<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1tXiTd_0lKCme4200" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1tXiTd_0lKCme4200" width="1920" height="1080" > WEIRTON, W.Va. (WTRF) — It may be called a coal miner’s lunch…but West Virginia’s sports fans haven’t had any trouble embracing it as their meal of choice. As March Madness begins, the Mountaineers’ exclusive pepperoni roll provider is ramping up production for hungry spectators. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> You may know it as your favorite gametime snack…or maybe just as the bread they throw during time outs. But what you may not know is that every Coliseum pepperoni roll’s journey starts the same way…84 miles away in a small Weirton factory. Barney’s Bakery on Park Drive is the home of WVU’s official pepperoni roll. They started off with local sales of cakes, cookies and other sweets. But it was when a friend tried their pepperoni roll that they realized how much their recipe was resonating. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"> He looked at me and he said, ‘you really don’t know what you have there.’ And I said, ‘it’s a pepperoni roll.’ And he goes, ‘but your roll is as good as anybody’s in the state.’ <cite> George Barney, President, Barney’s Bakery </cite></blockquote><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> And from there, the route from small-town bakery to statewide success was inevitable. Today you can find their rolls at Walmart, Sam’s, Costco, Kroger and of course, wherever the Mountaineer is. Their formula is even finding success far beyond our mountains. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"> I think the farthest we’ve had someone call us is from Louisiana, wanting to know if they were going to be on sale. <cite> George Barney, President, Barney’s Bakery </cite></blockquote> With the help of a small factory team, they have it down to a flaky science. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> They’re expecting to make three million for distribution this year alone. We asked for the secret to a good roll, and all they would say is…you have to know dough. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"> They’re guillotine cut on the ends. So you don’t have that glob of dough, the dough isn’t folded on the ends, it’s guillotine cut, so you’re getting pepperoni from end to end. <cite> Mary Jo Barney, Vice President, Barney’s Bakery </cite></blockquote> So now that their kitchen creativity is achieving stadium success, how do they feel about representing one of West Virginia’s chief food exports? <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><blockquote class="wp-block-quote"> Sometimes I just look at it as my job, and she gets on me and says ‘you should be proud,’ and I am deep down, but…it’s just not me. <cite> George Barney, President, Barney’s Bakery </cite></blockquote> But the Barneys have every right to take a bow… They’ve earned their own footnote of West Virginia history, one that Gold and Blue Nation can see flying over the stands. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. <a href="https://www.wtrf.com" rel="nofollow"> For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTRF. </a><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate></div></body>

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WEIRTON, W.Va. (WTRF) — It may be called a coal miner’s lunch…but West Virginia’s sports fans haven’t had any trouble embracing it as their meal of choice. As March Madness begins, the Mountaineers’ exclusive pepperoni roll provider is ramping up production for hungry spectators. You may know it as your favorite gametime snack…or maybe just […]