From Market to Main Street: The Story of Rodyna

After 30 years in the corporate world, George and Liana took a leap of faith—transforming their careers by turning a lifelong love of food into a full-time venture. Both raised in European families, they grew up with a deep appreciation for cooking, sharing meals, and bringing people together.

“It started with our Chicken Wing Friday Nights,” they shared. “Every Friday, we’d try a different recipe.” What began as a fun weekly tradition soon grew into crafting sausages, perogies, and more.

“When we got the acceptance email from the Georgetown Farmers Market in 2023, we both cried,” said Liana. It was a moment of relief and validation—their bold decision to leave behind their careers felt supported by the very community they had always called home. “We were always regulars at the market,” she added. “We used to walk around and say, ‘We could do this!’”

Now, with their new retail location set to open in Downtown Georgetown later this summer, George and Liana are excited to expand their offerings. “We’ll be carrying some of our favourite products from fellow market vendors,” said George. “We know and trust them—they’re things we use in our own home.” Think of it as a mini farmers’ market you can visit any day of the week!

Every element of their business is rooted in the people and traditions that shaped them. “No matter how we grow, we’ll always hand-make everything,” said Liana. “There’s never going to be machines doing the work we do.” Inspired by George’s mom’s (Baba’s) perogies and Liana’s dad’s (Papa’s) sausages, their mission is to preserve the handmade, home-style food they grew up with—while mixing in new flavours to keep things exciting.

When asked what advice they’d give to other small businesses considering a market or retail launch, George said plainly: “Get all your paperwork in order!” Liana added, “Once that part’s done, the rest of the experience is so much easier and more enjoyable.” George also shared a key piece of wisdom: “Don’t overdo it. Start slow and build your brand before offering too many products.” In 2023, they began with just perogies, sausages, and sauerkraut—focusing on the process before expanding.

As for working as a married couple? They laughed: “Well, we’re still together!” They admit there are challenges, but staying grounded in their relationship outside of the business is what keeps them going. Their energy and synergy are part of what makes visiting them at the market so special. “We split the responsibilities,” said George, “but we always do it together.”

“Rodyna means family in Ukrainian,” George explained. “And 1973? That’s not when we started the business—but the year we were both born.” This isn’t just a company. It’s a lifetime of love, heritage, and food, shared from their family to yours.

You can visit Rodyna at the Georgetown Farmers Market every Saturday from June to October—and soon, year-round at their permanent shop in Downtown Georgetown, opening later this summer!

- Bethany