Producers Cooperative, there’s some people that are sixth generation, and what we get to do is rely on that wealth of experience, relationships of commitment to the business. When you’re working with Triumph Foods, you know that you’ve got people who they’re not here for the short term. They’re in it for the long run. The tough part about a commodity business is there will be storms, and when the wave comes in, it will wash away different elements that don’t have sturdy foundations, and the owners of Triumph Foods have withstood those waves, and so we can be here. And so we’ll have tough years, like there have been the last couple years on the production side. But then there’ll be some bumper crops, no different than grain farming or otherwise, and that consistent message of, we’re going to produce quality food, we’re going to make the commitments necessary to meet our consumers’ needs for the future, is what we really get out of those members. There’s been a lot of industry consolidation, and recently, Murphy Family Ventures has returned to independent production. What are your thoughts on this shift, and how do you see it influencing the broader pork industry? What’s interesting about the concept of consolidation for pork — I don’t think it’s right. This is going to sound funny. I know it goes against the grain but, when I came in, I joined this company in 2006, and since I’ve gotten here, you know, the Windom plant started up. Moon Ridge started up. Prestage independently built their facility. Clemens expanded their facility. And so tremendous competition. And when I think about the landscape of producers, same thing, and you know, so what’s funny is there ends up being sort of like a common superstition that this industry is really consolidated. All these people are really big, you can never enter into it. And I kind of remind myself, Bob started out with two bred gilts. It’s possible for the producers to come together and build this facility. So I start from a little bit different context. I think pork is extremely competitive, and I think that’s the part that has been the challenge. When you take a look at the values that are returning to processors and producers. They’ve been a decreasing share of the dollar over time. Murphy Family, another legend in the
business — I mean, the things that they did to revolutionize and improve the efficiency of pork production in the United States, and make us what we are in terms of a global export power — very significant. I think they’ll continue to make the industry more competitive. In the long run, I think the level of competition we have in the United States will continue to make us a leader for exports, because we’re constantly pushing to make sure that we get safer food produced at a better cost, more nutrition, longer shelf life, that consistent pressure for overall excellence, I think, is a tide that floats all boats. It’s a competitive landscape, and you still see great opportunities ahead. I remember a few days when it’s very early on thinking, okay, well, we got through today, that’s probably good, and then you find the well continues to get deeper. There’s new ways, there’s new cuts of meat, there’ll be new trends. And you know, today you could put bacon on anything, that really wasn’t the case when I first started in 2006. Bacon wasn’t just almost a condiment. I keep waiting. There’s a Japanese pork cutlet called tonkatsu. If you’ve had it, it’s delicious. You can get it anywhere when you’re in Tokyo, but you can’t get it here in the U.S. At some point in time, I’m certain, whether it’s Kansas City barbecue, Japanese tonkatsu or other forms of pork, the reason why it’s a number one meat worldwide will come home and demand will really take off, because it’s an excellent product. And that goes back to one day at a time. If we can continue to filter great products here, drive demand, and work together. Well, congratulations, Matt. I know you were recently named one of Ingram’s Magazine’s 250 most powerful business leaders. What does the recognition mean to you? And how do you believe it reflects on Triumph? We keep our heads down here at Triumph Foods. So when I think about that, and I appreciate the recognition, but as I think about our region and our influence, it’s a recognition of me. But really it’s a recognition of Triumph Foods and the Triumph team. I believe the reason for the recognition is the way in which we plug into the community and the commitment of team members, whether it’s the United Way or the Chamber, with business, this desire to really be an example
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