Standing Out In a Crowded Plant-Based Meat Market with Danny O'Malley

Pivot! A Vegan Business Interview Series

Danny O'Malley knew there was a demand for new plant-based proteins – and that he could be the one to create them. Following a brief stint at Beyond Foods, Danny started Before the Butcher, a plant-based meat brand that has become a category leader in flavor, variety and texture.

In this episode, learn how Danny O'Malley built the successful and profitable plant-based meat brand, Before the Butcher, by creating business relationships overlooked by his competitors. Danny shares how thinking creatively and outside of the box helped his brand compete with industry giants and come out on top.

Tune in for unique ways to break through the noise of a busy industry and find success for your vegan brand. You'll definitely be inspired by Danny's story and feel motivated to take action!

Get to know Danny O'Malley and Before the Butcher better here: https://www.btbfoods.com/

Quote

Be realistic about what you're doing, be conservative about what you're projecting, and how you think you're going to get there. Because it's always great to exceed your projections. But it's hard, very hard, very difficult and sometimes very damaging, to not to get to where you expected to go. So be conservative, be excited, but be passionate and show how important it is to [the people] who may be interested in consuming your product, how important it is to you —and it should be to them— that they try whatever it is that you have.

—Danny O'Malley

Shownotes timestamps

📈 [00:55] Inner workings of the business: how to stand out and run your business.

💡 [03:15] Ingredient or industrial style of business: working around big businesses and shipping direct.

🍀 [06:43] What inspired Danny to start his business: from food service industry to working with Beyond Meat and battles of plant-based meat analogues.

✅ [11:41] Education and consumer demand created in retailers’ minds: we need a plant-based protein.

🤩 [13:38] Give yourself a chance to get out there without the danger of exposing yourself too much: retail vs. food service.

🌟 [16:26] Building a product based on feedback: think about the best thing you can do for customers at a price that they can afford.

🤓 [18:11] How to get the products to the ultimate user: focusing on millennials and selling to tech companies.

🤔 [20:01] Danny thinks that the market is oversaturated now.

✨ [22:10] The importance of having the right partner: you need others to help you get out there.

🎯 [25:19] Danny wants to make a big change: targeting meat eaters as huge number of population to make bigger change.

🥘 [28:23] Lots of traditions revolve around the food: having an alternative can make that tradition stay alive.

✌️ [29:28] It's important to be passionate and excited about what you're doing, but also be conservative and realistic.

😋 [33:42] Before the the Butcher’s stick: Danny’s favorite vegan product.

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Thanks for listening to Pivot, our vegan business interview podcast. This is recorded as a live-streaming session, so I hope you’ll join us for future interviews as well! If you are feeling inspired but unsure of how to take actionable steps to improve your business, I invite you to explore our two premium paid podcasts, Going Solo and Fix It.