Standard Meat Co. Co-President and CEO Ben Rosenthal and Co-President Ashli Rosenthal Blumenfeld recently were honored as Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024 National Award winners, but entrepreneurial spirit is nothing new for the Fort Worth, Texas-based  processing operation.

In fact, it's a family tradition that the current generation of company leadership is proud to carry on.

From adopting automated processing solutions to maximize operational efficiency to reading consumer trends to inspire product innovation, Ben Rosenthal and Ashli Rosenthal Blumenfeld share insights on kindling the founding creativity and drive that continue to power growth for Standard Meat Co.       

How does a long-established business like Standard Meat Co. maintain its entrepreneurial spirit? 

Entrepreneurship is in our DNA, literally. It has been a family value through generations of Rosenthals. It was a big part of why we bought our corporate partner out some years back and restored primary family ownership. We did not want Standard Meat to get comfortable producing a limited range of products for a limited range of customers. No matter how big or successful we get, we want to go on being a platform business — one that fosters entrepreneurial innovation by constantly reimagining and creating out-of-the-box solutions for whatever our customers need next.

One great example is our SMICE project. A partner needed millions of ice packs annually but couldn't find an efficient solution, so we stepped in. We used insights from our years in commercial food processing to develop an almost fully automated ice production process, and then we established a facility right next to our partner’s distribution center. What started as an entrepreneurial solution for a single problem has now grown into a thriving ice division. And that’s just one example.

Entrepreneurship — investing in new ideas — is always risky, but at SMC, we know that standing in one place is a far greater risk.

What technical innovations has Standard Meat Co. embraced to help spur innovation? 

Our father, Billy Rosenthal, pioneered integrating automation into the business. He adapted a seafood processing technology from Iceland and applied it to red meat cutting in Texas, and that practice has since become an industry standard.

Today, we continue to push technological boundaries. For instance, we first tested sous vide tech back in 2012 and saw remarkable potential in the process. We partnered with a French manufacturer to design and install an industrial-scale platform and when one of our customers — a fast-food concept with thousands of locations but no in-kitchen grills — wanted to introduce a premium Wagyu burger, we were ready for the challenge. We leveraged that platform to create a pre-cooked Wagyu beef patty that could be produced at scale, shipped to all their locations, and reheated in their fryers. The result was a burger that earned critical acclaim, and redefined what was possible in fast-food innovation.

What role does buy-in from staff play in fostering Standard Meat Co.’s entrepreneurial drive? 

Our team is the lifeblood of our innovation. The best ideas rarely come from a single department — they’re the result of collaboration across operations, equipment innovation, engineering, culinary arts, and meat science. When we tap into this collective expertise, we achieve breakthroughs we could never accomplish alone. That’s why fostering buy-in and creating a culture where ideas flow freely are so essential to everything we do.

How have evolving consumer expectations for meat products influenced Standard Meat Co.’s growth and success? 

At SMC, we are 100% custom, with very few “off-the-shelf” offerings. We craft all our products through close collaboration with our foodservice partners, which allows us to evolve as their customers’ wants and needs change. For instance, we have the flexibility to source exactly what matters most to consumers, whether it’s antibiotic-free, hormone-free, or grass-fed beef, or specific premium cuts of steak.

Additionally, the growing appetite for chef-inspired products in the meal-kit space, coupled with the shifting labor landscape in the foodservice industry, has fueled demand for ready-to-eat / fully cooked products from our sous vide operations. Sous vide is now a main driver of growth at Standard Meat, and we are currently building our fifth and largest facility to keep up with that demand.

What emerging opportunities for meat products are shaping Standard Meat Co.’s growth plans? 

Consumer preferences are evolving toward sustainability, ethical sourcing, and convenience. With our expertise in sous vide and other value-added protein innovations, we’re uniquely positioned to meet those demands. Global and specialty markets also offer tremendous growth potential, allowing us to leverage our flexible sourcing and innovative processes. Combined with advancements in automation and technology, these opportunities are helping shape an exciting future for SMC.