TALLAHASSEE, Fl. (WTXL) — Two local businesses hope some good sausage and cheese will help local restaurants stay open, by donating the sausage for free.
Jeri's Midtown Cafe is one of 15 businesses benefiting from a stimulus sausage program started by the owner of Tally Mac Shack and a co-owner of Register's Meat Company.
Tally Mac Shack owner, Justo cruz, said, "The idea came about, that we would incorporate cheese and with this particular sausage, jalapenos as well, into Register's brand smoked pork sausage."
According to Cruz, they picked sausage for the protein, which is one of the most expensive items you will find on a dinner plate. "If we can provide the restaurants with protein, at no charge, they can sell the item and make more or over what their normal budget would be."
"To donate that for the restaurants to use for 100% profit, it's really taken off here, people really like it," added Jeri Madden.
Since the Coronavirus has shutdown the inside of restaurants across the country, many people have been wanting to help their local establishments as much as possible. However, Ben Kaempfer, the CEO of Register's Meat Company, wants to know what happens weeks from now. "Hopefully this is the first of a series of things that we launch that restaurants can really be able to get behind and push and promote," explained Kaempfer.
Another part to the program is restaurants showing off their creativeness when it comes to the donated sausage. That in turn has the possibility of adding more patrons to their establishment. "The idea is that once these restaurants provide a photo or opportunity to share their recipes, they take over our social media," said Cruz. "So, part two of the program, is we raise awareness of the local restaurants here in Tallahassee from our fanbase."
We all have a responsibility to take care of one another, and when people collaborate, great things can happen. Jeri's Midtown Cafe owner said the sausage donation is a god-send. "The restaurants coming together, people in the food industry coming together, whether it's somebody like Register's who produces the food, or just the restaurant owners, food distributors, things like that, just rallying behind Tallahassee," said Madden.
Kaempfer added, "We've got people who have great things and abilities here and great things and abilities there, and we can come together, it's just a win for each of the people."
Local restaurants are getting the sausage before it's available in grocery stores. Plus, Kaempfer said they will continue to donate the sausage to the 14 restaurants and 1 brewing company. He said every other week, they will donate 10 pounds of sausage to each participating business.
The 15 businesses taking part in the sausage stimulus are listed below:
Craft House
Sage Restaurant
Deep Brewing Company
Gordos
McGowan's
Backwoods Bistro
Jeri's Midtown Cafe
Boardwalk
Fermentation Lounge
Madison Social
Coosh's
Riccardo's
Canopy Road Cafe
Bumpa's
Dog Et Al
