| Cured meats have always been John Ginanniâs favorite food. âI have always liked the idea that youâre aging something, and that it gets better with time,â he says. At Canteen Meats, the business that John runs with his wife, Kaylyn Reyes, the salumi and charcuterie can take over a year to prepare. The two of them were inspired by their travels in Europe in 2016, where they volunteered and stayed at pig farms.
âWe learned techniques, of course, but Iâd say the biggest takeaway was just seeing how these farms arenât giant companies,â says John. âThese are real people, real families who just needed help.â
In 2020, the Bay Area natives put their experiences to use to start Canteen Meats in Petaluma, John curing meats and Kaylyn designing their brand, and they recently joined the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. As they continue to grow, they remain committed to supporting local ranchers, while navigating the unique challenges of small-batch butchery and adapting to climate-impacted meat prices. | 