What is Lihakauppa?

Lihakauppa means “meat store” in Finnish.  We chose that tagline because our shop is located in the historic Bay & Algoma Neighbourhood of Thunder Bay, home of the famous Hoito Restaurant and where many of the stores sell Finnish products.

What are the Nutrition Facts?

We strive for delicious and healthy!
Nutrition Facts

What products do you ship?

We ship our beef jerky and pepperettes across Ontario.  If you are a resident of Thunder Bay, we can deliver any of our products with a $149 minimum.

Where do you ship?

We ship within Ontario only.  Apologies to our all provincial neighbours!

What do you charge for shipping?

Shipping is free on orders over $100 within Ontario, and free within Thunder Bay on purchases over $149.

How long does delivery usually take?

We usually ship via UPS or Purolator, and orders typically arrive at your doorstep within 3 to 4 business days.  If you’re outside of the Golden Horseshoe, or if we need to ship your order with Canada Post, expect your order in about a week.  Unfortunately we do not guarantee shipments.

Can I pick up my order?

Absolutely!  Call us at the store, (807) 344-9501, and we can make arrangements for contactless pickup.

Is your facility government inspected?

You bet it is!  We are provincially licensed plant, and that means that a meat inspector shows up unannounced any day of the week to ensure that our staff is following all of the processing regulations (and there are lots of them!).  We are Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certified facility, meaning we have HACCP programs in place that add an additional layer safety and operating protocols in place.

Did you know that we can trace any single package of the products we made back to the box of meat, the bag of spice or the drum of soy sauce that was used in its production?  It’s a lot of paperwork, and that means extra work for our staff, but we want our customers to know that we take food safety seriously.

Where are your meats sourced?

Our beef is from Alberta, and our pork is from Manitoba.  All of our steaks are graded AAA, aged for 21 days and well-marbled. 

What are Nitrites and Nitrates?

Nitrites and Nitrates are chemicals that are added to many food products as a preservative.  It’s the chemical that keeps smoked ham looking pink, the chemical that extends a product’s shelf life, and the chemical that can make beef jerky soft.

There is lots of controversy about whether cultured celery extract is a better, or healthier, option that nitrites or nitrates.  In our humble opinion, they are the exact same thing, so don’t be fooled.  If you don’t want to consume nitrites/nitrates, be careful of products that say “cultured celery extract.” 

Which are your Gluten Free products?

All of our products are Gluten Freeexcept for the Beef Jerky that is made with Ontario Craft Beer.

Do your products have fillers?

Yes, our meatballs do indeed have fillers.  Sausages are pure pork, smokies are pure pork, and kielbasa is pure pork—no fillers.

We resisted adding anything to our meatballs for many years because we wanted all of our products to be ‘pure’ meat.  After several years of feedback and experimentation, we decided to add rice to our meatballs, and our customers love, love, love the change! 

Is there MSG in your products?

There is MSG in our marinated steaks, but otherwise, no, we don’t add MSG.

Are there any other allergens in your products?

Yes, some products do contain allergens.  Beef Jerky contains soy sauce, Beef Jerky made with Ontario Craft Beer contains gluten, and Marinated Steaks contain MSG.  If you have specific food intolerances or allergies, please call us. 

We make small batches of smoked sausages without garlic and onion, for instance, and small batches of kielbasa and bacon without nitrates.  Call us if you’re interested.

What is the small white packet in my jerky bag?

That little packet is called an oxygen scavenger, and it’s in the bag to help extend the life of the product.  Because we don’t add any preservatives to our Beef Jerky, we need those packets to help keep the product fresh and tasty.

How long does Beef Jerky last?

In an unopened package, our Beef Jerky will be ‘fresh’ at least six months.  You will see a “best before” date on the bottom of each package.  After the bag is opened, squeeze out the air and use the ziplock to close the bag, and you can expect another week or two of freshness.

Is your Beef Jerky safe for animals?

It is indeed, but instead of giving your dog or cat our flavoured Beef Jerky, why not buy them a bag of Dexters Dog Jerky Treats instead?  Dexters is made with the same beef and the same safety protocols, but it doesn’t have any added salt, flavourings or preservatives.  It’s straight up beef.

Why is your Beef Jerky tough?

Tough?  Hmmmmm.  We like to describe our Beef Jerky as ‘chewy’!  Our Beef Jerky is old-school, made the same way our ancestors have been preserving meat for hundreds of years.  It’s dry, yes, but that’s why it lasts so long!  And it’s dry because there are no nitrites, no softeners, no gels.

Is there alcohol in the Beer Jerky?

Yes, we use Red Wine in our Beef Jerky, but it’s been cooked out during the smokehouse and cooking cycles.  And there’s beer in the Ontario Craft Beer Jerky, but it also been cooked out.  All of our Beef Jerky is safe for children to eat, assuming, of course, they are old enough to chew well and not choke.  We strongly suggest not offering Beef Jerky to young children.

What do I do if my Jerky has molded?

If you do open a package of our Beef Jerky and see mould—typically white or grey fuzzy patches—please contact us for a full refund or an exchange.  Mould does occasionally occur, even though we try our hardest to ensure that each and every piece of Beef Jerky has been cooked and dried thoroughly.