Primal Eats owner welcomes opportunities to share the ‘amazing fruits of the church’
By Jeff Kurowski | On Mission
Scott Follett, founder and owner of Primal Eats, says out loud what many people likely think when visiting the barbecue restaurant at 14109 County Road VV in Gillett.
“We’re out in the middle of nowhere and people come,” said Follett. “God has blessed us.”
The Follett family’s faith is on display at the Primal Eats complex, which, in addition to the restaurant, includes a hunting range, as well as food manufacturing and catering facilities. Faith-based books are also available for purchase, including “The Timeout Papers, Teaching Children to Learn and Grow from Their Mistakes,” written by Sally Follett, Scott’s wife, and the works of Fr. Edward Looney, pastor at Sacred Heart Parish, Shawano, and priest celebrant at St. Martin of Tours Parish in Cecil.
A ”Prayer to St. Lawrence” is featured adjacent to coolers filled with Primal Eats products.
“That’s the prayer that we read together,” said Follett. “Sally wrote it the first week we opened. We dedicated this place to St. Lawrence because he could be the only patron saint to comedians and barbecue restaurants. They were so upset that he gave the riches of the church to the poor that they wanted to torture him. They barbecued him. Lawrence has been a really good intercessor. Everything we’ve prayed for has come true. It’s so beautiful because we’re able to share the most amazing fruits of the church with people who come in.”
Primal Eats is a family business. Ethan, the eldest of the four Follett children, is the accountant. Isaac is the general manager. Simon works in the kitchen and in sales. Emma works in marketing with national and key accounts. All four were homeschooled by Sally until college.
“I taught them work ethic on the hunting ranch,” said their father. “We wanted them to grow up with a good work ethic and a sense of reaching out to others and promoting the Catholic faith.”
Follett explained how Primal Eats grew from their experience during winters in Texas. They own a 100-acre ranch along Onion Creek in Austin, about five miles from the Salt Lick BBQ, a renowned barbecue restaurant in Driftwood. Isaac learned how to make brisket from Aaron Franklin of Austin, whom Follett describes as the “most recognized smoker in the world.”
During COVID, the family returned to Wisconsin.
“Isaac perfected smoking meats. We opened up the gift shop and people were coming in,” said Follett. “We had an online store. Within a couple months, we thought, ‘How about a restaurant?’ We put up a tent for outdoor dining. The tent stayed up for a year. In winter, they had heaters. People were still stacked up to the street.”
Follett, an Appleton native, started in business at age 12 when he sold ice cream products, kept on dry ice, from his bicycle. At age 14, he began working for his father Robert’s business, Anchor Fish and Seafood, fileting fish and cleaning the warehouse. In 1983, he teamed up with his brother, Mark, to build Anchor Foods, a manufacturer and supplier of frozen food appetizers.
Scott and Sally met as seniors at Appleton West High School and wrote a 20-page marriage plan before graduation. The Follett home was built in the Gillett area in 1990.
“God has blessed us with everything,” said Follett, “except I wanted just two perfect children. I have four. It took us 10 years to fulfill that part of the plan. I think it was God’s way of telling me that it’s not my plan, it’s his plan.”
Barbecue isn’t the only thing Follett brought back from Texas. In the Lone Star State, they would bring a priest to the ranch on Sunday afternoons.
“When we got to Texas, we were the last ones to leave the narthex,” said Follett, a member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawano, and supporter of St. Martin of Tours Parish, Cecil. “The best way to meet people was to say, ‘Hey, we have a potluck this afternoon.’ Priests would come in and do a talk for the parents. The (religious) brothers would talk to the kids. Then we would play soccer and wrap it up with a rosary walk. The kids would learn to reach out in their faith.”
The offering has been somewhat replicated at Primal Eats. Four or five Sundays a year, they host “Keep the Sabbath Day Holy” with food and a Christian musician or band. Highlights from this year’s Sunday gatherings included singer/songwriter Franki Moscato performing a song about thanksgiving that was written by Sally. Filipino priests from the diocese also shared their singing talents.
“Any family, any parish can do this,” said Follett. “Pass along the word. ‘I’m going to smoke a pork butt, everybody, bring a dish to pass.’ Work to keep that day holy.”
Follett also gives back through support of the men’s shelter, SAM25, and the women’s shelter, Safe Haven, both in Shawano.
“We provide the ice cream. (Customers) give a freewill donation. One hundred percent of the donations go to the shelters,” said Follett. “Every couple months, we will find a $100 bill in the box.”
Follett hired a film crew to create a video about the services provided at SAM25 and Safe Haven, which plays continuously by the ice cream station to promote awareness..
Primal Eats, which will soon enter year four as a restaurant, started with seven products. The menu now features “like 71 items,” said Follett. Growth continues, including work on a new product line.
Follett credits his recruiter for “delivering about 70 employees.” He also points to the Holy Spirit.
“How do we find all these people? It blows me away,” said Follett. “I tell people, ‘God always puts the right person in the right place at the right time.’ I kid you not. That always happens. Someone walks in the door.”