Tip Top Packing Co.
East Texas's Original Smokehouse — Since 1947
Our Story
In 1947, Tyler Packing Co. opened its doors on East Erwin Street and almost immediately became a Tyler institution. The summer sausage, bacon, hams, chili, and hot links they made from scratch quickly earned a reputation that spread across East Texas. For decades they also ran a full slaughter floor, giving farmers and ranchers a reliable, local place to get their animals harvested and processed.
For 40 years that kill floor ran. Then it closed, and the business narrowed its focus to the smoked products people had loved for generations — the Cervelat, the Hot Links, the bacon. Products that found their way onto the shelves of every grocer and meat market in the Tyler area.
By 2020 the business was nearly gone. A new ownership group stepped in to save it, and in 2022 a fresh crew took over day-to-day operations — most with little industry experience, all with a lot of hard work and dedication. They went back to the company’s roots, reopened the doors to beef and pork processing, and fired up the old brick smokehouses again. In just four years, that team has grown the business by more than 600%, breathing new life into this East Texas legacy.
Tyler Packing Co. Founded
Opens on East Erwin Street. Summer sausage, hot links, bacon, and hams become locally famous almost immediately.
East Texas's Full-Service Facility
Operating a slaughter floor for 40 years, serving farmers and ranchers across the region alongside the famous smoked product line.
Smokehouse Focus
Kill floor closes. The business focuses on what it does best — smoking and selling to grocers across East Texas. The recipes never change.
Nearly Lost
Ownership changes. The business comes within inches of closing for good.
Matt Takes Over
Matt Klett steps in, builds an entirely new team, and begins the turnaround. The recipes stay exactly the same. The standards get higher.
Tip Top Packing Co.
Reborn as East Texas's only USDA-inspected smoking and custom processing facility within 100 miles. Serving ranchers, processors, meat markets, and wholesale accounts across the region and beyond.
Tip Top Packing Co. operates under USDA inspection, making us one of the only facilities in East Texas legally authorized to custom smoke and private label meat products for resale. This matters for every rancher, processor, and retailer we work with.
The Team
The entire staff started from scratch in 2022. A 24-year-old came in, hired a bunch of grown men, and together they set the highest standard of customer service, quality, and accountability. They are serious about their craft, and the customer service is unlike anything you’ll find at a comparable facility. That’s not an accident — it’s the standard set from day one.
We are not a big corporate processing plant. We are a 78-year-old East Texas institution run by people who answer the phone, know your name, and take pride in every pound that leaves this building. If something is wrong, we will fix it — even if we have to offer you the moon.
What We Actually Do
Most people find us through word of mouth and are surprised to learn what we're capable of. We are technically classified as a USDA smoking facility that also does full custom processing. That combination is rare — and within 100 miles of Tyler, it's exclusive to us.
We custom process beef, pork, lamb, and goat at $1.25/lb hanging weight. We smoke for ranchers, meat markets, and other processors who need USDA-inspected product. We private label under your brand. And we still make the same Cervelat and Hot Links that made this place famous in 1947 — available to qualifying meat markets and retailers.
Ready to Work Together?
Whether you need processing, custom smoking, private label, or want to carry our products — let's talk.