Drenth’s Butcher Market and Deli opens Wednesday at 436 West St. N.

After owning and operating the Bulk Barn in Orillia, Barrie and Midland for more than two decades, Kevin and Melissa Drenth decided to open a new business centered around Kevin’s passion for smoking meat.

The new butcher and delicatessen will offer a variety of cuts of meat and will be based on the principle of “good service,” says Kevin.

“It will be Melissa and I, our kids and a few other staff members,” he said. “It will be a different experience, something small and hopefully with better quality and better prices.”

Since there are few butchers and delicatessens in the area, Kevin says it is difficult to find high-quality meat products locally.

“Everything is so streamlined in the grocery store,” he said. “Butcher shops are rare. If you’re into smoking and stuff like that, you can try so many recipes, but it’s difficult if you can’t find the meat.”

Ever since the Drenths announced the opening of a new store, they have been inundated with messages from customers who can’t wait for the opening.

“We’ve had tons of people come to us since our sign went up,” Kevin said. “We’re in a great location right off the highway and the traffic that goes by is incredible.”

Kevin expects the new store could serve hundreds of students from nearby Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School every weekday this fall.

“They need an affordable lunch,” Kevin said. “Hopefully we can offer them a sandwich and a drink for $5 or $6.”

Kevin says they will be making around 100 sandwiches every morning in September and that they will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.

“It will be something fresh and different,” he said.

Drenth’s also offers a wide selection of sauces and spices that you would “never” find in the supermarket.

“A lot of it is popular in the United States,” Kevin said.

“A lot of the current trends come from Instagram Reels and TikTok, where you can find a lot of grilling and smoking recipes. That’s where a lot of the products come from,” Melissa added.

Drenth’s also offers a selection of Yoder Smokers for sale in the store.

“They are made in the USA… They are fairly new, but they are very popular because they are made in North America,” Kevin said.

With the new butcher and delicatessen, Kevin is continuing a family tradition. His parents owned an independent grocery store in Bracebridge for 20 years.

“We have a lot of customers from our past who are happy to support us,” Melissa said. “It’s really nice.”