Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Goldfarb.
Hi Jenny, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
With no experience in the food sector or launching a company, I gave birth to this rapidly expanding business in my tiny kitchen while pregnant with my 3rd child. My great-grandfather, Morris Gross, immigrated from Romania to NYC in 1907 and worked his way up from dishwasher to owning and operating several NY delis.
Like so many of us, I grew up on the Standard American Diet (SAD) and in my early 30s, I learned about the plight of animals on factory farms, which led me to adopt a plant-based diet. After much trial and error, I became a whiz in the vegan kitchen and realized the thing I missed most was premium NY-style deli meat from my childhood growing up in my family’s delis. My corned beef made from beets, chickpeas, tomatoes, and high-protein grains was such a hit with my friends and non-veg family that they encouraged me to produce it for local delis. Not only did I land on the permanent menus of all the biggest delis in LA, whose menus haven’t been updated in 100+ years, but I also got the attention of Whole Foods which then landed me on Shark Tank where I took on Mark Cuban as my primary investor in 2019. At the top of 2020, things were looking good until the pandemic hit and restaurants, our main revenue source, shut down. Then my dad, our COO, was put on a ventilator for 28 days with a severe case of Covid. It didn’t look good. But making it through challenges is all about flexibility, so we pivoted into retail. Not only did Dad beat all odds, but our retail sales also shot through the roof! We then developed Roasted Turk’y followed by Steak Slices. We are now the country’s leading provider of premium vegan deli meat and can be found in thousands of restaurant and grocery locations nationwide with more stores and more products coming soon!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As I mentioned earlier, when my dad was battling for his life against a severe case of Covid, the days looked dark, but when your work is motivated by mission, it can make navigating the challenges somewhat clearer. At the beginning, I had to learn how to take my recipe from a home kitchen to a commercial kitchen – this literally took months of figuring out how to make up for the differences in the air that flows around an oven. Things you never would otherwise think about could hold a business up for months! The hard times happen still, but every challenge brings learning and a new reference point for what I’m capable of and what we’re able to get through as a company.
As you know, we’re big fans of Unreal Deli. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Unreal Deli makes the world’s most premium plant-based deli meat from whole veggies and protein-rich grains. This is meat from a (truly happy) farm, not a factory. Backed by 100+ years of NY deli history and Shark Tank’s Mark Cuban, our deli meats are now in thousands of nationwide grocery stores, old-school delis, sub shops & cool sandwich chains. I believe my authentic family deli history and Unreal Deli’s commitment to health and nutrition in addition to deliciousness is what got us voted the #1 Best Plant-Based Meat From Fast Food Chains by Thrillist’s Fasties Awards and listed by PETA, VegNews, and others as one of their top plant-based deli slices. Our meats are so delicious they regularly fool folks into thinking it’s “real” meat! Unreal Deli is committed to showing the world that the finest deli requires no compromise – of your health, the health of the planet, or our animal friends. Real deli meat, from plants – 100% plants, 1000% deli.
What does success mean to you?
On the macro scale – When there are no more slaughterhouses in operation. On the micro-scale – every person who orders our sandwiches to satisfy their nostalgic cravings is a win, a success for our planet, their health, and the animal lives they saved by choosing compassion and deliciousness.
Pricing:
- Our 5oz pre-sliced retail packs sell between $5.99-6.99 at retailers nationwide
- Order by the pound at Hannaford Supermarkets for $12.99/pound
Contact Info:
- Website: www.unrealdeli.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unrealdeli/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unrealdeli
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/UnrealDeli
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0mZQhyWZpxSDK8crZt1dmA
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/unrealdeli/
Image Credits
Factory photos: Hans Gutknecht Shark Tank: Courtesy of ABC
