Company
History
In 1915, At the
Height of the Copper Boom, German immigrant Richard
Vollwerth started a business in the Keweenaw Peninsula, and was determined
to make a name for himself. More than 80 years later, copper is history-but the
Vollwerth name is known throughout the Upper Peninsula, and beyond.
For more than eight decades, Vollwerth & Co. of Hancock has been preparing
delectable ring bolognas that now hold a place of honor among other Upper
Peninsula epicurean luminaries such as pasties, prune tarts, nisu and saffron
buns.
So how does a product as humble as a hot dog become a legend? In the case of
Vollwerth's, the secret rests in the lack of secret ingredients: Vollwerth's
products simply contain quality cuts of pork and beef, mixed with spices. No
animal by-products or less-than-choice cuts. Basically, the same recipes used by
the company's founder are the basis of today's products.
Another explanation of the popularity of Vollwerth's meats is the company's
smoking process. While most sausage manufacturers use chemicals or artificial
smoke to try to copy the smoke taste, Vollwerth's slowly smokes it bologna over
fire pits in its brick-lined smokehouses.
It's the same method the company has used since 1915.
Vollwerth's Hancock plant is the only full-line processing plant left in the
Upper Peninsula, and its approximately 35 employees annually produce two million
pounds of meat products. In all, the company makes about 40 different beef and
pork products. It's venison sausage is especially well liked among Keweenaw's
hunters, who annually bring in about 10,000 pounds of deer meat for custom
processing.
Cleanliness and quality control receive high-priority at Vollwerth's
manufacturing facility, and a USDA meat inspector is on-site full time.
Vollwerth's is always well within the government's guidelines for fat and water
content.
Delicious Vollwerth sausage delights everyone-especially those who appreciate
quality. Whatever the occasion, Vollwerth's is the right choice.
Click
here to view more pictures of the history of Vollwerth's
