Children should be able to enjoy the fun of a hotdog at the ball game.
Adults with Celiac disease and other similar problems should not have to miss life’s food pleasures.
Here’s a story told to me by Kevin Stemmler…
When he was a boy, family and friends in Kevin’s community gathered at the local baseball diamond to enjoy one another’s company and to play and watch baseball. When the summer weather was hot the ball park was the place to be for fun with friends.
While a few decades have passed, Kevin still vividly recalls one experience he had at the ball park when he was a teenager. Kevin and his buddies were watching younger boys, about 10 years old, playing a game. When the game was done the younger boys came to the concession booth. All the boys were ordering hotdogs and drinks. Then Kevin heard one mother tell her young son he could not have a hotdog because it would make him sick.
Kevin imagined how bad it must have felt to not be able to have a hotdog with your friends.
Kevin felt bad for the young boy because he knew the young boy was missing an experience that was a big part of childhood and growing up: bonding with buddies, having fun and gatherings, and sharing fun food like hotdogs. Kevin knew the boy would stand out from his buddies. Kevin felt it was important for children to fit in and since the boy was not able to eat the hotdog he was not fitting in with his baseball mates.
For Kevin, the experience was poignant and filled with emotion.
A few years later, just after his teenage years had passed, Kevin joined his family’s business. His memory of the young boy’s hotdog allergy remained vivid. Children with special food needs had become a motivation for change. Kevin was thinking, “Children should not have to deal with these food challenges. Children should be able to enjoy their childhood years”.
Children should be able to enjoy the fun of a hotdog at the ball game, with their buddies!
That is one of Kevin Stemmler’s inspiring stories. [For another inspiring story please check the comments linked to this family business blog-story.]
When Kevin decided to join his mother and father and work at the family business, Stemmler Meats & Cheese, he was inspired by this thought, “We can develop specialty foods and we can make children’s lives easier and more fun”.
The Stemmlers - from left to right - Kevin, Shawn, Mom [Maryann], Terry, & Dad [Gerry]
Proudly holding their Junior Achievement Retailer of the Year Award
Kevin’s vivid teenage memory is one of the seeds behind the passion that thrives at Stemmler’s today: a passion for creating healthy things that taste good….healthy things with in-your-face flavours.
I wondered how Kevin came to have such empathy for others. As Kevin talked, it became clear his father Gerard (Gerry) Stemmler provided Kevin and his brothers Shawn and Terry a role model with solid character: “My father enjoys people and personal relationships.” “We are workaholics, passionate, with devotion and drive to succeed…and doing it with humour.” “My father set the base.”
And Mom was a solid role model too, injecting strong work ethic into the family business. Maryann Stemmler, the boys’ Mom, especially enjoys the produce and baking areas of the business. As Dad works at cutting the meat Mom visits the produce auction to make sure Stemmler’s has a great supply of quality locally-produced foods.
As an aside: when we first talked Kevin explained his Dad [Gerry] is now retired. That means Gerry now works 3 hours in the morning, has a break for 3 hours or so, then returns to work for another 3 hours. And Mom [Maryann] is working right along with her sons and Gerry. Clearly, Mom and Dad still enjoy the work and the relationships with all the good people at the store and all the people who do other jobs that make the store possible. And of course they enjoy the long-term relationships with their clients’ families.
Stemmler’s is proud to be serving generations of clients.
This local family business has been recognized by peers and by community. The following is just a sampling of the recognition received by these proud people at this Heidelberg-based company:
- 2nd recipient of the Small Meat Manufacturing Award from the Ontario Independent Meat Processors Association
- Small Business of the Year award from the Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce
- Junior Achievement retailer of the Year [see picture above]
And, how do the Stemmlers react when they receive these awards? They are honestly surprised, they feel honoured, and they display them with pride in their lobby.
Over the last 25 years, the Stemmler’s store has grown and taken on a fresh new appearance.
Here’s a picture of the original Stemmler Meats & Cheese store at Heidelberg:
Here’s a picture of the new Stemmler Meats & Cheese store at Heidelberg:
And here’s the inside of the new Stemmler’s store:
The Stemmler family has built on the strong base set by the father and mother 25 years ago.
Stemmler’s is the place to go for specialty meats and cheeses and other foods.
When major health organizations such as McMaster University Hospital started to recommend Stemmler’s products to people with special dietary needs, the Stemmlers received the good news as confirmation they were helping people and they were doing things right.
The Stemmlers are excited about serving a specialty niche…they like the challenge of building a reputation for doing the tough things, creating specialty products. They want to always be able to provide the personal touch. They see an advantage in remaining small enough to focus on what they do best. And, they can tackle new product challenges quickly. Their approach is: “Let’s hash it out and let’s go!”
Kevin and the Stemmler family are also passionate about supporting our local farmers. Kevin cites two very good reasons: the local food is more tasty and the value we create when we build community through supporting one another is of benefit to all.
If all of that hasn’t tempted you to visit the Stemmler family in Heidelberg…here’s a picture of some of Stemmler’s specialty products:
To the Stemmler Family:
Congratulations for setting such a fine example for people who work in or are considering working in a family business.