Profile: Butchers Jocelyn Guest and Erika Nakamura

"Started by two former restaurant butchers who left to prioritize family and sustainable work-life balance, this small-batch sausage line focuses on classic, widely accessible products—hot dogs, bratwurst, and kielbasa—made from meat sourced exclusively from small farmers in Pennsylvania and upstate New York, spiced, smoked, and stuffed in natural casings. The bratwurst are described as milder and seasoned with garlic, ginger, and nutmeg, and the recipes build on methods developed during the founders' prior restaurant work. Production runs take place at a family-owned, women-run facility in Troy, New York, where the founders stay hands-on with quality and sizing. They position their offerings as comparable to artisanal makers like Meat Hook and Olympia Provisions but aim for broader retail availability (including collaborations such as a Greek-style hot dog project for a summer event at MoMA PS1). The brand pairs careful sourcing and small-batch craft with a playful, humble voice—packaging features cartoon versions of the founders, bills itself as a “Mom & Mom shop,” and even prints cheeky shirts like “Gay for Sausage”—and plans to expand into condiments, rubs, specialty blends for restaurants, and consulting." - Nikita Richardson