, Florida. Chris Young was appointed AAMP Executive Director.

Chris Young, AAMP Executive Director

AAMP continues its mission of serving the needs of the small meat and poultry processors -- with a membership that has become worldwide. We produce webinars to keep our members up to date with the latest regulations and trends in the meat industry. We are active on social media to inform our members. Our annual convention remains one of the must-attend events in the meat industry. Its trade show, education sessions and networking opportunities make it an invaluable experience for any attendee. In 2025, we have updated the ACMC logo and introduced a new, mobile-friendly website. If you are not an AAMP member and are a small or mid-sized meat and poultry processor, industry supplier or allied professional, join us today!