Grand Champion Meats’ Owner Kelly Gall Washa Earns ‘Master Meat Crafter’ Distinction

Grand Champion Meats’ owner and operator Kelly Gall Washa recently received the distinction of Master Meat Crafter.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Meat Science Extension and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection, offer a two-year training course focused on meat science and specialty meat product manufacture. This is the third graduating class of the Master Meat Crafter program. Through this specialized program, Kelly Gall Washa, along with 24 other individuals, earned the distinction of Master Meat Crafter.

Students of the program cover topics focused on general meat processing, fresh meats, curing meats, fermented and dried products, cooked and emulsified products, food safety and meat microbiology, and development and implementation of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP).

The program offers the opportunity to take several meat science courses and workshops as well as an exclusive mentorship program to share knowledge with employees and peers. Students, of the course, also conduct individual research projects based in their respective processing plants. The aims of the course included providing participants with an in-depth and comprehensive knowledge of meat science and meat processing principles, providing development opportunities for the growth and mobility of future meat industry leaders and innovators, and ensuring the strength, quality, and longevity of the United States meat industry.

The program was conducted by University of Wisconsin-Madison Associate Professor and Extension Meat Specialist Dr. Jeff Sindelar and was initially intended to improve the meat industry in Wisconsin. Graduates have the ability to improve their respective meat businesses, adding expertise to the mastery of meat crafting. Each graduate will be able to exhibit their expertise, knowledge, and qualifications by using a Master Meat Crafter logo to product labels, signage, and personal branding.

We are proud to announce that our owner and operator has earned this Distinction. Everyone at Grand Champion Meats is excited to see how Grand Champion will grow thanks to Kelly’s knowledge.

For more information on this program, visit the Master Meat Crafter Training Program.

Grand Champion Meats Maintain Champion Status

We are proud to share the news; for the second consecutive year, Grand Champion Meats
been announced as the recipients of the Grand Champion award! The award was given out at
the 75th Annual Minnesota Meat Processors Convention put on by the Minnesota Association of
Meat Processors (MAMP) that was held in St. Cloud March 13-14th. The MAMP is a network of
Minnesota companies with an interest in the meat industry. The MAMP network is “designed to
aid in new technology development, further education, and maintain viability of the meat industry as a whole."

Grand Champion Meats has won the Reserve Grand Champion 2015 award for Uncooked
Fresh Pork Sausage Item and for Cooked Summer Sausage. The 2015 Grand Champion award
was for our Wieners and Cooked Non-Fermented Summer Sausage.

Another proud award recipient is our very own Teri Jo Parker! Teri has captured the gold for the
second year in a row by placing 1st for the Innovative Pork award. This award is judged upon its
appearance, edibility/flavor, and creativity/marketability. Teri did excellent in all three areas and
we are delighted and take great pride in our employees like Teri.

Additionally, our Crosslake location is now open for the season and is ready to serve you! Stop
by for the same award winning flavors. While you’re at it, grab yourself some free samples!
Crosslake is currently open Thursday through Sunday, however, beginning May 11, 2015 the
store will be open seven days a week! So be ready to fire up the grills and let the smell of fresh
cooked beef fill the air!

For more information, visit our website at http://grandchampionmeats.com/.

Let us Process your Wild Game

With hunting season in full swing, there are certainly many deer to be processed.

And, if you bring your wild game to Grand Champion Meats, you’re guaranteed to leave with the best tasting meat around!

Grand Champion Meats has a wide range of meat processing services, and offers wild game processing year round. We’ll process your order as quickly as possible, but our first concern is to create high-quality meat. We will call you when your order is ready.

Our Crosslake location may be closed for the season, but our Grand Champion Meats-Foley location is still open for business year round! Looking to process your wild game? We are not able to accept whole deer and trim in Crosslake at this time. Just bring your game to our Grand Champion Meats-Foley location, and we will arrange for free delivery back to Crosslake once your order is finished. Follow this link to see all of our services and pricing: http://ow.ly/FePlM

Call us for more details: 320-968-7267

At the time of drop off you must leave your cutting instructions and notify us if you would like the antlers and/or hide. We keep the hide as part of the processing. If you would like your hide back, there’s an extra charge of $10.

Remember:

• All wild game must be tagged and registered. Trimmings must be clean and must have tag numbers.
• As always, we like to remind hunters to follow safe food handling practices with your meat. We will not accept any wild game carcasses or trim that appears to be mishandled or unsanitary. Do not use garbage bags.
• We reserve the right to dispose of any game that is spoiled – owner will be notified first.
• All your chops, steaks and roasts are cut boneless. All cuts are wrapped in paper.
• All sausages are made 1/2 wild game, 1/2 lean pork. Sticks, summer and bulk fresh sausage are 2/3 wild game, 1/3 lean pork. Prices include the pork added. If you would like beef added instead, the price increases $.50 per lb.
• All prices listed are charged on the weight of the wild game and added pork before smoking, not the finished weight.
• If you change your order after your initial order is put in, we do our best to see that the change gets made, but we do not guarantee it will happen.
• We are happy to make any special orders after Jan. 15th. Special orders require a minimum order of 25 lbs.

If you are the type of person that likes to do it yourself, we have everything you need to create the best tasting results including:

• Beef Trimmings
• Pork Trimmings
• Tallow
• Seasonings
• Hi-Temp Cheese
• Swiss
• Mozzarella
• Hot Pepper
• Bleu Cheese
• Cheddar
• Casings
• Wrapping paper, tape and tape dispensers
• Hamburger bags and food grade bags
• Knives, steels, hand-saws and saw blades
• FREE expert advice

Please keep in mind that we will be grinding, seasoning and mixing every Saturday from 8:00am till noon, beginning November 8th through January. Please call ahead to reserve a time and order the trimmings, seasonings, and/or supplies you will need.

Have you had your wild game processed at Grand Champion Meats before? Comment below about your experience!