Alef Sausage Creates Old World Flavors 2018-01-01 (1)

A construction engineer in his native Russia, Alex Mikhaylov delivered pizzas after immigrating to the U.S., eventually becoming a store manager. Although his new country offered a broad range of ethnic foods, Mikhaylov noticed that something was missing: No one in the U.S. was making one of the traditional delicacies he remembered from Eastern Europe: smoked, dry-cured salami. Mikhaylov decided to launch a business and make the Old World delicacies he craved, founding Alef Sausage in 2000. Since then, the company has grown at an amazing clip, now shipping a variety of products throughout North America. Alef Sausage was focused on quality from the start. Using traditional family recipes, authentic processes and the finest, freshest ingredients available, Mikhaylov began producing high-quality, European-style meats, at first in a tiny facility, which was much like operating a home business, Mikhaylov reports. As word got out about the quality and incredible flavor of Alef Sausage’s unique products, the business grew. “We offer a complete line of natural products that are made according to time-honored traditions,” notes Mikhaylov. “We use only the freshest meats and ingredients and never add fillers. Our spices are custom-ground on the day we order them. And our meat products are naturally smoked according to Old World methods. Unlike many of our competitors, we do not add cultures – they occur naturally in the product, the way it was done in the old days.” The quality and authenticity paid off: Due to customer demand, the company quickly expanded its line and now produces more than 40 unique meat products. Alef Sausage also operates a delicatessen in Mundelein, Illinois (near Chicago) that sells Alef Sausage-produced meats as well as Eastern European-inspired soups, side items and appetizers. To accommodate its fast growth, Alef Sausage moved production to a much larger facility in 2005, and after experiencing a 50% increase in sales, the company expanded its operation further. Despite the challenging economy, Alef Sausage posted a 26% increase in sales last year and now ships products to 30 U.S. states as well as markets in Canada. The growing company is currently hiring sausage-makers and packaging specialists to keep up with demand. By investing in state-of-the-art processing equipment and using top-quality production methods, Alef Sausage is able to produce authentic products that meet stringent USDA standards – all at an affordable price. It’s the combination of Old World sensibilities combined with modern technology and efficiency that make Alef Sausage unique in the marketplace. To learn more about Alef Sausage, please visit www.alefsausage.com.