In North Minneapolis in the spring of 1937, Ray Schweigert opened his first retail store. It was a neighborhood mercantile specializing in fresh and cured meat along with groceries and general merchandise. Ray’s customers were the local residents of the neighborhood. In those days, the market was no further than a short walk to the corner.
Ray had a dream of having the biggest and best shop in town. Word spread that Schweigert’s™ had the best, and soon a home delivery truck was added.
Within 3 years in the summer of 1940, Schweigert’s™ had grown to be the top meat shop in the area and Ray decided to change location to a larger plant near present day downtown Minneapolis at 26th and Emerson. With this move he added three more delivery trucks that serviced St. Paul and St. Cloud.
It was at this location that Schweigert™ remained for almost 33 years and grew to include a fleet of more than 30 delivery trucks servicing Minnesota and parts of Iowa, Wisconsin and North Dakota.
In 1983, Schweigert™ Meats moved to Albert Lea, MN, eventually becoming a member of the Cargill Meat Solutions family, where to this day it continues to carry on Ray’s tradition of making quality meats for local tastes.