LEM Original Packaging
- Larry Metz Instructing Proper Technique
If you’ve had any interaction with Larry over the years please share them with us . Maybe at a Hunting show, store demo or even a phone call. We’d love to hear what you have to say about the man his family calls “Butcher”
LEM was the brainchild of hunting and processing expert, Larry E. Metz (That’s Right… LEM). The idea started in 1996 with the simple idea of helping people convert their game to delicious sausage and jerky, Larry drew on his experience as a meat cutter with one of the largest food service company’s in the United States. A career he loved and stuck with for 30 plus years. During this time, his skill level was developed, honed and perfected. As a result Larry is known as an expert processor by hunters and store customers alike.
Along with his career, Larry was an avid hunter. He had a zest for the outdoors and his knowledge of wild game was extensive. He has hunted all over the Mid-West, Texas and Mexico harvesting deer, turkey, elk, and wild boar.
As a dedicated outdoorsman Larry processed his own game. And, after years of processing deer for himself and many a customer, Larry developed a boneless method. It broke new ground yielding a variety of table meats that were tender, had excellent taste and were custom cut to customers’ liking. Having so many clients requesting his processing service, the light bulb went on…show hunters just how easy it can be to do it yourself.
In 1991, Larry produced a 98 minute video, “Deer Processing From Field to Table”. It became LEM’s very first product (www.lemproducts.com/product/1/87). Larry then had the major task of getting his video into the hands of interested hunters everywhere. This would take all of his time and attention.
He took a leap of faith and wrote his letter of resignation to his longtime boss, thanking him for the career he loved. It would be the first of two important letters to his boss. Now he was operating without a net. He hit the open road attending consumer hunting shows in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, Alabama, West Virginia, and Texas. He conducted seminars on deer processing at each of these venues reaching thousands of people curious about proper game care and processing.
The popularity of the video continued to grow, but Larry’s customers wanted more. Equipment, supplies, seasonings, casings..where could they go to find all of this in one place? Larry leaped into action sourcing products from all over the world.
Larry and his family worked from the basement of their home getting the business off the ground. To help with badly needed space Larry converted a residential home into his warehouse, processing orders then packing and shipping them to customers across the country. With the constant flow of delivery trucks picking up and dropping off the FBI were called in to investigate the “suspicious activity”. While agents did have a few questions for Larry they soon realized Venison Sausage did not present a clear or imminent threat to anyone. They quickly moved on to more important priorities… or so we hope. Soon LEM outgrew the residential neighborhood and moved to a commercial warehouse facility with forklifts, racks and all the trimmings. Things were really starting to click.
IN 2000Larry sat down to write a follow-up letter to his former boss… just a little update to let him know he had surpassed one million dollars in sales! Boy how things had changed in a few short years. Larry and the LEM team continued to develop an expansive line of equipment, supplies and seasonings to meet the varied needs and tastes of game hunters everywhere. This was his passion. Many of the products were created exclusively for LEM with Larry’s experience and know how guiding every design decision. They proudly display the company logo .
We’ve come a long way in a few short years with over 900 different products and an experienced staff that knows their stuff. Believe it or not you will find the LEM brand in more than 600 retail stores in 37 states and Canada. Larry’s has since moved on from the day-to-day operations of the business. Crappie fishing and big bucks take up most of his time these days. But the culture and the philosophy upon which he built the company has not changed. Most everyone you talk to here has been part of the LEM Family for years. And while we’ve had a growth spurt we’re still a small company of 20 people working hard to deliver great service and exceptional products. It is Larry’s legacy and we try to live it every day.
Hill Kohnen
LEM Products
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