FOODSERVICE FOCUS Wahlburgers collaborated with ARKK Food Co. on its retail beef line that includes ground beef, patties and sliders and brick packs. sales records of the Wahlburgers fresh product, an indicator of what's to come, according to Peter Andoni, ARKK managing partner. COMBINED EFFORTS Chef Wahlberg summed up the partnership between the brothers and ARKK as best 24 represented by the mutual respect for what each can do. ARKK is known for offering quality and unique everyday food items and providing solutions for retailers who have identified voids in the markets or challenges within their product offering. At the Los Angeles opening of Wahlburgers, ARKK's leadership saw first-hand the popularity and impact of the Wahlberg and Wahlburgers brands, complete with fans 300 people deep waiting in anticipation for the Wahlberg clan to open the new restaurant. "We discussed with Mark and Donnie Wahlberg the opportunity to take the brand to retail," Andoni says. "Together we were able to bring our credibility and reliability as a vendor for the world's largest and mostrespected retailers to partner with the power and branding of Wahlburgers and the Wahlberg brothers. The power of the Wahlburgers brand and the collective Wahlberg's social following helped the product take off from Day 1." Based on the success of the initial launch MEAT+ POULTRY | 04.19 | www.meatpoultry.com 022_MP_Apr19_Wahlburger.indd 24 4/9/2019 9:37:07 AMhttp://www.meatpoultry.com http://www.pattypaper.com