Mark Bianchetti, president of the People’s Choice Beef Jerky has seen the California-based business and the area around it change throughout his life. Nestled in the heart of downtown Los Angeles’ fashion district, People’s Choice has been a player in the specialty meat snacks industry for nearly a century. Continually expanding its presence, not only on the west coast but beyond, the company continues to work on growth and change in the snack space. In this episode of the MEAT+POULTRY podcast, Bianchetti shares his journey in leading the business, alongside his son Brian, and daughter, Sara ..read more

Over the last few years, Chomps has grown into a steady player in the meat snack space. One of the critical components of the brand’s success is the attention to detail in operations and finding the right partners to produce a quality product. For this episode of the MEAT+POULTRY podcast, we talk with Rashid Ali, co-chief executive officer and Zach Meyer, senior director of operations. During this discussion, Ali describes what it’s been like to watch Chomps grow and succeed with his co-founder Pete Maldonado. Meyer and Ali examine how the company determines the necessary elements to build new ..read more

Mike Drury remains focused and prepared to guide Greater Omaha Packing into its next chapters of meat processing. The president of Greater Omaha Packing Co. recently discussed with the MEAT+POULTRY podcast how the company would use a $20 million USDA grant through the Meat and Poultry Expansion Program (MPPEP). Drury stated how important the company’s location in Omaha, Neb., is for the success of its business as it fulfills orders for customers in the United States and around the world. Drury also shared how Greater Omaha Packing has adapted and helped its clients with any situation in the me ..read more

Sterling “Big Poppa” Ball always wants to push the level of barbecue flavors and tastes for people. The hall-of-fame pitmaster, who runs Big Poppa Smokers in California, recently chatted with MEAT+POULTRY to discuss what he’s seen on the barbecue landscape over the last few years and how his company teaches and promotes the art of low and slow cooking. The conversation starts with Ball explaining how his first business, Ernie Ball, a well-known guitar and strings company, helped inform what he tries to do with barbecue daily. Ball then describes what he enjoys about the process of grilling. La ..read more

In early 2022, MEAT+POULTRY published a story about three entrepreneurs who seized the opportunity to capitalize on America’s love for bacon. Elisa Lewis, her husband Camilo Velasquez and the couple’s friend and business partner, Dana Young, had a great run as co-owners of The Baconer, an Emeryville, Calif.-based premium bacon company. After its founding in 2016, the entrepreneurs saw exponential growth, thanks to the development of a high-quality product line, partnerships with key retailers and a brand-building campaign that garnered the company exposure on multiple mainstream ..read more

Mike Sloan, owner of Fulton and Herman Wurst Haus wants to give people hands-on experiences in the meat industry. He continues to develop sausage-making classes at his Hermann location and a new location in Fulton, Mo. That’s one of the reasons Sloan was the subject of this episode of the MEAT+POULTRY podcast.   Sloan describes what it’s been like taking on a second location and why he felt like it was the right time. During the interview, he discusses how he will bring on an established ⁠meat processor in Fulton⁠.   Next, Sloan explains how Hermann Wurst Haus works ..read more

The Irish Food Board, Bord Bia, recently kicked off its new campaign to bring more European beef and lamb into the United States. As promotional events and campaigns recently began in New York City, MEAT+POULTRY caught up with Henry Horkan, Bord Bia’s director of North America. Horkan shares the history of Irish cattle and how it’s grown into an important industry for Ireland. He then details the significance of the American market in this push to give consumers an international option. Horkan also explains the timeline for a three-year campaign and how it will help Bord Bia with its marketing ..read more

Earlier in 2022, Wholesome Foods Inc., in Shenandoah County, Va., was among the small to medium meat distributors who announced expansions to their slaughter facility and capacity. After hearing the news of the $1.2 million investment to upgrade operations, MEAT+POULTRY reached out to Wholesome for some insights on the new venture. For this podcast episode, MEAT+POULTRY talked about the expanded company portfolio with Wes Pence, president of Wholesome Foods. Pence describes what it took to partner with the county through Virginia’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) program ..read more

An Iowa-based startup is providing a different outlet for farmers and producers in Iowa and the rest of the country. Chop Local strives to be the online marketplace to connect small businesses with customers providing high quality meat. This episode of the MEAT+POULTRY podcast focuses on the Iowa-based company’s business strategy from the point of view of Mark Putney, director of business development. Putney explains the benefits of the platform for producers and how it can be a year-round outlet for them to sell their meat. He describes working with customers and farmers to ensure Chop Local ..read more

As IPPE gears up for another full event in 2023, Nath Morris, executive vice president of the show for USPOULTRY, shared plans for the industry’s annual gathering in Atlanta. During this episode of the MEAT+POULTRY podcast, Morris explains the essential planning and topics that USPOULTRY has been getting ready over the past few months. He also highlighted the importance of exhibitor participation and educational programs at the show including TECHTalks. Morris mentioned that international registrants have made a comeback at this year’s IPPE after travel restrictions and the Omicron variant spr ..read more