In the heart of Louisville, Kentucky, a savory revolution was born from an unexpected twist in a vegan kitchen. Stanley Chase III, the founder of Louisville Vegan Jerky Co., stumbled upon the idea of crafting cruelty-free jerky quite by accident. An unintentional overcooking incident transformed a BBQ soy protein recipe into the first delightful batch of vegan jerky.
Today, this vibrant city plays a central role in the brand's narrative, with its lively community and vegan-friendly eateries contributing to the essence of the jerky's unique flavors. Since its inception in 2012, Louisville Vegan Jerky Co. has been more than a business; it's a family-driven, independent venture. With a team of dedicated Louisvillians, they cook, pack, and ship their delectable, cruelty-free jerky worldwide.
Rooted in the spirit of Southern cuisine and enriched with contemporary flair, this vegan jerky proves that plant-based snacks can be bold, flavorful, and irresistibly good. Moreover, the company proudly sponsors Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana, embodying its commitment to fostering positive change within the community.
We asked Stanley a few questions about his journey, inspirations, and predictions for the future of the vegan food industry.
How did you become interested in vegan food?
SC: In 2003, I tried a vegan chicken nugget from MorningStar Farms that I bought from a local grocery store. My friends were all making fun of the idea of a fake chicken nugget, but I was intrigued by the idea. I started looking at some vegan food books and exploring ways to adjust recipes that I grew up with. My father wasn’t thrilled to see me swapping some of his meat and dairy ingredients from his favorite dishes, but eventually came around.
What challenges did you identify that drove you to co-found a company to address them?
SC: After about 10 years of eating vegan foods, I accidentally stumbled into the vegan jerky world after overcooking some vegan protein. I knew the vegan jerky world didn’t have many options at the time in retail, because I had been looking for one for years! I started packaging the jerky and selling it locally in Louisville 12 years ago. The challenges were pretty widespread as I had never in my life run a CPG company, but I just kept taking it one step at a time.
It may feel radical to consider, but it’s never felt that way to me. I’ve experienced thousands of situations over the last 20 years where someone has let the walls down and tried a vegan product, only to find they really like it.
Tell us about your team: Who’s on it, and how did you meet?
SC: The team at LVJCO is filled with people I’ve known for years. I've always tried to surround myself with positive, trustworthy people who have high standards. A lot of our team I consider family at this point and couldn’t imagine working with anyone else. The first employee I ever hired 12 years ago is still working with us, and many others have been with us since 2015. Even though I’m the founder, I’m grateful every day that I get to work side by side with these amazing people. Over the last few years, we’ve added a lot of key people to our operations side that I’ve learned a lot from. It’s been an amazing journey.
Where do you see the vegan industry headed in the future?
SC: I think about this question a lot, as I’m sure a lot of people do in my industry. My outlook is that veganism isn’t a club or a dietary trend. I know we need labels to help define organizations, but I think of it in a bit of a different way. I think vegan food is a reaction to an industry I can’t support (factory farming) and a foundational disruption to the way the world has been living for a very long time. It may feel radical to consider, but it’s never felt that way to me. I’ve experienced thousands of situations over the last 20 years where someone has let the walls down and tried a vegan product, only to find they really like it. I personally really enjoy the process of engaging in conversations with people who are new to the idea.
What does success look like to Louisville Vegan Jerky in the short term and long term?
SC: Success for this company would mean getting our jerky into wider distribution, and helping debunk the myths of vegan food being bland or boring. I believe so much in this product for three reasons. It’s shelf stable, has high protein and we have spent years perfecting taste and texture. A lot of vegan products aren’t as lucky as we are to have a product that ships so well. I’d love to grow our direct-to-consumer website sales significantly, and do more tasting events where people can try samples. We’d also really like to release some of the new and improved jerky products we’ve been tinkering with in our R&D kitchen. Exploring other types of jerky will be key to capturing the affection of other customers who like chewier textures.
Find out more about Louisville Vegan Jerky at lvjco.com. Are you a startup based in or looking to relocate to Kentucky? Keyhorse’s current quarterly investment cycle is open! Apply now.
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