Today we’d like to introduce you to Colin Miles.
Colin, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
If you had told me my career would be owning a sausage business, I would have said you’re crazy. Becoming a professional drummer was always the dream, but my smart, supportive parents saw this spark I had with food and encouraged me to take it to the wonderful world of cooking. It was in culinary school that I excelled in classes like Garde Manger, Butchering, and Charcuterie. It seems only fitting after years in professional kitchens that I would find my way back to butchering and making Pates, Salami, Sausage, and Hot Dogs. In 2009, while working as the Sous Chef at an Atlanta French restaurant, I started to find my calling with Charcuterie. On my days off, I would find myself spending the whole day making small batches of Hot Dogs with a friend. There is something magical and exciting about perfecting something so unappreciated and straightforward, like the Hot Dog. In 2010, I dove into my growing passion for Butchering and Charcuterie. I would spend the next four years honing my craft and starting Charcuterie programs at Leon’s Full Service, Pura Vida, and Heirloom Market BBQ. During that time, I sought out knowledge from Chefs and Butchers, who I respected and admired. I was lucky enough to have the amazing opportunity to work alongside them, gain more knowledge, and further my craft. In 2014, I moved to San Francisco to start a Charcuterie program for a well-known meat company called 4505Meats. After eight months of living on a friend’s couch in the Bay Area, the struggle to find affordable housing sank in, and I moved to Napa. While working at a restaurant in Napa, it became clear that it was time to do my own thing. I moved back to Atlanta in 2016 to enlist the help of one of my closest friends, and we started a small Hot Dog business. This was the beginning of Pigman Goods.
Has it been a smooth road?
It’s hard not to hit a few bumps and roadblocks when starting a new business. We knew as the business grew, the original model would change and evolve. There were numerous times when it was one step forward and two steps back. Finding a company we trusted to make our product was not easy, but we found a co-packer to outsource our manufacturing. It was hard not to lose a little touch of yourself in that process, but we struck gold and found a sausage company that spoke our language. The daily struggle of gaining new clients can also be difficult. Many days are spent calling, texting, and emailing without any response from potential clients. You learn to keep pushing forward and not get discouraged. We call it doing the Hot Dog Hustle.
Please tell us about your business.
Pigman Goods is a small specialty meat supplier that offers Hot Dogs and other Sausages. Our products can be found in restaurants and local markets in Atlanta and several other U.S. cities. We focus on making a small variety of products with consistently high quality. From the beginning, we’ve been lucky to have control of running the business with no help from an outside investor. It’s been humbling to build something from the ground up and watch it bloom organically. It’s gratifying to see the joy on someone’s face after their first snappy bite of one of our sausages.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Atlanta is a growing city but spread out due to urban sprawl. This causes more car traffic and less walking traffic, making it difficult to have a traditional Hot Dog cart like in New York and Chicago. However, as the city thrives, we’re seeing neighborhoods revitalized with new restaurants, bars, and breweries. This constant growth is creating a diverse clientele. As a result, we’re able to get our products out there and raise awareness of the underrated (yet so delicious) Hot Dog.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pigmangoods.com
- Email: colin@pigmangoods.com
Image Credit:
Samantha Miles
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