Family traditions and recipes helped guide Roland Striedel into the world of sausage-making and seasonings. He was born at the end of the Depression into a large family of twelve children. Roland’s grandparents had immigrated to America from Germany. His grandparents and dad taught and instilled in him the values and craft of meat processing and sausage-making from the Old World. Every winter, the family worked side by side to provide delicious meat and home-made sausages to feed a large growing family.
The knowledge provided him a starting career in a job he loves. He landed his first meat cutter job when he was 20 years old. He was employed with the Barfield Meat Company in Cuero, Texas. Meat was processed here and sold throughout Dewitt county. Mr. Barfield had only one basic sausage recipe. Roland saw a need to experiment and create new products. Over the course of a year, he expanded into making fresh sausages, smoked turkeys, bacon, hams, head cheese, liver sausage, homemade wieners, and hot links! It was at this time, customers started requesting his spice blends for their own at home sausage-making.
In August 1961, Roland married the love of his life, Patsy Aldis. The following year, the Cuban Missile crisis broke out and he received his draft papers from the United States Army. He was stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana. With the war being avoided, the enlisted men were put into jobs they enjoyed. Roland opened the first meat plant on the military base. They supplied each company on the post with fresh cut meat. In 1964, Roland and Patsy welcomed their first and only child, Christina, to their family. Shortly after, his military time ended and they returned to family in Cuero, Texas. He resumed the job he had left. In 1971, Roland bought his first meat business. It operated under the name of Cuero Quality Meats Inc. He specialized in manufacturing fresh and dry sausages and also supplying these products wholesale throughout Texas. After a while, he decided to sell his business and consult with other businesses. With his experience and expertise, he taught the craft of sausage-making and seasoning to others. He also produced his own spice blend under the Old Folke Spice Company label.
A desire to be off the road, steered him in the direction to open his own business again in 1990. This time it bore his family name of Striedel’s Fine Meats. Roland brought his extensive knowledge and love of spices, seasonings and cures, to produce mouth-watering sausages, hams, turkeys, bacon, jerky, and barbeque to South Texas again! Now, at this time in his life, Roland has decided to pass down this family legacy to his two granddaughters, Desi and Mailee. His original seasoning blends along with some newly crafted ones will be now marketed under the brand, Sisters’ Spice Company.
We are proud to continue our grandfather’s life work and love. We are truly blessed to have our “Bubba”, Roland Striedel as a part of our lives. We hope you enjoy a taste of our family traditions in his pure, nothing artificial spice blends!
Live life with a little spice!---Desi and Mailee