The Nordlund family brings a taste of home to PGS Phase IV

Family is important. Keith Nordlund, operator technician at Basin Electric’s Pioneer Generation Station located in Williston, North Dakota, knows this very well. So, when his daughter showed an interest in baking, he didn’t think twice about encouraging her. What he didn’t know was that this decision would lead to starting a new business.

The Nordlund family are the proud owners of Nordlund Family Ranch LLC, a family-run food truck specializing in homemade food made with local ingredients. The family caters to local companies, county fairs, and construction companies such as Burns & McDonnell, the engineering and construction contractor for Pioneer Generation Station Phase IV (PGSIV). “When construction began, I knew there would be a lot of people from all over coming to work on this project. Many of them would be living in campers and hotels leaving their families back at home. Having spent many weeks and months working away from my home in the past, I know one thing every hardworking tradesman loves is homemade food.”

Recently, the Nordlunds were asked to cater meals for the crew’s monthly meetings held at PGSIV. “In past summers, we took our trailer out on Fridays to serve breakfast burritos and lunch to the workers. At the beginning of 2024, we asked for permission to come serve again,” Nordlund says. “At the next milestone we will serve the entire construction crew of over 400 workers.”

The business began humbly with a folding table and a canopy. “We started this endeavor as a way for my oldest daughter, Alyssa, to sell her homemade desserts,” Nordlund says. With the help of her family, Alyssa sold her goods at small fairs and farmers’ markets.

Their business soon began to evolve. As Nordlund’s two youngest kids got older and wanted to make money, the need for growth was apparent. They turned to an enclosed aluminum horse trailer, which was gutted, sterilized, and inspected to transform it into a serving trailer. The family was set up for success with electric steam tables, fridges, and freezers. In April, Nordlund Family Ranch LLC underwent an upgrade to a bona fide mobile food trailer complete with a grill, fryer, sandwich prep station, refrigeration unit, and steam tables. “We made the upgrade so that we could do more cooking onsite and cook a wider variety of foods,” Nordlund says. “It also allows us to serve fresher, higher quality food.”

What makes Nordlund Family Ranch LLC stand out is its values: family-run and locally grown. “All of our beef and pork products come from a neighbor who raises them and has them butchered at a USDA-inspected facility,” Nordlund says. “We try to source everything from local stores and avoid the big box stores as much as possible. It’s all raised within a mile from my house.”

Everyone plays a crucial part in the family business. “My wife, Brittney, does most of the shopping and sourcing of food and supplies as well as a lot of the food prep work,” Nordlund says. “Alyssa does all the desserts and most of the frozen breakfast burrito preparation and freezer meals. My youngest kids help mostly with the setup, serving of meals at location, and cleanup.” Nordlund himself undertakes most of the planning and cooking.

Starting their food trailer was a learning experience for the family. “We have went from helping young kids with a little stand and no real regulations to becoming a fully licensed, registered, and insured business,” Nordlund says. To crews working far away from family, Nordlund Family Ranch LLC offers a comforting taste of home.