Sailer’s keeps family business values through 100-year history

By Andrew Harrington
Posted 6/1/23

ELMWOOD – When driving through Elmwood, it is not difficult to notice a local meat market called Sailer’s.

After walking in, one can browse over 100 awards on the wall, but what may …

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Sailer’s keeps family business values through 100-year history

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ELMWOOD – When driving through Elmwood, it is not difficult to notice a local meat market called Sailer’s.

After walking in, one can browse over 100 awards on the wall, but what may catch the eye are some black and white pictures from long before the present day placed all over the room. Looking over at the west wall you can see four portraits underneath the words “Sailer’s since 1923.”

The fourth of these portraits is current leader Jake Sailer, a fifth-generation meat cutter, and the fourth generation to lead the business in Elmwood.

Through four owners and 100 years in business, Sailer is still keeping the family business values that have been around for a century.

“I like to come to work every day, I want my employees to be happy,” Sailer said. “I still think of us as a family business. I think of someone who needs to take care of their dog or they have no daycare, what are you gonna do right? It’s not like you chalk them up for points.”

Sailer disagrees with the mentality that you cannot be friends with your coworkers, saying he has become close with Justin Fugate, who has worked at Sailer’s for over 16 years. Fugate is not the only member of the staff he has become close with, as he takes pride in getting to know each employee.

Sailer’s began when Frank Sailer Sr. moved from Austria to Elmwood; he decided to start a business in Elmwood back in 1923 because the hills reminded him of home. The business was then passed to his son Frank Sailer Jr., who passed it to his son Ric Sailer, who worked alongside his son Jake Sailer before Jake fully took over around 2019.

There have been massive changes to Sailer’s since its opening at a small Main Street location, with some of the biggest changes coming since Ric and Jake took over.

Jake and his father Ric made the decision in 1995 to no longer carry groceries and focus on the production of meats. The production quickly outgrew the space of the building, and in 2006 the two decided to build a new facility, which is the main facility today.

When the two moved into the building, there were seven employees, and five of them were in the Sailer family. Now, about 35-40 employees work at Sailer’s.

The expansion of Sailer’s did not stop there as Jake said another facility is nearly up and running, with a heavy focus on the production aspect. The building, which Sailer is calling “Sailer’s 3.0,” will allow the business to produce for some major businesses with which they have future deals. Sailer’s 3.0, located in the former Stockman Farm Supply building at 454 Highway 128, will be a revamped and renovated version of a building that was already in place.

Sailer quickly put to rest the concerns that Sailer’s 3.0 could be the first step to Sailer’s leaving Elmwood.

“I do not believe that’d ever be the case. I believe that our slaughter and our retail will stay here,” Sailer said. “What we are doing at 3.0 is going to be expansion of Sailer’s.”

With Sailer’s now producing a rough estimate of 175 products, some of the top products include ring bologna, bacon and the Sailer’s sizzler. The Sailer’s sizzler, a marinated muscle from a cow which Sailer said is extremely tender, is one that he particularly likes due to his involvement in the creation.

“It’s something that I developed the flavor profile, and I love it,” Sailer said. “There’s a lot of people that love it.”

Part of the reason Sailer values the achievement is because he knows how many small businesses in the meat industry have lasted 100 years.

“I am one of four that I know of,” Sailer said. “And I know a lot of people.”

The local business will be holding an anniversary celebration on Oct. 5, and Sailer is already planning for the big day. He said the last time Sailer’s held a big celebration such as this was the 75th anniversary back at the original location.

“We waited fricking 25 more years to do it,” Sailer said. “It’s going to be a big day.”

While Sailer’s has won a plethora of awards for their selections of meats, Sailer has some individual accomplishments of his own. He is president of the Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors, and completed the Master Meat Crafter course in 2012. He also got a pilot’s license and has logged around 700 total hours.

Sailer said he is often asked what his grandpa would think of what Sailer’s has turned into. Sailer does not know if he would approve, but he is proud of how far the small business has come.

“He’s probably shaking his head, cause he probably thinks I’m crazy,” Sailer. “It’s just kind of surreal, right? It’s amazing.”

Sailer said operating a family business is not an easy task, with long hours and short nights. The piece of advice he gave was to take satisfaction in supporting the family and the employees.

“A lot of hard work, but the reason I get up every morning is because of my family, because of the heritage and my employees,” Sailer said. “Went to bed at eight o’clock last night, been up since two.”

Sailer’s is located at 600 W. Winter Ave. in Elmwood. To browse their products, visit www.sailersmeats.com

Sailer's Food Market & Meat Processing, 100th anniversary, Elmwood, Wisconsin