Robert S. (Sy) Ginsberg
President and Co-Owner

Sy Ginsberg’s love of the food service industry began when he was a teenaged cook’s assistant at summer camp.  In 1960 he got his first job at Lou’s Deli near Marygrove College in Detroit.  By 1968, at the ripe age of 23, Sy owned his first deli restaurant, Mister Deli.  He later built another first class deli in the Detroit area, The Pickle Barrel. 

As a successful restaurateur, Sy saw a need in the wholesale meat industry for a top quality brand of corned beef.  Leaving the deli business behind, Sy set out to learn the wholesale meat business.  It was during this time that the recipe for Sy Ginsberg’s Corned Beef — which took over eight months to perfect — was born.

After the formation of United Meat & Deli in 1982, sales and production of Sy Ginsberg Corned Beef began to climb.  Today, UMD processes more than 30,000 pounds of raw meat per day into the best deli meats on the market.

Many deli newcomers, knowing of Sy’s reputation as a top-notch deli owner, consulted with Sy and asked him to share his experience.  Zingerman’s Delicatessen is an example of a restaurant that received advice and training from Sy before their first meal was served.  Sy continues as a deli consultant.

Scott Mendelsohn
Vice-President and Owner

When it comes to the foodservice industry, Scott has what it takes: experience and education.  Starting as a restaurant dishwasher at age 14, Scott soon moved to making bagels at a local Detroit establishment.  After holding a variety of restaurant jobs by the time he graduated from high school, Scott knew that the restaurant business was his destiny.

Scott attended the prestigious Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management school at Michigan State University, receiving his Bachelor of Science dgree in 1979.  His first post-graduation job was with the C.A. Muer Corporation, managing the famous Gandy Dancer restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan. 

After a few years, Scott decided to move into the wholesale end of the foodservice business, and promptly landed a job as a sales representative for a local foodservice distributor.  He later became the sales manager, staying with the company until he was recruited by UMD as a manager and partner.  He joined UMD in 1991.

At  UMD, Scott is responsible for all daily operations, with a special emphasis on customer service.