Published March 2023

For the last three decades, Sunterra has been processing high quality pork in Alberta using modern and humane techniques to deliver an uncompromised product. Beginning in 1994, Sunterra produced both fresh pork and smoked hams in Trochu, Alberta, right inside the same building we use for harvesting today.  

“As we began exporting some of our pork, the CFIA requirements changed so that we could no longer produce fresh pork and cook it in the same facility,” says Ray Price, president of the Sunterra Group. “We had to pause our smoked products and focus on our fresh pork, but we always knew we wanted to revisit them when the time was right.” 

Steps to reinvigorating this plan began with the creation of Soleterra d’Italia in 2016; a joint venture between the Price family of Alberta and the Simonini family of Italy focused on developing the Italian-style cured salamis and steam-cooked Modena ham you know today. As part of this launch, a 60,000 square foot facility was built in Acme, Alberta and filled with state-of-the-art equipment. This facility would provide the perfect opportunity to get back to making our products from 1994 — only better. 

With a space full of the world’s best equipment, a talented team behind us and years of experience now under our belt, it’s finally time to share our learnings with our customers through a brand-new line of superior smoked pork products inspired by our Albertan roots — introducing Sunterra Meats! We sat down to chat with Ray Price and Tony Martinez, vice president of Sunterra Meats and Soleterra d’Italia, to learn all about this exciting endeavor and the mouthwatering new products you’ll find on Sunterra Market shelves. 

Quality has been at the core of Sunterra since our beginning on the farm over 50 years ago. Our ultimate goal is to provide our customers with an exceptional quality product through and through. With our present vertical integration structure, we’re able to control all aspects of production from farming to retailing and everything in between.  

“We want to hear from our customers, because we can make virtually anything,” Ray explains.  “If we understand what’s good for the consumer, we can provide them with exactly what they want because we have every link in the chain.” 

And that chain starts right at the farm on day one. All the pork used to create Sunterra Meats’ new line of products is raised on our own Sunterra Farms and partner farms using superior hogs and industry-leading practices.  

“The quality of the pork is dependent on so many factors,” explains Ray. “Where the pigs live, how they live, and how they’re treated all the way through to the harvesting process. We start with great ingredients in terms of the pork, and we really know how to handle it,” he says.

All pork that enters the facility in Trochu is subject to a multi-stage selection process. This starts with an initial thorough quality check, ensuring only top-tier meat is brought in for production. That pork is then sorted again, making sure the optimal cut of meat is chosen to make each specific item. This strict control is the key to a consistent outcome, meaning shoppers can be confident in the quality of our meats with every purchase. 

“Every time we make a ham, we know it’s going to be the same as the last one,” Tony explains. 

After this procedure, our expert butchers carefully slice the meat by hand, making certain that each cut is prepared exactly how we want it and doesn’t include any unwanted fat or trimmings. From there, the pork is processed at our facility in Acme and transformed into an array of delicious pork products by our skilled team. 

“We have a good core group of people that work with us,” beams Ray. “I think they’re happy to be here and we’re happy to have them.”  

Each person brings something special to the team, including the humorously coined “two Daniels”, each a valued leader in product development, and one of whom moved all the way from Italy to work with us here in Alberta. 

Food safety is also an integral part of the production process and a major focus of all team members. Everyone producing the new Sunterra Meats items are committed to ensuring we meet or exceed industry safety standards from processing all the way through to delivery. The Sunterra Meats facilities are also Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) certified and federally inspected. With all these considerations in mind, we’re positive our customers are receiving the best, tastiest and safest products on the market.  

But after all this juicy information, we’re sure you’re wondering exactly what products you’ll have to look forward to. Beginning mid March, Sunterra Meats gammon hams, hickory smoked hams and bacon will be available for you to take home and enjoy. 

Similar to our Modena hams from Soleterra d’Italia, Sunterra Meats’ gammon hams are made from a single leg and packed with 18% meat protein, unlike other hams that are often pieced together using smaller chunks of meat. 

“Our process ensures an excellent quality, carefully crafted, exceptionally tasty ham made with the highest food safety standards,” explains Ray. 

“We’re never going to make anything we wouldn’t feed our families,” Tony adds.

Perfect for carving at the dinner table this Easter, our gammon hams will be naturally smoked for 12 hours in a brand new, Canadian-made smokehouse, leaving them with an unforgettable tenderness and subtle smoky taste that just can’t be achieved by simply injecting smoke flavouring. 

Alongside the gammon hams, Sunterra Meats’ initial product launch will also include hickory smoked traditional and honey hams. These small nugget hams are about the size of a football and are made from a whole leg sliced into three pieces. Their longer smoke time results in a deep, smoky flavour and slightly crisper crust on the outside while leaving the interior moist and tender. 

Finally, everyone’s favourite breakfast staple, veggie enhancer and burger topper— bacon! Prepared using a unique method of cutting, our meaty applewood smoked classic and peppered bacon is guaranteed to become a Sunday brunch essential. 

“We cut bacon differently than what others do,” Tony tells us. “Unlike a standard pork belly used for making bacon, it starts with a Japanese-style single rib belly that provides an extra layer of lean meat, so you end up getting a more flavourful bacon.” 

The bacon is then sealed in fully transparent packaging so you can see exactly what you’re buying.  

“We’re proud of what’s in the package,” Tony says with a smile.

Each pack is also equipped with a convenient peel-to-open tab, so the days of fighting with a vacuum seal and getting your scissors dirty are over.

Barbeque season is just around the corner, and Sunterra Meats has you covered. Beginning early April, a range of smokies will be added to the collection in addition to traditional kolbassa sausage, German bratwurst and breakfast sausage.

With this launch many years in the making, we’re so excited to finally bring our customers a selection of hams, bacon, and sausages with a quality and attention to detail you won’t find anywhere else. Best of all, they’re made right here in Alberta with the Sunterra Farms pork you know and love. 

“We always wanted to produce these ourselves, and now we have the opportunity and the capacity to bring a whole new high-quality experience to our customers,” says President of Sunterra Group, Ray Price, with an excited smile.

Visit sunterramarket.com for recipe ideas and be sure to keep an eye out for more products coming soon.