Legend in the North American meat industry passes away

 The first Canadian ever inducted into the North American Meat Institute Hall of Fame passed away on April 22, 2023 leaving a legacy that will be remembered for years to come.

Ralph Cator founded Cardinal Meat Specialists in 1966 after learning the butcher trade in his father’s retail butcher shop in Toronto. 

In 25 years at the helm, Cator turned Cardinal into one of this country’s leading suppliers of burgers, ribs and other products to restaurants, grocery retailers and the wholesale market.

 

 “Ralph was the first Canadian to ever serve as President of the North American Meat Processors (NAMP)”

Cator helped make Cardinal an industry leader known for its innovations.  Among his many accomplishments, Cator installed Canada’s first cryogenic freezer for burgers.  In 1986, Cardinal became the first company in the world to use the Tenderform patty forming equipment in food processing that produced a burger that was less processed and that has now become the industry standard.

In 1992, Cator was the first Canadian to ever serve as President of the North American Meat Processors (NAMP).  A few years later, he was given the NAMP Angus Award, its most prestigious honour.

“My father had many expressions he used to guide his life,” says Brent Cator, Ralph’s son who is now President and CEO of Cardinal.  He used to say, “no one of us is as smart as all of us”. And another I loved, “without a plan, any road will get you there.  You just may not like where you end up.”

After he retired from Cardinal, Cator went back to school to pursue his passion for photography and became an accredited photographer. 

 

Ralph Cator was 87 and died after a short illness.

Cardinal Meat Specialists has custom created a broad range of specialty products from burgers to fully cooked proteins servicing both retail and food service customers across Canada