Our Problem:

By 2019, the U.S. poultry industry looked much the same as it had for decades. Consolidated giants controlled the market through contracts that left farmers indebted, underpaid, and stripped of autonomy. The “tournament system” pitted grower against grower, rewarding only a few while most barely broke even.

For consumers, the choices were limited. Organic chicken existed, but it was fragmented, confusing, and often priced out of reach. Shoppers who demanded transparency, humane practices, and sustainability in other parts of the store found little of it in the meat aisle.

Retailers, meanwhile, carried poultry that sold but didn’t excite. Their categories were efficient but uninspired. There was no clear organic leader that could draw in new shoppers or grow the set.

Farmer Focus, then still gaining traction, had proven its farmer-first model could work. Sales were climbing, distribution expanding. But relative to the $22 billion poultry market, it was still small — and at risk of remaining a niche player.

The system was unsustainable. Farmers were walking away from generational farms. Consumers were frustrated by the gap between their values and what was available at shelf. Retailers were missing an opportunity to drive growth with a differentiated, trustworthy brand.

For Farmer Focus, the risk was real. Early wins could be wasted. If the brand failed to break through, larger players could outspend it, copy claims, and bury the farmer-first promise before it scaled.

Without bold action, the future of both the company — and the farmers depending on it — was at stake.