Meat Company Acquires Vegan Brand Before the Butcher

This week, plant-based startup Before the Butcher announced its acquisition by private investors Gregg and Jeff Hamann—owners of meat brand Jensen Meat Company—for an undisclosed amount. The deal will give the vegan meat brand access to a $25 million line of credit, along with a 90,000 square-foot production facility and a cold storage warehouse. Before the Butcher was founded in 2017 by Danny O’Malley—who previously worked for vegan brand Beyond Meat—and is currently selling its plant-based grounds, shreds, and chunks in the foodservice sector. The brand also makes retail products, including vegan burgers in chicken, turkey, and beef varieties, under its Uncut brand which is sold in the meat section of grocery chain Bristol Farms in Yorba Linda, CA. “This acquisition validates our diversified product strategy and also gives us both the financial resources and the production capacity to support our strong growth forecasts,” O’Malley said. “It effectively turns us from a startup to a major player in the space.” By the end of summer, Before the Butcher aims to expand distribution of its Uncut vegan meat products to 3,000 retail locations of three major grocery chains.