An Elmira, Ont. butcher shop is quickly becoming a destination for meat lovers, with customers travelling from across Ontario to fill their coolers. HomeStretch Meat Market has drawn shoppers from as far away Sudbury and Timmins with its popular social media videos that turn customer interactions into a viral attraction. For some, the trip has become a rite of passage. “Came all the way from Barrie, Ontario,” one customer tells the camera in a video filmed at the counter. Another shopper, who drove about eight hours from Timmins, arrives with a clear plan: stock up the cooler and strap it to his truck with a budget of about $1,000. Behind the counter is Nawras Jauni, the face of many of the market’s videos, where customers are invited to share their budgets and let the team put together a selection of meat. “It was just a random idea,” Jauni said. “One of our customers came in and we just hit him with, ‘I’ll fix you up.’ And then people from everywhere started coming.” The catchphrase has since become part of the experience, with Jauni telling customers, “We’ll fix you up!” Social media puts HomeStretch on the map The family-owned business operated as a wholesale meat operation out of its Elmira farm for more than 10 years before opening its retail storefront about six months ago. It is in the same building that used to house Hartman Jewellers. Since then, videos documenting customer visits and the meat selections they take home have helped introduce the business to a much wider audience. For some shoppers, the videos are the reason they made the trip. “TikTok. That’s the reason I came here,” said Waterloo customer Tetsu Yamaguchi. “I saw a bunch of nice posts on TikTok and I was impressed with such high quality meat.” The videos have also featured customers with sizeable budgets. One shopper announced a spending limit of $2,700, while others travel long distances to bring home their purchases. Jauni said one customer even flew himself to the area. “I’ve had someone come from Tobermory on a plane here,” he said. “The guy called us and said, ‘I’m landing my plane here at the Elmira Airport and I need a ride.’ I went and picked him up myself with his cooler and we fixed him up.” The social media posts have accumulated tens of thousands of views, a response that surprised Jauni. “One day I went on and I’m like, ‘Oh my God,’” he said with a laugh. Keeping prices competitive While the videos are bringing new customers through the door, Jauni said the business is focused on giving shoppers a reason to return. HomeStretch’s selection includes beef, goat, lamb and chicken, with beef among its biggest sellers. The market also offers specialty flavours, including a maple syrup Cajun wing seasoning Jauni calls the “Elmira special.” The animals are raised on the family’s farm, allowing the business to sell directly to customers. Jauni said that approach helps keep prices competitive compared with larger grocery chains and other retailers. “We have everything here priced very fairly compared to other big box stores,” he said. “You can get a steak for $15, sometimes even $10 a steak. You go to other butchers or other big box grocery stores and a steak is going to run you $60, $70.” In one of the market’s social media videos, a $200 haul includes five rib-eye steaks, 10 striploins and 10 pounds of chicken legs. For customers looking to stretch their grocery budgets, the combination of bulk buying, farm-raised meat and direct-to-customer pricing is a major part of the appeal. A destination for meat lovers From shoppers travelling hundreds of kilometres to customers discovering the business through TikTok, HomeStretch Meat Market has built a following that extends well beyond Elmira. For Jauni and his team, they believe their idea has become the secret sauce to keep customers wanting more.
