Richard W. Rodriguez
For Ben Rosenthal and Ashli Rosenthal Blumenfeld, leading Standard Meat Company isn’t just about continuing a family legacy — it’s about reimagining it for a new era.
“The company’s vision can’t be handed down from on high,” they say. “To take root, it has to emerge from what the company already is.”
As fourth-generation leaders of the Fort Worth-based business founded in 1935, the brother-and-sister team — Ben as CEO and co-president, Ashli as co-president — have transformed Standard Meat from a regional processor into a global innovator in protein processing, packaging, and food solutions.
After regaining full ownership from a corporate partner, they modernized the company through advanced technologies, new product categories, and expanded facilities. Their agility proved crucial during the pandemic when they pivoted to produce sustainable ice packs, making Standard Meat the largest protein supplier in that emerging market.
Today, the company operates five plants across North Texas, including the just-opened, next-generation facility in the Fort Worth Stockyards, employing more than 1,100 people.
Under their leadership, Standard Meat has doubled EBITDA in six years, fueled by reinvestment and innovation. Their purpose — “to inspire the connections and breakthroughs that feed our life” — reflects their belief in service, creativity, and community.