Yellowknife (Jun 07/06) - Flash­frozen entrées, long lineups and free finger foods can only mean one thing - an M&M Meat Shops franchise has arrived in Yellowknife.

More than 400 people attended the grand opening of the store on Saturday at Stanton Plaza.

New franchise co-owner, Jeff Seabrook, said he is excited about the new venture.

"We felt that Yellowknife needed an alternative to what's being provided," he said.

M&M Meat Shops will offer more than 350 products ranging from bacon-wrapped filet mignon to apple pies, he said.

"It's for people on the go," said Seabrook.

Most of the products at M&M are flash-frozen so freezer space is essential, he said - especially with Yellowknife being inaccessible by road for a portion of the year.

The freezer takes up 600 square feet so there's room for extra inventory at different times of the year.

The store totals about 1,580 square feet.

"Staff have to be pretty resilient to go into a freezer that's constantly at -23 C," said Seabrook.

Quality customer service is another trait the 10 full- and part-time staff members will need, he added.

Training assistance for staff was provided as part of the franchise investment program.

A total investment of $320,000 is needed for each franchise according to the company's website. The grand opening created long lines throughout the day, but they didn't seem to deter customers.

"I'm very excited to get an M&M Meats in Yellowknife," said customer Shawnalee Redwood.

Bonita Hussey said she was enjoying the number of different options in the store. "It's a quick meal," she said.

An M&M franchise is something that fits well with the community, said Mark Pardee, director of franchising for M&M Meat Shops' western office. Pardee was on hand for the festivities.

"The new owners are so involved with the community and participating in different events," he said. "These guys will do well."

A fundraiser was held in conjunction with the grand opening.

M&M Meat Shops provided more than 1,000 hamburgers and hotdogs, which were sold by members of the Cops for Cancer ironman team.

A total of $3,441 was raised during the day