Meat&Poultry -- April 2014 - 8

Commentary
BY BRYAN SAlvAge
bsalvage@sosland.com

Future looks bright for
Jensen Meat Co.
T

ime flies. It seems like yesterday when I
first toured Jensen Meat Co.'s grinding

Jensen Meat Co.'s new facility began
operating on July 11, 2013, in the Otay

plant in Vista, Calif., in the early 1990s.

Mesa Industrial Business Park of San

Bob Jensen, CEO at that time and son of

Diego several miles from Mexico's border.

company founder Reggie Jensen, led the

I toured this plant and interviewed Jensen's

tour. I first met Bob years earlier as he often

management team in early March.

attended the North American Meat

There was a lot to be impressed with,

Processors Association Management

but what impressed me the most was their

Meeting in Chicago each March -

confidence, "can do" yet humble attitude

and I regularly covered this meeting.
Before my first visit to his plant,
he and I were practically neighbors
for one year (1991-1992) as I lived
in nearby Oceanside, Calif., and was
freelance writing at the time. I visited

and the different business approaches
they've adopted.
"We're taking a different approach
and giving our team more responsibility
and freedom to make decisions to take the
business to that next level. It's impossible for

Jensen's Vista facility again during the

The new
Jensen Meat
Co. is now
poised to
build on past
sucesses
under new
ownership...

one executive to know everything in order

late 1990s to write another report on his

to make every decision," said Abel Olivera,

evolving production plant. Once again, Bob

Jensen Meat Co.'s COO. "Instead of going

hosted the tour.

through one person, each customer gets

Well, much has changed since then. Bob

involved with the Jensen team. Without this

sold his business in September 2011. In

team, the company wouldn't be the success

October 2013, he retired and as one former

it is today."

co-worker recently said - he sailed happily

It also became clear to me that Jensen's

into the sunset. The new Jensen Meat Co.

executive management team relishes

is now poised to build on past successes

meeting challenges and achieving success

under new ownership, new executive

together. The team says transparency in

management, a new business philosophy

the way they do business and their focus

and new brand revitalization program -

on producing the best-quality products are

plus its portfolio of high-quality products

their main points of differentiation from the

are now being manufactured in a new

competition.

processing plant.
Jensen's continuing success is now

As Olivera said during the interview,
"Stick close to us. Jensen Meats is a

being driven by members of its executive

company to watch in this industry. There

management team, many of whom are

are going to be a lot of new things coming

seasoned Jensen veterans and some of whom

up" - and I believe him. ■

were hired and mentored by Bob Jensen.
These folks are quoted in the cover story
and plant report appearing in this issue.

8

* Meat&Poultry * April 2014 * www.MeatPoultry.com
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Meat&Poultry -- April 2014

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