Rath Packing Company

In 1891, John W. Rath and E.F. Rath started the Rath Packing Company in Waterloo. When their packing plant in Dubuque burned down, they looked for another location. They wanted to be close to the farmers who were raising cattle and hogs for market. That way they wouldn’t have to pay as much to transport the animals to the packing plant. Waterloo was located in the center of the hog and cattle producing area of Iowa.

With just $25,000, the plant was built on the east side of the Cedar River in a newly developing industrial area of Waterloo.

At first the plant was small. It only needed to hire a few workers and contained just two ice houses and a smoke room.

As the company grew and prospered, it hired more people. Then it was able to produce more products.

Rath transported products by rail. The introduction of refrigerated rail cars provided a way for butter, dairy, and meat products from the Midwest to appear on dinner tables in eastern cities. Meat products from Waterloo could be sent to Ohio or Pennsylvania.