CHICKEN MAN
Springfield entrepreneur Goldman G. Burnes’s newest product, Goldman’s
Gourmet Marinated Chicken Breast, hits area store shelves next week. The low-carb
precooked chicken breasts — which Burnes describes as “the ultimate in palatable
delight” — join a family of products that includes his popular line of sauces.
Cub Foods will be the first here to carry the chicken breasts, starting April
22. Burnes says it took three years to get the chicken to market. “No one knows
what it takes to see a product through,” he says. “It’s a tough thing.” Goldman’s
Gourmet, which employs 10 locally, also plans to introduce a wing sauce and
beer-and-brats mustard. And the company’s busily working on other precooked
entrées.
The youngest son in a family of 18 kids, Burnes launched his company in 1995,
and within a few years, he was recognized by the Greater Springfield Chamber
of Commerce as Minority Small Business Owner of the Year. A few business setbacks
followed, but Burnes, 48, says he never lost confidence. It was a matter of
getting the right people aboard. “What makes the difference now in my business
is I have professional people here with me,” he says.
EAT AND MEET
While we’re on the subject of Cub Foods, the store at 2833 South Grand
Ave. E. hosts a cook-out to benefit Team Unity from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on
Saturday, April 17.
Team Unity is the youth council of Unity for Our Community. Rib eyes, bratwursts,
butterfly pork chop sandwiches will be sold. Deputy registrars will be present
to register voters.
This article appears in Apr 15-21, 2004.
