Sponsored by HyLife
HyLife is a name most people in southeastern Manitoba are familiar with, but haven’t had the privilege of enjoying HyLife premium pork… until now.
Kevin Geisheimer is Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications at HyLife Foods. He says more than 2500 people are employed by HyLife in Manitoba, and many living here in our region, and it’s the people that set HyLife products apart.
“We've got such good people on our team here throughout southeastern Manitoba,” explains Geisheimer. “And we are very passionate about pork. We're all in on pork. Since HyLife’s inception in 1994, it's been years of just continuously trying to improve, always striving to be better, and through that we've created strategic partnerships with people around the world.”
HyLife premium pork has been created exclusively for export to Japan, where the discerning culinary community has appreciated its richness, taste, and texture. Now HyLife is making this world-class product available here where it’s produced.
Earl Funk is the owner of Earl’s Meat Market, an independent butcher shop on Main Street in Steinbach. He says this new partnership with HyLife is especially important to him because at its core, it’s a local partnership.
“I’m a local guy, born and raised, my heart has always been for Steinbach,” shares Funk. “My heart has also been for the farmers in the area. That’s why I've always brought in local pork and beef. So this is just a natural progression, because HyLife is a company in our own backyard. Many of our neighbours work at HyLife – in the office, on the farm, in the feed mill, with logistics. We don't even realize just how many people we see every day who are employed by HyLife. Now we can help HyLife give back to our community by supplying the pork they raise locally.”
Geisheimer points out that HyLife demonstrates their commitment to the community through their various donations.
“Giving back to the community is a big piece of who HyLife is. And Earl is all about the community, so he’s a natural fit for this partnership.”
While HyLife pork has not been available for purchase in Manitoba until now, it has been tasted at some exclusive events produced by the company. Geisheimer says after people have tasted the HyLife product, they frequently ask where they can purchase it.
“When people have this exceptional eating experience at our events, they ask ‘where can I get that?’ Because it has really good colour. It has richness, taste, texture – it's firm, it's tender, you'll see marbling in our pork that you might not see in a lot of other pork. And up until now, we’ve always had to say ‘sorry, it’s not available here’,” shares Geisheimer. “But now you can get that experience by purchasing HyLife premium pork products at Earl’s Meat Market, and that’s very exciting.”
As a butcher, Funk agrees HyLife premium pork is exceptional.
“I know meat – that’s what I do,” says Funk. “When I look at HyLife pork and cut it and see that the marbling is perfect every time, there's a consistent quality there – that's why I can get behind this. They're an amazing company to work with. I'm just a small ma-and-pa meat shop and I see how much they're investing in me so that together we can make this great product available for us all here in the southeast, it’s just my pleasure to be part of making this connection in the community.”
Funk says he is excited to officially launch HyLife products at Earl’s Meat Market this weekend during Summer in the City, Steinbach’s downtown festival which occurs right outside his butcher shop doors.
“What better time for a launch than on a weekend when our community is getting together to celebrate?”
As part of the Manitoba launch, the HyLife food truck will be hitting the road to destinations throughout the province.
“Wherever we have employees, we’re trying to show up in those communities so they can have the same exceptional eating experience we provide to our customers every day in Japan. And now through the products sold at Earl’s,” expresses Geisheimer.
“We hope some of our HyLife employees come check out the HyLife food truck by Earl’s this weekend during Summer in the City,” invites Geisheimer. “As a community, we can be proud of the high-quality pork products we create that are sought after around the world because of the hard work that’s put in, right here in the southeast!”
Look for the HyLife food truck and Chef JP out and about at communities throughout Manitoba all summer long – starting with Summer in the City this weekend!