The Community Correspondent role provides readers with on-the-ground and inclusive stories about the Port Huron area. This is made possible through funding provided by the Community Foundation of St. Clair County.

Nancy Roy knows great bologna. She and her husband, Richard, are co-owners of C. Roy Processing, which was founded in 1924 by Richard’s great-uncle and father in downtown Yale.

“Meat processing was something in the family’s blood, and they enjoyed doing it, with the kids helping their dad all the while they were young,” Nancy says.

Then, in 1988, when small towns looked to attract more business to their communities, the Roy family was asked if they would like to supply bologna to the newly created Yale Bologna Festival. They agreed and now produce two tons of bologna each year for the event.

This year's Yale Bologna Festival, from July 25 to 27, offered a variety of fun activities, including a cornhole tournament, a 5K run, and an outhouse race.
 
One of the most popular delicacies of the event is the famous fried bologna sandwiches, which have informally earned the city of Yale the title of the “Bologna Capital of the World.” Richard’s great-uncle created the recipe for C. Roy’s bologna, which is made of bull and supplied by local farmers.

People ordering C. Roy bologna sandwiches at the food tent at the Yale Bologna Festival.Yale Bologna Festival's bologna sandwich.

Celebrating its 100th anniversary last year, the family built the business through word of mouth over the years and has expanded onto social media.

“Word of mouth has always been our biggest marketing tool,” she says.

The company embraces traditional ways of doing things. They still dry age their meat in coolers for two weeks and only operate at certain hours. The Roy family is also very committed to their employees, some of whom have been with the business for years.

Employee weighs out meat for a customer at C. Roy Processing.

But being a small business owner isn’t easy. One of the biggest challenges C. Roy faces is dealing with government regulations. The business is a USDA-inspected facility, one of the only ones around, and Roy and her husband must ensure their meat is processed carefully.

Another challenge is the higher prices beef and pork are going for. Because of federal regulations, C. Roy must be very meticulous. This cost is passed on to the consumers, who sometimes don’t understand the greater costs.

Nancy is happy that her family and business have been a part of the Yale Bologna Festival for decades and hopes it will continue.

“Running C. Roy is definitely a pride thing, it's not a money-making thing,” she says. “We are not going to be millionaires, but we know that we can pay our bills and we're grateful for being proud partners with the local community.”