Episode 509: Eugene Kang of Archer - San Bernardino, CA. Grass-Fed + Bold Flavors + Focus = Big [Holistic] Growth. The [Country] Archer [Jerky] Origin Story. One Bite Changed Their Lives [FOREVER].

How does a chance discovery of artisanal beef jerky at a roadside stand ignite a journey that leads to building a nationally recognized, nine-figure CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) powerhouse?

In this fascinating episode of the JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS Show, host Justin Bizzarro sits down with Eugene Kang, the visionary co-founder of Archer (formerly Country Archer). This is a masterclass in strategic growth, brand building, and the incredible power of seeing an opportunity where others see only a commodity.

Eugene shares his remarkable origin story, which began not in a culinary school, but on a road trip to the Grand Canyon. He recounts the moment he and his partner tasted an incredible, craft-made beef jerky and, driven by a blend of passion and curiosity, tracked down the 80-year-old butcher who was making it. Discover how they took a monumental leap of faith, getting a bank loan as college students to buy the small, family-owned co-packing business, armed with an entrepreneurial spirit inherited from Eugene's immigrant parents.

This is a story about the grueling, unglamorous, and absolutely essential work of scaling a business. Eugene details the pivotal first few years of learning the intricacies of USDA regulations, production planning, and the human element of manufacturing. He shares a powerful lesson about overcoming resistance to change, telling the story of investing in a state-of-the-art $60,000 slicer to increase efficiency, only to find his lead production manager—afraid of being replaced—refusing to use it.

The conversation is a blueprint for breaking into a hyper-competitive market. Eugene reveals the "Trojan horse" strategy that landed them their first major retail accounts: securing the official license for Huy Fong Sriracha during a national shortage, creating a unique product that no buyer could refuse. He also provides invaluable insights into the art of packaging, forecasting, and why his core leadership principle, learned from his father, is that your people are your greatest asset.

Tune in for an incredible story of how two college students transformed a small, private-label operation with eight employees into a national brand with over 200 team members, available in more than 25,000 stores. It's a must-listen for any entrepreneur who wants to understand the vision, grit, and humility it takes to build an empire.

 

IG: @archerjerky

Address: https://archerjerky.com/

 

Entrepreneur interested in being on the show: https://calendly.com/justin-bizzarro/podcast

 

Hosted By: Justin Ryan Bizzarro (IG: @justinbizzarro and LinkedIn: FOLLOW ME )

 

Who is Justin Ryan Bizzarro? – Justin Bizzarro is a serial food, restaurant, technology, media and marketing entrepreneur, who helped build a 24-year-old group of food and restaurant related businesses, he created with his father and business partners out of his family’s basement, in 1998. He is a highly desired business management, personal and athlete growth, free market, food diversity, and entrepreneurial leadership speaker. Justin’s expertise are in human growth, motivation, leadership and management development, health foods and beverages, global lean manufacturing facilities, vertically integrating businesses, food marketing and advertising, supply chain creation and management, direct to consumer fulfillment, transportation and distribution, personal brand building, restaurant development and construction, and entrepreneur acceleration. Justin received his BA in International Business and Management from Dickinson College, in 2002, and his MBA from University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, in 2014. He is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity in Leadership from Denver Seminary. His leadership and entrepreneur podcasts have positively impacted millions of people across the globe.

 

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Free Podcast.  No Advertisements.  The stories of Food, Beverage, Farming, Hospitality, and Nutrition Entrepreneurs and how their failures led to the successes in their lives and in their business.  What does the future have in store for the food, beverage, and nutrition entrepreneur?

 

JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS

Email: justin.bizzarro@gmail.com

Instagram: @justinandthefoodentrepreneurs ( #foodentrepreneurs )

 

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