One of the oldest meat shops in the city is in the hands of new ownership - after operating as a family owned business for almost a century. We stopped by Smiling Meats shop today and spoke with Matthew Smiling and the new owners of the historical butcher shop. Jomarie Lanza has that story
After 95 years of business in the meat industry, the Smiling family made a decision to hand over its precious heirloom to new owners.
It was speculated that, after the passing of the late Winston Smiling, the founder and principal owner of the business, Smiling Meats would close down. However after paying a visit to the meat shop today, we encountered the new and outgoing owners, who spoke with us about the changes at Smiling Meats.
Matthew Smiling, Former owner of Smiling Meats
"The business itself is not closing down it's just changing ownership, and its business as usual just a different head will be running it now. The business has been in our family from 1928 when my grandfather opened up a stall at the old Belize city market, stall 13 and then my father moved to this location, 1986 and passed it on to me."
"There's some speculation that I'm selling out because of the passing of my father and I just want to clear that up and that's not true also because I've been in negotiation with Mr Campos since last year, and my father he knew about it gave me his blessing and said if that's what you want to do you know he's comfortable with it too so. It's something that's been going on for a while and we finally came to an agreement and we are here now."
With nearly a century of experience, perfecting the art of butchery, processing, and marketing their products, Smiling Meats stands as probably the oldest meat shop in the industry.
But in learning to adapt and withstand changes in the economy, at what point did the Smiling family decide that they were ready to throw in the towel and relinquish the reins?
Matthew Smiling, Former owner of Smiling Meats
"Before Covid we were doing okay but you know Covid came. And honestly, frankly I thought that after the government change that things would have looked better for us but honestly it got worse so I get to meet Mr Campos and he's not in the same position I am."
Jo- "And while your father was still alive, if I may ask, what was his initial reaction to you know, wanting to give somebody else the reins?"
Matthew Smiling, Former owner of Smiling Meats
"Well in conversation with him, he knew what I was going through here. There were a lot of stuff that we wanted to do and couldn't do, we lost a lot of business because of not being able to import. I use to do my own importation when I took over, I started that part of it."
"But since this new change of administration, Smiling Meats have been blocked out so that part of it is not there anymore."
Despite the many challenges faced within the last few years under Mathew Smiling's management, he is optimistic that bringing Smiling's brand under Campos's management might be their only hope in keeping Smiling's legacy alive, with little to no changes being made to their functions and products being sold.
Alyssa Majil, New manager/ Owner, Smiling Meats
"We are basically just changing management right so it's only the faces behind the owners that is changing. Staff, recipes, ingredients, processed meats, everything stays the same. It might even get better because everyone that knows Campus on 6th street knows that we are known for our competitive prices, so prices might even change, they might even be lowered you know. So I want the people to know that they can look forward to betterment or better stuff coming from Smiling, but nothing is changing, just our faces nothing smiling stays the same, the name staff, like I said ingredients, the recipes the process, everything stays the same."
It's a bittersweet moment for the Smiling family and Smiling Meats. A brand that has made its way into almost every Belizean household, every barbeque and bash over the past few decades.
And if you ask Mathew Smiling if he knew that this day would come where new owners would take over. He would tell you that it was far beyond his imagination after so many generations under their name.
Matthew Smiling, Former owner of Smiling Meats
"In negotiation with Mr Campos you know we are going to keep the workers, they're going to have the same products that I used to do also more because they have their own stuff too. I told him I have no problem with that, they're gonna keep our line, they're gonna keep the smiling brand and maybe if they wanna add that's up to them to add more."
Jo-
"Did you ever think that this day would come? That you would essentially hand over the reins to somebody who is not a relative of yours?
Matthew Smiling, Former owner of Smiling Meats
"Never."
Jo-
"And are you at peace with this transition?"
Matthew Smiling, Former owner of Smiling Meats
"Yes i am at peace, I am at peace."
Campos Meats now has full ownership of the Smiling Meats brand. That brand will remain, but will be manufactured and marketed by Campos Meats.
