McLean Meats Celebrates 20th Anniversary With Sincere Gratitude
Faced with a seemingly overwhelming array of choices in your local grocery store, it can be difficult to know which brands you can rely on for high-quality meats. Whether you’re planning out your weekly meals or stocking your fridge with reliable favourites, you want to know that you’re nourishing your body with clean food, and better yet, reflects your values as a consumer when considering natural, humane, and sustainable farming practices.
McLean Meats has long been a brand that Canadians can trust. Since its inception in 2004, this Canadian brand has been on a mission to provide preservative-free and organic deli meats that satisfy taste buds and promote sustainable farming.
This year marks two decades of dedicated service, and founders Garth McLean, Michelle Neilson, and Deanna Bell continue to uphold the values that made McLean Meats a trusted name, with heartfelt appreciation for their many supporters and loyal customers across the country.
In the beginning, they embarked on this journey with a shared vision to offer clean, wholesome food to their fellow Canadians—and looking back, they’re proud to share that those values have persisted.
"It was a lot of work, but building the brand into what it is today has truly been a passion, not a job,” recalled Garth McLean, reflecting on those early years. “I am so happy we were successful in fulfilling our dream with the support of our loyal employees, customers, and vendors."
In 2018, Piller’s Fine Foods, a division of Premium Brands Holdings Corporation, recognized the potential of McLean Meats and invested in the brand. This partnership not only facilitated growth but also allowed McLean Meats to expand its product offerings in the ever-growing natural and organic food industry. Today, McLean Meats remains the only national deli meat brand in Canada that is truly preservative-free, boasting a diverse portfolio of over 25 certified organic products.
“We’re proud to celebrate this milestone with our team,” said Trent Hilpert, President of Piller’s Fine Foods. “McLean Meats pioneered the preservative-free and organic deli meats category in Canada, and we’re excited to continue to innovate and grow this space for many years to come.”
Throughout its journey, McLean Meats has stayed true to its core values, encapsulated in its longstanding tagline, "Embrace food with gratitude." In honour of the 20th anniversary, McLean Meats is launching a community-focused initiative titled “20 Acts of Gratitude.” Partnering with notfor-profit organizations across Canada, the brand plans to give financial contributions, product donations, and volunteer hours in support of their programs.
This initiative embodies the brand's commitment to giving back to the community that has supported it throughout the years.
As a brand, McLean Meats has become synonymous with quality, purity, and a genuine commitment to its customers. More than just an option in the deli aisle, McLean Meats is a symbol of dedication to health, sustainability, and community—most importantly, a brand Canadians can trust.
Here's to 20 years of embracing food with gratitude. For more information about McLean Meats and its range of preservative-free and organic deli meats, visit mcleanmeats.com.
ABOUT MCLEAN MEATS
McLean Meats is one of Canada’s leading brands of preservativefree and organic deli meats. Founded in 2004, McLean Meats pioneered high-quality meats in Canada’s Natural and Organic food industry. Piller’s Fine Foods invested in the McLean Meats brand in 2018, and the brand became wholly acquired in 2023. Piller’s Fine Foods is a division of Premium Brands Holdings Corporation (TSX: PBH).