LOCAL FOOD HEROES: Kraig and Lindsay Candelaria of Cole’s Meat Processing

Healthy Archuleta, a local non-profit in Archuleta County also known as the Food Coalition, continues to celebrate the local food heroes that make up the food system in Archuleta County and the surrounding southwest region. These individuals uniquely contribute to the community’s vision for a sustainable, health promoting, and equitable local food system so that everyone has access to affordable nutritious foods. The effort to capture the profiles of these integral community members was initiated as part of the Archuleta Food System Summit that took place April 9, 2022. Today we would like to feature Kraig and Lindsay Candelaria of Cole’s Meat Processing and Taxidermy.

The following is a narrative that they shared with us:

“We are a small family owned custom meat processing and taxidermy business serving Pagosa Springs and the surrounding areas for 10 years. Our main goal is to provide our community and non-resident customers with the best quality and care we can. In our meat processing department, we offer custom processing from domestic animals to wild game animals.

“Over the years we have expanded from basic processing to working into a variety of other meat processing options including: domestic wild game, fresh sausage, bratwurst, cured smoked hams and bacon; smoked briskets and pork, and hunters favorites including summer sausage, snack sticks and smoked jerky.

“Kraig grew up in the meat processing world thanks to his grandparents Harry and Abilene Cole. He is a 4th generation meat processor in his family. When moving back to Pagosa to start his taxidermy business Kraig along with his parents (Patrick and Debbie Cadelaria) wanted to carry on the family tradition in Archuleta County of providing quality meat processing.

“We are located at 495 Hwy 84 in Pagosa Springs, contact us at 970-264-2426.”

Rosa Chavez

Rosa Chavez

Rose Chavez is Executive Director for Archuleta Seniors, Inc. and Public Health Consultant at Archuleta Food System/Food Equity Coalition.