"I'm not going to tell Dannevirke people what they want, I want them to tell us," he said. "Everything will be made here using quality, superior meat sourced locally. The first of [farmer] John Heald's lambs have arrived and they're wonderful."
Tararua District Mayor Roly Ellis said it was fantastic to have a well-regarded butcher in town.
"These premises have been properly done up and this is a positive event after various shops have closed down in Dannevirke over the past year," he said.
And Mr Ellis, who admitted he "adored mutton hams", was delighted when Patricia assured him they'd be in stock.
The Shannons have made a huge financial commitment to set up the Meat Company Dannevirke branch, but John, who has been in the Tararua all his life, has come to know the good farmers who produce great meat.
"John Heald at Otope Rd is a guy with an absolute passion for his stock," he said.
"I spent a whole morning out with him looking at his stock and an afternoon with the Absoloms at Rissington Station looking at great beef. I'm keen on their Stabiliser cattle and they've got beautiful Angus. Butchery is my passion and if you're passionate about something you give it your best."
John said the visit to both farms was amazing.
Mr Heald's Primera lambs are bred specially for eating. "They're fantastic. His lambs sell in Marks and Spencer in London and you don't get your meat into there unless it's the best."
The Heald and Rissington stock are the result of working with Focus Genetics to breed the best for the market, an important aspect of delivering great meat to customers, John says.
"Butchers are a dying breed and I'm determined to help train some here in Dannevirke," he said.
"After my apprenticeship, I worked for nine years at Oringi freezing works and then owned Whariti Meats in Woodville for 21 years.
"When I left Oringi, Alex Cameron, an old butcher, gave me some good advice. For my first 12 years at Whariti I used his sausage recipe and I still use his brine recipe today. Now, I'm going to hand all that knowledge down to the next generation."
With his maple and coffee and hillbilly dry-cured bacon, as well as his ginger and garlic bacon, a recipe handed down from Pahiatua butcher Cliff Fergus, John hopes to give the next generation of butchers trained in Dannevirke his valuable recipes.
"Those things are being lost because there's not the old-style butchers around," he said.
On Saturday as people flocked to the smart, new premises for a free sausage tasting, there was enthusiasm at the prospect of a butchery opening once again on High St.
"It's exciting and good to have choices," Julie Davis said.
Gill Allardice said the sausages were beautiful, with a great taste, with her favourite the venison variety.
"These are all 90 per cent real, local meat," John said. "When you look at what's in other brands it's enough to make your toes curl."
Izzy Samuels was impressed with the new premises.
"It's fantastic, so lovely and bright," she said