A family business thanks the industry for decades of help…
Cleveland’s Sausage Shoppe
In the Business of Survival
Owners Norm and Carol Heinle credit advice from industry
friends as key to their success. Much of that advice is captured in this report,
and now available to other small processors.
1,500,000 POUNDS! That’s the official estimate of how much
leberwurst The Sausage Shoppe in Cleveland, Ohio has sold since its inception
in 1938. And in 1938 leberwurst sold for only 35 cents a pound. Each March,
owners Norm and Carol Heinle celebrate the founding of The Sausage Shoppe with
anniversary sales, such as 61 cents per quarter pound on "Cleveland’s
Best" Fresh Kielbasi (plain or garlic), Slovenian Sausage (sugar free),
Award-winning Leberwurst, or the Italian Sausage.
All anniversary specials are "Made in the Back; Sold in
the Front."
To add more excitement they have special prices each business
day during March, such as a pound of Irish Potato Sausage for 61 cents to each
customer who purchases more than $10 in products. And every Wednesday of the
year, the Sausage Shoppe offers customers over 55 10-percent off on all
regular priced meat products.
Founded by Hans Kirchberger on March 3, 1938, as Kirchberger
Sausage, The Sausage Shoppe today continues to use traditional German recipes
Hans brought from Germany, to produce award-winning products.
Today, The Sausage Shoppe is noted for its aggressive,
creative marketing and a Web site, but none of that replaces the store’s
original emphasis on quality products.
Fresh beef and pork are combined with natural spices to give
each product its own distinctive taste. Sausage Shoppe products contain no
preservatives, additives, chemicals, nitrates, MSG, or filler. All the
homemade items are low in salt and fat.
And as Norm and Carol look back on decades of successful
operation as a specialty meat processor and retailer, they credit the original
emphasis on quality and the advice of many industry friends along the way.
Off to the Convention
"I learned sausage making from a German master sausage
maker," Norm says. "He never closed the business for a vacation, and
you were never sick! I worked 60 hours a week for 15 years."
In 1974, Norm and Carol started to buyout the Kirchbergers.
For advice, they called Erwin Buchman, an Ohio salesman who had sold a cooler
to the company when the original owners were building a new meat plant ten
years earlier. "He was an industry pioneer who saw tomorrow when most of
us could not see today," Norm remembers.
Norm says that Buckman spent his leisure time promoting the
industry and its future. When Norm called him for advice, two years into the
buyout, Buckman suggested the Heinle’s go to the American Association of
Meat Processors convention.
"With 4 young children in tow, we went off to see what
the future of the business would bring. For the next 20 years we closed the
store and we went to AAMP," Norm says.
Benefits? "Our customers began to expect new products
would be tested and presented after each convention."
"Mr. Buchman championed the idea that things would not
always be like they currently were," Norm recalls today. "Things
would change, and it was important to look at where the future was
going".
Buckman was also a believer in seeing the whole picture, so
he recommended the Heinle’s attend an American Meat Institute convention.
Norm explains that though he and Carol were not interested in growing the
Sausage Shoppe into a large business, they headed to AMI.
At AMI they learned valuable lessons just by seeing how other
size business in the industry were responding to changing customer needs.
"AMI was the industry--adults only, not a family
setting," Norm says. Nevertheless, every ten years he and Carol returned
to see the "big picture".
Simple Advice, Big Benefits
By the late 1970’s profits were steadily growing for The Sausage Shoppe.
Norm and Carol had a staff of 12 working 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. to keep up with the
increasing sales.
And back to AAMP the Heinle family went. Norm and Carol’s children made
friends they still have today. For their part, Norm and Carol made friends
with other processors, friendships that continue to this day.
Included in that group of friends were Iowa’s Ken Richman and Chuck Bogaard
and their wives. "They faced the same problems we Ohioans had. We are
still friends, and still in business, as we meet at AAMP functions".
Part of those meaningful friendships was sharing ideas. All of the sausage
making was done by hand. For 15 years, Norm learned under a Master Sausage
Maker. "He never shared a word to anyone about our secret recipes.
'NEVER PUT ANYTHING IN WRITING' was the motto", Norm says.
Then a workshop changed Norm’s thinking, and his future.
Merlyn Eichman, a processor from Seward Illinois shared during a workshop
about a problem in his meat shop and how he paid dearly for that problem.
Eichman told processors to document everything about each employee … when he
is late or skips work, write it down. Keep detailed notes.
Well, at The Sausage Shoppe, nothing was ever written down. In 41 years of
business… not one recipe was written down… not one note on an employee’s
performance… nothing.
"Carol and I went back to Cleveland and wrote. Thanks to
this man we still write everything down - 20 years later. Each employee has a
notebook and we have a notebook for each product we make. We detail when any
product is changed, what we change, and why we changed it".
And Norm is particular about changes. "In refining
products, change only one aspect at a time. If you change one ingredient, keep
the smoking time and temperature the same.
If you change the casing, keep the recipe the same. If you
change too many things at once, you will not be able to tell which change led
to a better product".
Trying Times
"The 80’s were trying times. Many leading Cleveland
meat companies - large and small - closed. The Ohio Association of Meat
Processors and AAMP helped us through the 80’s," Norm says.
The help came in many ways.
For instance, at an OAMP meeting, the Heinle’s old
confidant, Erwin Buckman, got them to attend three-day programs put on by The
Ohio State University Animal Science Department. "He told us, ‘You will
learn new things and meet new friends’. He was right again!"
Lessons learned from OAMP and AAMP helped the Heinle’s grow
their business to its present status. Today The Sausage Shoppe is a retail
exempt business in the city limits of Cleveland.
It has 2,000 square feet - 500 feet of sales area, 500 feet
of smoke and cook room and 1,000 feet of everything else. The business is in a
self-standing building, with a 10-car parking lot, in a residential
neighborhood.
Troublesome Market Trends
As the 1980’s drew to a close Norm and Carol picked up on
an alarming trend: meat was no longer the main part of a meal. AAMP-sponsored
workshops and seminars helped the Heinle’s stay profitable.
In one, Dr. Dale Huffman of Auburn University explained how
McDonald’s was responding with the McLean Deluxe. In another, Chef Koegler
of the Culinary Institute of America emphasized less salt in meat products. By
adding other spices, lean meat items could retain their flavor without adding
fat.
At one AAMP convention, ideas came from Belgium on how small
processors should rely on marketing and unique products.
At another AAMP convention, the Heinle’s learned from Dr.
Dean Henderson & Dr. Dennis Buege that survival of the 90’s would be in
diversification of existing, established recipes, not necessarily an all-new
recipe lineup.
Networking with other processors confirmed what Norm and
Carol suspected: meat consumption was down and nutrition was in. Phone calls
to other friends confirmed that this was a nationwide trend, not just a
Cleveland thing.
"The key to surviving the 90’s would be to keep the
recipes the same for the existing consumers while inventing new recipes for
the next generation," they concluded.
To learn more, Norm and Carol went on a whirlwind trip to
conventions, attending more than a dozen within a two year period during the
early 90’s. The Heinles were impressed by Dr. Joe Cordray, now of Iowa
State University, with his gospel of "VALUE ADDED" and the A.C. Legg
Spice Company (The Purvis Family) with their commitment to new spice recipes
for the 90’s.
"Meat was no longer a dirty word", Norm said about
the 90’s. Dr. Joe was preaching science & sanitation, but he and A.C.
Legg also were preaching that, "meat was ‘value-added’. Make your product
for the new generation; give them what they want".
Erwin Buckman’s words were ringing in Norm’s ears:
"The future is now. You need to adapt".
So Norm and Carol adapted. "Our customers enjoyed our
leberwurst ‘liver sausage’ but not the packaging - a natural hog
casing". Norm says, giving an example. "I learned that in Belgium,
liver sausage was packaged in a tub (a pâté.) We began to offer pâté, and
our product went on to win the blue ribbon for years in cured meat
shows."
At the 1996 AAMP convention in Louisville, Norm was impressed
with the message that European’s were doing more with less. "We took
our ideas back to Cleveland and started testing, and this testing continues
today.
Realizing the importance of listening to the consumer. Norm
samples products nearly every Saturday. Many suggestions from consumers have
led to new products.
"The children are the future. Sample your new products
with them in mind," he says. "Last year’s biggest sellers were
Maple Brats, Salsa Brats and Green Pepper and Onion Brats. These were all
suggested and sampled to customer’s children."
To keep consumers interested in its R & D, The Sausage
Shoppe often gives away samples of new products or holds contests for
consumers to name a new product.
Norm is an avid reader of Dr. Cordray’s columns. "We
read them and change our ways. He said to try making a product for one month.
So March has become our Potato sausage month.
"We went to our notebooks and found a 25-year-old
recipe. We market it as an original, only made in March for the Irish! We
start taking orders for it in February.
"So, as Dr. Joe said, we make it for a limited
time!"
Norm and Carol also credit Dr. Cordray for their smoked
Italian sausage. They got the recipe from one of his columns. "We are the
only one in Cleveland to make and market it. It is a summer grill item
only".
Other product ideas came, thanks to Dr. Ron Layton, who
invited the Heinle’s to Oklahoma, to participate in a three-day seminar that
included processors from Texas, Vermont, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania.
"Frank Witt and other industry leaders were present to share their
expertise with us, the ‘mom and pop processors’.
Remembering this seminar, Norm says that again, new friends
were made and he gained a respect for processing techniques of the West and
East. "These family people made terrific products we had never tasted
before: rattlesnake jerky, turkey drumsticks, and duck sausage were but a few
of the recipes shared."
Norm and Carol returned to Cleveland and started making
jerky. The Sausage Shoppe’s jerky went onto win the blue ribbon at the next
AAMP convention.
Putting Fun into Products
For the last six years The Sausage Shoppe has been recognized
as a leader in the Cleveland area in varieties of Bratwurst. The ethnic
diversity of the area led the Heinles to create many new recipes; each
meets the tastes of a different group.
Many of the brats are 95% lean pork and are sold fully cooked
and smoked. Consumers know they can count on The Sausage Shoppe for variety in
their summer-time meals.
The Ohio Pork Producers Council awarded The Sausage Shoppe
1,000 points -- a perfect score -- for their innovative all-pork entry: 12
Brats, 12 Buns, $12.00.
"It’s now five years later," Norm says, "and
we still offer this promotion each summer. The brats shorten cooking time, so
consumers can have a quick, yet nutritious meal.
This year The Sausage Shoppe plans to have 20 varieties of
Bratwurst available from April 1 to September 30. As this article is being
developed in mid-February, 18 of the 20 have been tested and approved for this
year.
The Sausage Shoppe also capitalizes on local events when
searching for new product ideas. The Cleveland Bicentennial led to a
bratwurst with apple-jack brandy, celebrating Cleveland’s past.
And since sports are a big part of Cleveland, the all-star
baseball and basketball games led the Heinle’s to develop an All-Star
bratwurst. "These were featured on local TV. We are currently working on
an 'Expansion Dawg' to commemorate the return of the Browns.
"And when the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opened, a
Sausage Shoppe Pâté in the shape of a guitar was featured at the opening
ceremonies."
As health concerns about red meat and sausage dictated
change, Norm tapped into hidden resources. Carol (who happens to be a nurse)
and Norm’s only brother (a doctor) were able to provide yet another view of
the consumer’s tendency to eat less meat in their diets.
After listening to their consumer concerns, Carol consulted
dietitian Marilyn Teeple and Nutritional Data Resources to gather additional
research on the role of meat in a healthy diet. With this information in hand,
Carol befriended Rita Bolton, the test kitchen cook at The (Cleveland)
Plain Dealer newspaper. The two frequently consult with each other about
new ideas.
"We have the support of our city," Norm explains.
"As you see on our Internet web page, www.sausageshoppe.com,
we are very fortunate to be a Cleveland business. Our mayor, radio and TV
stations and newspapers and magazines support us.
"As you visit our web page, you see how blessed we are.
It is totally constructed and maintained by Dink Inc., our youngest son,
Dennis who is a MIS University of Dayton 1999 graduate."
Recognition is also an important factor in the survival of
The Sausage Shoppe. Many ethnic writers have sought out The Sausage Shoppe to
include it in their recipe books or news articles. Recently, Cleveland
Magazine named all three varieties of The Sausage Shoppe’s Kielbasi as
the "Best in Cleveland". Norm adds: "In a city as ethnically
diverse as Cleveland, with so many mom and pop stores, we are indeed grateful
for this honor."
In the 1993 OAMP Cured Meats Contest, The Sausage Shoppe’s
fresh Kielbasi earned a blue ribbon.
The Heinle’s frequently enter products into competitions at
both the state and national level. Even when the product does not win, there
are lessons to be learned from the comments on the scorecards. Considering the
judges are known industry-wide, a few words can have a large impact.
"Our children are now four of The Sausage Shoppe’s
biggest critics," Norm explains. Our oldest son, Al, is a volunteer with
many youth organizations. He is able to offer insights into youth eating
habits and preferences.
Russ, our middle son, is currently an MBA student at the
Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western University. He is able to
observe the corporate community in Cleveland and pass on what other businesses
are doing."
"Renee, our daughter, gave us three years of her life.
She took our office with its pencil and replaced it with three computers! The
millennium will come, and we will embrace it because of Renee. She will soon
have an MBA from John Carroll University's Boler School of Business. She has
been valuable in documenting operations and lends her knowledge to The Sausage
Shoppe’s marketing strategies as we begin the fifth decade of this family
business."
Final Reflections
Norm Heinle says sausage making is important.
"The original owner knew it all and could do all in his
head. Now you must not only make it but market yourself and your
product."
"You must embrace the consumer and make what they will
eat."
"We are in the meat business but it does not stop there.
We are in business to survive. That’s why we belong to The Greater Cleveland
Growth Association, Ohio Grocers Association, Old Brooklyn Community
Association, NAWBO, and many other groups."
"Just as OAMP & AAMP have helped keep us in the meat
business, so these organizations have kept us in business."
Norm and Carol Heinle stress their gratitude to their
employees and the many, many people from the meat industry, media, customers
and family who have helped keep The Sausage Shoppe vital.
"Without them, we would cease to exist. It has been a
team effort by one and all. Thank you, one and all," Norm & Carol
say.
Reprinted from
Meat Business Magazine, February 1999 | 
