Surry-based company devastated by fire presses on

Jan. 31--One year ago, fire broke out at Edwards Virginia Smokehouse in Surry. The inferno belched towering clouds of black smoke into a clear blue sky and destroyed almost everything -- offices, smokehouses and products.

Although the rebuilding process has been frustratingly slow, the fourth-generation family-owned company vows to press on.

"The road to rebuilding remains a long and uncertain one," said Sammy Edwards IV, son of company President Sam W. Edwards III.

The fire broke out Jan. 19, 2016, during the height of curing season, when pork is salted and then smoked before being aged for weeks or even years in red clapboard buildings.

Each year, the company shipped hams and specialty products across the country that included the signature Surryano -- richly marbled, melt-in-your-mouth slices of ham made from heirloom pigs finished on a diet of peanuts.

Chefs serve Edwards' pork at places like Husk Restaurant in Charleston, S.C., at chef Alice Waters' Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley, Calif., and Manhattan's Momofuku Ssäm Bar, named one of the top 50 restaurants in the world.

Just days before the fire, Edwards' products were featured on the "Today" show's "Stuff We Love" segment.

The company, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, has rebuilt office space and is working with co-packers to produce products to its specifications to supply some of the demand.

Several varieties of hams and sausages are available.

"While we lost all the Surryanos in the blaze, we got some down on salt pretty quickly and will have them available for both website and wholesale this September if all goes well," said Edwards' wholesale sales manager, Keith D. Roberts. "The last quality assurance we did on them was very promising."

However, a dispute with the insurance company and brokers over coverage of the loss has slowed the rebuilding process.

"The entire experience has been pretty surreal," Roberts said. "But like I've been saying, you can't keep a good ham man down."

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