She went on to say, "All our products are made in-house, using our own special recipes, seasonings, formulations and natural hickory wood smoke.”
Steve’s Meat Market recently developed their award-winning cranberry snack sticks. Their Apple Cinnamon Bacon was created two years ago and their Blueberry Summer Sausage four years ago.
Lee said they have learned that you need to do more than "open the door." You have to work at producing a good product and by putting in the hours. She is also very pleased that Steve's has so many long-time, faithful employees.
Both Lee and Eaker are pleased with their newly renovated sign out front, which gives a fresh new look.
Steve's received seven awards last year at the same convention. All the plaques are displayed on the walls in their store located in downtown Ellendale.
Eaker and Lee, along with their 15 very dedicated employees, continue to offer a very wide variety of high-quality products. Their new look on their labels, "Steve's Smokey Acres," is displayed prominently on products in the retail area of the store. Their retail store features their own specially formulated fully-cooked and/or Hickory smoked sausages, and smoked meat products using beef, pork, and chicken.
They offer full service freshly cut beef and pork products, as well as a full line of frozens meats. Steve's also does custom processing of beef, pork, lamb and goat, and custom cures and smokes sausage products, venison sausage and meat and cheese trays. They carry over 65 varieties of gourmet cheese products, along with specialty private-labeled condiments, jams, preserves, mustards, spices and seasonings.
People come from all over the United States to purchase Steve's Smokey Acres products, including customers from Oklahoma, Texas, Massachusetts, and Kansas City, just to name a few.
Lee said one of their customers from Burnsville has been coming to Ellendale to purchase their products for over 20 years. Their smoked meat products are now available at the "U Bake Store" in Rochester, and their products are shipped to many faithful customers throughout the lower 48 states. They do private labeling for several companies throughout the Midwest and have been members of the American Association of Meat Processors since 1985, faithfully attending the annual conventions.
It was estimated that there were over 85 different meat processing plants from Minnesota represented at this year’s convention. Meat processors from North and South Dakota were also invited.
Although Steve Eaker passed away five years ago on April 1, he left his interest and compassion for producing high quality meat and sausage products, and the business, in good hands. Eaker and Lee are a good team, doing their best to carry on Steve's dedication to provide great new products for their valued customers.
