About

Our CEO, Richard Halenda’s parents, Michael and Doreen Halenda opened Halenda’s in 1979 in Oshawa, Ontario at a flea market on Toronto St. Formally M&D Meats – which has always stood for Michael & Doreen or Mom & Dad depending on how you look at it.

Richard’s parents appreciated good quality Ukrainian food and they saw a gap in the market in Oshawa. Local delis were expensive and the quality wasn’t up to their standard. So they created a product that they could be proud to serve their family and Oshawa ate it up!

All five of Michael & Doreen’s children came out to help them in the early days and have always been proud to be part of Halenda’s story. Now, Richard Halenda is the CEO and continues on with the legacy!

Since then, our family recipe has taken home many awards over the years, which is no surprise, it is delicious!

The quality of Halenda’s meat offerings and services is rooted in a family tradition that reaches back more than 65 years.

Michael Halenda, the founder of Halenda’s Meats, grew up in Ukraine in a tradition of both living off the land and understanding the importance and value of the family and community.

Arriving in Canada, he started and ran the family business together with friends and family who understood the meaning of hard work, loyalty and innovation.

The company has never strayed from these core values, and today they are carried on by second, third and fourth generations of Halenda’s.

Now we have generations of Halenda’s running our company on a day-to-day basis!

Our products are truly from our family to yours.