Our History

At Ranch Hand Provisions, we’re proud to bring the unparalleled flavors and time-honored craftsmanship of Zicks and Buffalo Bobs to your family! Our origins are deeply rooted in the local heritage of St. Joseph, MI, where the beloved Zick’s Vineland Foods first stood. Founded by my grandparents, Harry and Shirley Zick, the store laid the foundation for my Uncle Garry Zick’s culinary journey. It was within those walls that Garry, 12 at the time, had the privilege of learning the art of sausage making from a master sausage maker, Max Wolf, a German immigrant who had become an integral part of the grocery store family.

Immersed in the craft alongside Max, Garry honed his skills and developed a deep passion for the art of sausage making. In 1983, Garry embarked on his own venture, opening his own specialty sausage kitchen in Berrien Springs, MI. Garry was very interested in “meat sticks” which inspired him to develop what is now called Zicks Sticks, a shelf stable meat snack stick.

Over the years, Zick's Specialty Meats has garnered widespread acclaim for its exceptional smoked sausages, irresistible jerky, and delectable snacks. In staying true to their roots, Zick's Specialty Meats continues to be family-owned and operated, upholding the traditions and values instilled since its humble beginnings. In addition to their meat processing endeavors, Zicks proudly operates Buffalo Bob's, a distribution arm that specializes in offering unique and exotic jerky and sticks. These distinctive products have become highly sought-after, embodying flavors and varieties that are truly unparalleled and seldom found elsewhere in the United States.

Our unwavering dedication to our family heritage, exceptional products, and customer satisfaction remains at the heart of everything we do, and we can’t wait to share our family’s history with you!

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Quality Counts

We make all of our own products in-house from start to finish

All our products are ground, seasoned or cured, and cooked or smoked in-house. We use all natural spices and old-world European sausage recipes.

Only natural spices & the highest-quality meats

We do not sell any meat items that are not produced in our plant and we believe that product consistency, using natural spices and the highest quality meats, is paramount.

All of our products are USDA inspected

This means that there is a USDA inspector on site each production day and products are produced under the HACCP standard program. All of our meats are farm-raised and pre and post mortem inspections are performed on animals. All products are approved for intrastate trade, Mexico and Canada.