Olympia Provisions facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Olympia Provisions

Formerly	Olympic Provisions, OP Wurst
Industry	Charcuterie, restaurant
Founded	December 1, 2009 (2009-12-01) in Portland, United States
Founders	Elias Cairo Michelle Cairo Tyler Gaston Nate Tilden Martin Schwartz
Headquarters	123 Southeast 2nd Ave, Portland, Oregon , United States
Number of locations	5 restaurants, 1 production plant
Area served	United States
Products	Charcuterie, salami, sausages, cured meats, ham, bacon, pickles
Owners	Elias Cairo Michelle Cairo Nate Tilden Martin Schwartz

Olympia Provisions (formerly Olympic Provisions) is an American company based in Portland, Oregon. They are known for making special cured meats called charcuterie. They also own several restaurants.

How it Started and Grew

Olympia Provisions began in 2009. It was first called Olympic Provisions. It was Oregon's first USDA-approved salumeria. A salumeria is a place that makes and sells cured meats. Their first spot was small, about 900 square feet. It was inside the Olympic Cereal Mill building. There was also a restaurant attached to it.

The company was started by a group of friends. Elias Cairo, a chef, had the idea. He wanted to open a meat plant inside a restaurant. He teamed up with his sister Michelle, Nate Tilden, Martin Schwartz, and Tyler Gaston. Elias and Nate had worked together before at a restaurant called Castagna.

At first, they sold their special salami at farmers' markets and in their restaurant. People loved their products! Soon, they became very popular across the country. They needed more space to make their meats.

In 2011, Olympia Provisions opened a second restaurant. It also had a much bigger production area. This new facility was 4,000 square feet. But even that wasn't enough! By 2014, they moved to a huge 34,000 square foot building. This new building was just two blocks from their Southeast restaurant.

Today, Olympia Provisions sells its products in many places. You can find them at seventeen farmers' markets in the Pacific Northwest. Their meats are also sold in stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. Plus, they have a "Salami of the Month Club." This club sends their delicious salami to people in all fifty states!

Why the Name Changed

In 2014, the company got a legal letter. It was from the International Olympic Committee. This group owns the trademark for the word "Olympic." They wanted to protect their brand. They felt that "Olympic Provisions" was too similar to their name.

When the company first started, they did a name search. They checked if the name was already taken. But no trademark problems came up back then. The original name came from the Olympic Cereal Mill building. That's where their first restaurant was located.

After talking it over, the company made a deal. They agreed to slowly change their name. By 2015, they became "Olympia Provisions." This way, they could keep making their great meats.

Restaurants to Visit

The founders under the "Meat" sign at Olympic Provisions SE.

Exterior of Olympia Provisions Southeast, 2020

Olympia Provisions has two main restaurants in Portland. They are designed like European restaurants. They are called Olympia Provisions Southeast and Olympia Provisions Northwest.

The first restaurant opened in 2009. It is located at 107 SE Washington Street. This is in Southeast Portland. The second restaurant opened in 2011. You can find it at 1632 NW Thurman Street. This is in Northwest Portland.

In 2018, a manager named Jessica Hereth won an award. She was named one of the "Sommeliers of the Year." This was by Food and Wine magazine. A sommelier is an expert in wine.

Olympia Provisions Public House

In 2016, Olympia Provisions opened a new type of place. It was a small bar and restaurant called OP Wurst. It was located inside Pine Street Market. This spot focused on frankfurters, sausages, and beer. Later that year, another OP Wurst opened in Oregon City. It was at Oregon City Brewing.

In 2017, a third OP Wurst opened. This one was a stand-alone building. It was on Division Street in Southeast Portland. This location has an outdoor patio. They often host fun events there. In the winter, it even becomes a Christmas tree lot!

In 2018, OP Wurst changed its name. It became Olympia Provisions Public House. This was because customers didn't always know it was part of Olympia Provisions. The new menu is inspired by owner Elias Cairo's time in Switzerland.

Melty and Meaty Sandwich Eatery

On May 4, 2018, something yummy happened! Olympia Provisions teamed up with Tillamook Cheese. They opened a food truck together. It was in Pioneer Courthouse Square in Downtown Portland.

The truck sells six different kinds of grilled cheese sandwiches. They use Olympia Provisions' meats. And, of course, they use Tillamook's delicious cheeses!

The Cookbook

Olympia Provisions released its first cookbook in 2015. It was written by owner Elias Cairo. Meredith Erickson helped him write it. The book was published by Ten Speed Press.

The cookbook shares Elias Cairo's journey. It follows him through Switzerland. That's where he learned to make cured meats when he was young. The book includes recipes from their restaurants. It also has recipes from the meat plant. And it shares recipes from his time in Switzerland. The book is split into two parts. One part is all about meats. The other part has recipes from the Olympia Provisions restaurants.

Awards and Recognition

Olympia Provisions has won many awards. They have won fifteen Good Food Awards. For a while, they had won more than any other company!

They have also received other special awards:

• "Best American Charcuterie" Award from Bon Appetit magazine.
• "Cutting Edge Butcher Shop" Award from Food & Wine magazine.
• Sofi Award from the Specialty Food Association.

Here are some of the awards they have won over the years: