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We can help. 204-786-1616 Manitoba Schizophrenia Society www.mss.mb.ca By Wendy King For the Winnipeg Free Press Pioneer Meat has been keeping it in the family for almost 50 years. That's how long ago the Penner patriarch, Bernie, began selling farmers sausage door-to-door in Altona. I n 1968, my dad recognized a need for local meat processing," says president Scott Pen- ner, who grew up in the business and runs the company along with his brother Steve Penner and his brother-in-law Ron Friesen. "He would make the sausage in the morning and deliver it — fresh, warm sausage — door- to-door in the afternoon ... and really, if you could get fresh farmers sausage right out of the smokehouse, how could you decline?" The success of the business was built on two key principles; a simple, tasty recipe and a commitment to sell only freshly made product. That means using local suppliers and maintaining a three-day turnaround from sale to processing to grocery fridge. "It's a traditional recipe, but it's not simply a matter of just mixing the ingredients and stuffing it into a casing, it's a matter of the process," says Penner. "The pork we use is considered a premium pork with a natural bright red colour and a healthy lean-to-fat ratio that really imparts a different texture to the product." The tipping point for Pioneer came when Jim Penner (no relation), founder of the Penner Foods chain of grocery stores, became a believer in the product. "He created a sales schedule that saw us greatly increase our production, so whenever Jim would open a new store, Pioneer would be on sale, too," says Penner. "He did his best to put us on sale, and we did our best to keep him stocked." Once the sausage hit the grocery stores, it gained a following. "What keeps me excited about Pioneer are the customers and the fans of Pioneer," says Penner. "We hear from them often, letting us know how excited their friends were when they were served Pioneer for supper or during a recent visit, how someone's family is always sure they pack an extra suitcase so they can take Pioneer home." That enthusiastic response from their customers inspired the company to roll out Smokin' Haut, Pioneer Meat's own travelling food truck. "We often thought that we needed a summer events team, somebody to get out to the festivals and increase buzz, so it just grew from there — and we get to serve Mennonite foods in some fun and creative ways!" The company came up with a winning dish, a fusion that could have only come out of Manitoba. "One of the most popular items is Mennonite Poutine. That's fries and cheese with crumbled sausage and a white gravy called schmaundt fat — it's really fantastic." He says the people who love the company really love the company and they don't kid around. "We've been asked to cater several weddings and we've been brought in for company picnics and banquets, so I think that we're just at the beginning of this thing. "People can book through the website, but they should hurry since the summers fill up quickly." Pioneer has a select number of items in its product line, including the very popular "crackles," a crunchy snack food made from pork rinds. "Crackles seem to fly off the shelves and I guess it is definitely a favourite Mennonite food for so many," he says. "There is only one way to make these great crackles and that's to use similar techniques to our ancestors by boiling down this adipose (fat) tissue, it's just a matter of the proteins being broken down from the fat. "They're addictive, like bacon." Responsiveness to customers comes from an already strong sense of belonging in the community. "Our community has grown beyond Altona," says Penner. "We donate every year to several different causes and charities like children's camps and other organizations that we believe make a difference. "We feel that if our donations can make a difference then we want to be part of that." With just over 20 staff members, Pioneer has always been a family business and company events reflect that. "Our employees have great families and it's always a neat thing to get together with all of them, whether it's a summer picnic or a Christmas banquet," he says. All staff are trained with the company's core values to ensure that customers receive a consistent product every time. "Across Manitoba we are lucky to have solid retail partners such as Sobeys, Marketplace, IGA, Co-op Stores, Stafford Price Chopper, Family Fares, Food Fare, Denny's, Cantor's, and many other fine locations," says Penner. And there is more to come. "In two short years, we'll be celebrating our 50th anniversary, so we'll be looking to come up with some creative ways to celebrate with our fans and our customers." Visit Pioneer Foods online at pioneermeat.ca. You can find the food truck at smokinhaut.ca " Pioneer Meat's Steve Penner (left) and Scott Penner carry on the traditions their father began almost 50 years ago. Photo by Darcy Finley RECIPE SUCCESS for AT 48, PIONEER MEAT IS STILL SMOKIN' HOT THE SUCCESS OF THE BUSINESS WAS BUILT ON TWO KEY PRINCIPLES; A SIMPLE, TASTY RECIPE AND A COMMITMENT TO SELL ONLY FRESHLY MADE PRODUCT. THAT MEANS USING LOCAL SUPPLIERS AND MAINTAINING A THREE-DAY TURNAROUND FROM SALE TO PROCESSING TO GROCERY FRIDGE.