Producer: North Country Smokehouse
Location: Claremont, NH
Found at the Littleton Co-op: bacon, ham, kielbasa, sausage
Website: www.ncsmokehouse.com
Just as the city itself is said to be a key ingredient in New York City’s famous bagels, North Country Smokehouse attributes the same importance and product differentiation to its hometown of Claremont, NH. In 1912, Abraham Satzow emigrated from Russia to Claremont, NH, where he established a butcher shop to cut meat from local farms. Years later, the butcher shop was taken over by Abraham’s grandson, Mike Satzow, who added meat smoking to the family business’s repertoire, and then developed it into the nationally recognized brand North Country Smokehouse. He sought out chefs and specialty foodservice accounts that would appreciate his high product standards; the same standards that would eventually lead to USDA Organic, Certified Humane Raised and Handled®, and Global Animal Partnership certifications once the language was developed. When Satzow prepared for retirement and to become a subsidiary of his longtime pork supplier, he wanted to make sure the heart of the business stayed in Claremont, even if he wasn’t at the head. Not only was he concerned about his product – he maintained a belief that the air and water in Claremont were integral parts of his recipes – but about the community. Thus, it was written into the acquisition agreement that the business had to remain in Claremont, New Hampshire.
That community support continues strong. North Country Smokehouse sources ingredients like maple syrup, beer, and cheese from NH and VT businesses. When their partner farms need to close to convert to organic standards, North Country Smokehouse subsidizes farmers during the transition with fair market prices. And when the local school district suddenly lost funding for its Culinary Arts Program, North Country Smokehouse stepped in to fund it through the year. As CEO Aaron Corbett said: “”These aren’t just students – they’re the children of our coworkers, neighbors, and friends.”
Status of product availability at the Littleton Co-op, and labeling of producers (such as local, Black-Owned Business, NH-made, etc) and product status or ingredients (gluten-free, vegan, etc) is based on available information at time of publication. The food world is an ever-changing landscape and information presented here may not reflect the most up-to-date information available.
