Recently, the Chamber of Commerce of the Tonawandas named Hanzlian's Sausage Inc. as its member of the month.
The Hanzlian Family has lived in Buffalo for nearly 100 years. George Hanzlian worked with his two brothers, John and Andrew, in a once famous Cheektowaga meat market (Johnny's Meats on Union Road). This is where he learned how to make sausage and even after retiring he continued to make sausage for family and friends. In 1999, two of his sons, Dave (who worked as a butcher for 25 years) and George (who managed a couple of area restaurants), started their own company. They had the idea to make fresh homemade sausage, like their father and uncles did, and take it out to area markets for people to sample and buy. In 2002 with increased sales and market expansion a third brother, Tom, was brought in to help grow the family business. Through the years. the next generation of family members have joined in, helping the company grow even further, with the addition of a store location in Cheektowaga, along with 16 area farmer's markets. Many other employees are longtime family friends and also customers who have become part of the Hanzlian Sausage Company family.
Years have passed since they began the company and now they make several different kinds of sausage. The foundation was started with fresh Italian and Polish sausage made from pork or chicken and also a breakfast sausage. Now, there are several different varieties of sausages, including a stuffed hot banana pepper sausage, an Italian pizza sausage, General Tso sausage, chicken wing sausage and a spicy beer bratwurst - "the Drunk Pig."
