Opened in 1959, the factory has never left the hands of the Stawnichy family. Started by a father and son team, the son, Edward, took over the factory in 1971 and his daughter now mixes all of the spices used at the shop.
Visitors to the factory, which has a reputation for having the best Ukrainian sausage in all of Canada, can request a tour of the facility Tuesday through Thursday.
The Stawnichy family set up a non-profit foundation to oversee the construction of the 12,000 pound statue and accompanying tourism rest area in 2001 at a cost of about $120,000. Four years in the making, the statue, constructed of fiberglass, was made to withstand 160 km/h winds and is surrounded by four flags representing Canada, Alberta, Mundare, and the Stawnichy brand.
