|
Founded in Springfield in 1949 by Joe Turasky Sr. and his uncle, Tony Yakst, Turasky Meats started off as a neighborhood slaughterhouse and over time became an expansive meat processing business with mouth-watering, ready-to-eat products. The company was passed on to Joe Turasky Jr., and is now under the leadership of his son, Brad, who is the third generation from the Turasky family to run the business. Turasky Meats day-to-day operations is run by Kris Sterbinsky, who has over 20 years of meat production expertise and has been with the company for 12 years. Turasky Meats sells hams, steaks, bacon, prime ribs, roasts, beef sticks, and much more! They also co-pack snack sticks for other companies. They received Gold in the IFFA meat competition, a leading, international trade show, for their snack sticks, jerky, and ham, and they have won numerous grand champion awards for a variety of their products. Don’t make the “misteak” of missing out on their meats!
|
Joe Turasky, Owner
Brad Turasky, Owner
Kris Sterbinsky, Plant Manager
|
YT PACKING OR TURASKY MEATS? Both! The parent company, "YT Packing," was established by our founders, Tony Yakst and Joe Turasky Sr.. "Turasky Meats" was launched when YT decided that retail was a better way to market. We still go by both names, but if you want to find our products at grocery stores or our Facebook page, "Turasky Meats" is the way to go!
2022 ILLINOIS STATE FAIR MEAT PROCESSORS COMPETITION
Kris Sterbinsky (plant manager) and his daughter, Morgan, accepting the award at the Governor's Sale of Champions.
In August of 2022, Turasky Meats accepted the Grand Champion Snack Stick award at the Illinois State Fair Meat Processors Competition. During the Governor's Sale of Champions Commodities Auction, our snack sticks were sold to the University of Illinois College of ACES for $850! Proceeds from the auction at the Sale of Champions are invested into tomorrow's agricultural leaders. Congratulations to everyone at Turasky Meats for a job well done and to the other winners at the Commodities Auction!
2022 Illinois Association of Meat Processors
|
Recent Awards...
2024 Illinois & Indiana (IAMP/IMPPA) Reserve Grand Champion Summer Sausage 2024 Illinois & Indiana (IAMP/IMPPA) Reserve Champion Traditional Snack Stick 2024 Illinois & Indiana (IAMP/IMPPA) Champion Venison Summer Sausage 2023 Illinois State Fair Grand Champion Snack Sticks 2023 Illinois State Fair Grand Champion Bratwurst 2023 Illinois (IAMP) Grand Champion Flavored Snack Sticks 2023 Illinois (IAMP) Grand Champion Hot Dogs 2023 Illinois (IAMP) Grand Champion Summer Sausage 2023 Illinois (IAMP) Reserve Champion Traditional Snack Stick 2023 Illinois (IAMP) Reserve Champion Smoked Turkey -2022 Illinois State Fair Grand Champion Snack Sticks -2022 IAMP Awards: Champion Flavored Fresh Bratwurst (Apple Bratwurst), Reserve Grand Champion Fresh Sausage (Kielbasa Rope Sausage), Traditional Snack Sticks (Original Beef Snack Stick), Exotic Summer Sausage (Deer Summer Sausage with Cheddar Cheese) -2021 Illinois State Fair Grand Champion Snack Stick -2019 Illinois State Fair Grand Champion Jerky -2019 AAMP Competition 6 Gold medals, 2 Silver, and 1 Bronze medal for jerky and snack sticks -2019 IFFA Trade Show Gold Medals for: Snack Sticks, BBQ Snack Sticks, Jerky, Specialty Flavored Jerky, Boneless Smoked Ham, Bone in Smoked Ham; Silver Medal for Summer Sausage, and 2 Bronze Medals for Bratwurst and Boneless Hams -2018 Illinois State Fair Grand Champion Snack Sticks & Jerky -2018 IAMP Awards: Grand Champion Summer Sausage, Jerky, Traditional Snack Sticks & Reserve Grand Champion Bone-In Ham and Variety Class Uncured -2017 IAMP Awards: Grand Champion Fresh Sausage & Flavored Snack Sticks, Reserve Grand Champion Traditional Snack Sticks, Cooked & Smoked Whole Muscle Poultry Product, and Exotic Summer Sausage, and Champion Jerky, Exotic Jerky & Snack Sticks, and Cooked Whole Muscle Beef Product -2016 American Cured Meats Championship Grand Champion Snack Stick |
Meat marketing since 1949By Alice Armstrong
If you are a carnivore and a locavore - meat-eater who prefers to consume locally processed food whenever possible - you will want to make sure Turasky Meats tops your list of favorite shopping venues. The independently owned retailer and wholesaler specializes in providing local restaurants, grocers and individuals with the highest quality meat products available.
The retail arm of the wholesale business Y-T Packing, Turasky Meats is located at 1129 Taintor Road, across from the Illinois State fairgrounds.
Founded in 1949 by Joe Turasky Sr., the company began as a slaughterhouse that supplied local neighborhood grocery stores with meats. As the industry has changed throughout the years, the Turasky's adapted to remain competitive.
Under the leadership of Joe Turasky Jr., the company shut down its slaughtering operations in 2004 to focus on and expand its ready-to-eat products division.
Two of its newest best-sellers, Italian beef and barbecue pork, are available not only at Turasky Meats, but also at local grocery stores such as County Market, Schnucks and Walmart. SYSCO Food Service and MJ Kellner is also involved with distributing Turasky products as well.
Graduation time, Thanksgiving and Christmas comprise the busiest times of year for the Italian beef, barbecue and top-of-the-line prime rib sales. Customers need to place their orders in advance to make sure they get an order made to their specifications.
Devoted to developing new products and expanding its market throughout Illinois and beyond, Brad is the third generation of Turasky's to oversee day-to-day operations.
His father handed him the reins a few years ago. However, Joe still spends a lot of his time on Taintor Road.
"I used to be the first to arrive and the last one to leave," Joe says.
"Now I'm the last to arrive and the first to leave."
Still, he stays busy answering the phones and assisting customers and makes himself available for consultation should Brad need it.
"Our specialty," Joe says, "is working with the customers to give them exactly what they want. The big guys don't do that. For example, we sell a lot of custom-made sausage to locally owned pizzerias that want their own unique sausage flavor. So, we work with the clients to make a sausage to their exact specifications. Your big meatpackers don't do that."
Turasky's also provides locally owned restaurants with custom-cut Black Angus steaks of the highest available grade, usually prime.
Its biggest steak account, Saputo's Twin Corners, known for its great steaks, has been buying from Turasky for years.
"We cut steaks and grind sausage daily so our clients always have the freshest products possible," Joe says.
Another popular service the company provides for Springfield-area community members is the processing of deer.
During deer season, which runs from October to January, Y-T Packing will process about 1,500-3,000 orders. While many hunters have their prey processed for personal consumption, others donate their deer to the Food for Hunger program.
The Department of Natural Resources pays Y-T Packing $50 to process each animal, and the company absorbs any costs not covered by the stipend. The deer meat can be made into several different items, ranging from sausage and meat sticks, to burger and bratwurst.
Years ago, Tony Turasky partnered with Joe and added a catering service to the business. But when Tony died in 1999, his children moved the catering company to a new location, and Turasky Meats and Turasky Catering became separate enterprises.
However, many people unaware of the change still call Joe's number for catering services.
He doesn't try to sell them any meat, though. He just politely informs them of their mistake, gives them the correct number and sends them on their way.
What they might not realize is the opportunity they just missed to get a few great steaks to cook on the grill.
Story published Friday, September 4, 2009 ( Volume 4, Number 5 )
The retail arm of the wholesale business Y-T Packing, Turasky Meats is located at 1129 Taintor Road, across from the Illinois State fairgrounds.
Founded in 1949 by Joe Turasky Sr., the company began as a slaughterhouse that supplied local neighborhood grocery stores with meats. As the industry has changed throughout the years, the Turasky's adapted to remain competitive.
Under the leadership of Joe Turasky Jr., the company shut down its slaughtering operations in 2004 to focus on and expand its ready-to-eat products division.
Two of its newest best-sellers, Italian beef and barbecue pork, are available not only at Turasky Meats, but also at local grocery stores such as County Market, Schnucks and Walmart. SYSCO Food Service and MJ Kellner is also involved with distributing Turasky products as well.
Graduation time, Thanksgiving and Christmas comprise the busiest times of year for the Italian beef, barbecue and top-of-the-line prime rib sales. Customers need to place their orders in advance to make sure they get an order made to their specifications.
Devoted to developing new products and expanding its market throughout Illinois and beyond, Brad is the third generation of Turasky's to oversee day-to-day operations.
His father handed him the reins a few years ago. However, Joe still spends a lot of his time on Taintor Road.
"I used to be the first to arrive and the last one to leave," Joe says.
"Now I'm the last to arrive and the first to leave."
Still, he stays busy answering the phones and assisting customers and makes himself available for consultation should Brad need it.
"Our specialty," Joe says, "is working with the customers to give them exactly what they want. The big guys don't do that. For example, we sell a lot of custom-made sausage to locally owned pizzerias that want their own unique sausage flavor. So, we work with the clients to make a sausage to their exact specifications. Your big meatpackers don't do that."
Turasky's also provides locally owned restaurants with custom-cut Black Angus steaks of the highest available grade, usually prime.
Its biggest steak account, Saputo's Twin Corners, known for its great steaks, has been buying from Turasky for years.
"We cut steaks and grind sausage daily so our clients always have the freshest products possible," Joe says.
Another popular service the company provides for Springfield-area community members is the processing of deer.
During deer season, which runs from October to January, Y-T Packing will process about 1,500-3,000 orders. While many hunters have their prey processed for personal consumption, others donate their deer to the Food for Hunger program.
The Department of Natural Resources pays Y-T Packing $50 to process each animal, and the company absorbs any costs not covered by the stipend. The deer meat can be made into several different items, ranging from sausage and meat sticks, to burger and bratwurst.
Years ago, Tony Turasky partnered with Joe and added a catering service to the business. But when Tony died in 1999, his children moved the catering company to a new location, and Turasky Meats and Turasky Catering became separate enterprises.
However, many people unaware of the change still call Joe's number for catering services.
He doesn't try to sell them any meat, though. He just politely informs them of their mistake, gives them the correct number and sends them on their way.
What they might not realize is the opportunity they just missed to get a few great steaks to cook on the grill.
Story published Friday, September 4, 2009 ( Volume 4, Number 5 )