________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
relationships focused on mutually profitable growth . We find that genuinely listening to customers and trusting one another leads to a solution that achieves their targeted margins while also meeting our profit expectations .”
Boosting production capacity
In terms of facilities , Stampede occupies four sites in the Chicago area with a combined size of approximately 285,000 square feet and a production capacity in excess of 350 million pounds annually . “ The business grew up in the Chicago market , but five years ago , the leadership team recognized the emerging need for us to supply sous vide products for both retail and foodservice customers across North America ,” Brock explains . “ To achieve such growth , we built a significant , 142,000-square-foot facility in New Mexico , marking our first facility outside of Illinois and boosting our annual production capacity by 100 million pounds .
“ We ’ ve also established partnerships in Georgia and Canada to provide a full North American platform solution for both existing and new customers . We ’ re currently finalizing our investment in sous vide cook in Canada , which will allow us to better serve North America customers without the risk of complicated border crossings .”
Investing in people
Stampede is also passionate about its employees , with several initiatives to promote a positive working culture and support personal development , such as its world-class butcher certification program , which celebrated its ten-year anniversary in 2023 . Encompassing a combination of education and hands-on work , the program helps employees develop a rich understanding of meat fundamentals and cutting techniques .
“ Our culture is based around three things : positivity , engagement , and fun , which all have one thing in common – clear expectations ,” Brock states . “ What we do isn ’ t necessarily unique , but how we do it is very much so . We believe in investing in our people at all levels of the organization , as adding knowledge , skills , and abilities to our team is central to our success .
“ I view the Stampede team as my second family ,” he reflects . “ Personally , I started in a leadership role within the industry at a young age , probably too young , so I had to rely on the knowledge , skills , and experience of those around me . While I certainly know more today than I did then , I believe that we are collectively wiser as a team than as individuals . Recognizing , accessing , and leveraging the collective knowledge and abilities of the full Stampede team is what makes being President and CEO of Stampede such a privilege .”
72