Meat&Poultry - February 2014 - 44

david fales

Wyoming Authentic Products is a
start-up meat company featuring
a 6,000-sq.-ft. plant with 10
employees in Cody, Wyo.

Trail blazing

way to honor and restore the heritage and quality values

Let's follow the trail this now 64-year-old Wyoming na-

that my family, my ancestors from the 1800's, and all the

tive has blazed since he earned his economics degree from

men and women who farmed and ranched in Wyoming

Brigham Young Univ. and MBA in marketing from the

through the generations by making their beefs the one the

Univ. of Southern Cal.

customer seeks out and actually buys," he says.

"I spent nine years in various positions, including work-

Fales is very conversant with the hard life of Wyoming

ing as the North America business management team

agriculture, recalling days when he fed cattle and deliv-

leader for Fresh Express bagged salads," Fales explains.

ered calves in sub-zero weather as a 4-H youngster on

"The company was able to add value to the simple head

his parent's place.

of lettuce by putting together the elements of high qual-

After working for three decades for large companies,

ity control, HACCP, value-packaging and convenience to

Fales and his wife began to tackle their dream of returning

become the industry leader."

to Wyoming and making something special of the meats

He also served as vice president for marketing and na-

from Wyoming. Three years ago they began what he re-

tional accounts for another industry standout, Colombo

fers to as "my most difficult undertaking and challenge."

Frozen Yogurt, in Boston and earned even more stripes

He was able to work with the Wyoming Business Coun-

as the group marketing manager for JR Simplot.

cil (WBC) to find a way to build a plant in that state that

"Simplot was big in french fries but was seeing a seri-

could ship its products nationwide, or even internation-

ous decline in volume of its key premium brand," Fales re-

ally. When a $1.2 million grant was obtained through the

calls. "When I talked to our foodservice customers, many

WBC and the state of Wyoming, Fales and his investors

had dropped this product because the company dropped

put up 10 percent of the money needed to build the facil-

the Idaho potato logo from the packaging and was buy-

ity and obtained a long-term lease to operate it.

ing potatoes from other states, as well. Customers told me

"I was able to get help and a state certification to use

they wanted the best 'Idaho' potato to be used for the fries

the Wyoming logo on the products," he says. "We test

they were buying."

marketed with 100 head of cattle in 2011 and the results

When he convinced the company to restore the highly

and the feedback were very good."

promoted Idaho logo and use a single area source, sales and

The Cody plant uses only certified antibiotic- and

margins started increasing again and he learned a valu-

hormone-free, Natural Angus beef from Wyoming cattle

able lesson about consumer trust of source verification.

slaughtered at a partnering plant, Double J Meats in Pierce,

"Having learned about what the customer really wants
from Los Angeles to Boston, I realized that there was a

44

Colo. The Cody facility produces a variety of products
including original, peppered and honey-flavored jerky,

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Meat&Poultry - February 2014

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