The snackmaker Archer is taking over the former Farmer John meatpacking plant in Vernon, saving the downtown Los Angeles plant targeted for demolition.
The plant closed two years ago when the former owner, Virginia-based Smithfield Foods, cited rising costs of doing business in California. The 30-acre site drew near-constant protests from anti-meat activists, putting a dent in its sales of hot dogs, bacon and other meat products.
Archer founder and CEO Eugene Kang said his San Bernardino-based company is leasing the 140,000-square-foot factory from California-based Ruiz Foods, tearing out old equipment left behind by Farmer John and replacing it with new machinery that will make beef jerky and meat sticks.
Beef jerky is traditionally made from dried whole cuts of muscle meat and then dehydrated. Meat sticks are made with beef, but are described by Kang as an “elevated Slim Jim” made with grass-fed beef and no artificial ingredients. The sticks are similar to a sausage, but smaller in diameter and designed for on-the-go eating.
Also see: More protests planned at Farmer John slaughterhouse in Vernon despite plan to close
Kang, who started his snack business in 2011, said he plans to hire 200 workers at the Soto Street factory in September.
Fifteen years ago, Kang said he first got hooked on beef jerky and meat sticks while driving on a sightseeing trip to the Grand Canyon in Kingman, Arizona.
During that trip, the then-21-year-old saw a billboard alongside Interstate 40 that lured him to exit the freeway to taste beef jerky at a roadside stand. The stand operator used a formula from Charlie Mirachi, a small meat snack maker in Grand Terrace, who had roots selling the product in Costa Mesa.
“It’s softer and more tender than most beef jerky. It feels more premium than a Slim Jim (a rival) because of the natural ingredients we use,” said Kang, who ended up buying the formula and Mirachi’s tiny business as the entrepreneur was approaching his 80s and had no succession plan in place.
Today, the San Bernardino-based company forecasts $300 million in sales this year, and more than $500 million in sales over the next 18 months with the Vernon factory fueling the expansion, according to Kang.
The company has undergone lots of changes in recent months.
In March, the business changed its name to Archer from Country Archer Provisions, and last month announced its sponsorship of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kang said it was coincidence that he got the sponsorship with the Dodgers, and the factory once run by the former Farmer John — which left a void in the market with its Dodger Dogs when it departed California.
Papa Cantella’s is the new supplier of Dodger Dogs at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers announced in 2021 that they were no longer sourcing the dogs from Farmer John, which had supplied them for half-a-century.
“It’s a pinch-me moment,” said Kang, who is an avid fan of the Dodgers and lives in East Los Angeles.
Archer’s meat snacks are sold nationwide in more than 30,000 retailers — including grocers like Albertsons, Costco, Kroger, Safeway, Sprouts, Target, Walmart and Whole Foods. A one-ounce meat stick costs about $2.49 while a 2.5-ounce bag of beef jerky can range from $6.99 to $7.99, Kang said.
The Vernon plant and its associated hog-production farm were once the target of weekly vigils organized by the Animal Alliance Network, protesting the treatment of baby pigs raised in cramped conditions until they are loaded on trucks bound for the slaughterhouse. The Vernon plant once employed 1,800 workers.
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Target, Best Buy warn consumers of tariff price hikes Slack messaging platform down as users report service outage San Bernardino-based Archer, a meat snack food manufacturer, is taking over the old Farmer John meat-packing factory in Vernon. The company plans to reopen the facility in Sept. and hire 200 workers. The facility is currently being renovated. (Photo by Pascal Shirley) San Bernardino-based Archer, a meat snack food manufacturer, is taking over the old Farmer John meat-packing factory in Vernon. The company plans to reopen the facility in Sept. and hire 200 workers. The facility is currently being renovated. (Photo by Pascal Shirley) Show Caption1 of 2San Bernardino-based Archer, a meat snack food manufacturer, is taking over the old Farmer John meat-packing factory in Vernon. The company plans to reopen the facility in Sept. and hire 200 workers. The facility is currently being renovated. (Photo by Pascal Shirley) Expand Read More Details
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