Handout
Brett Christoffel grew up fishing and hunting and eating burgers, hot dogs, BBQ, baloney, and beef jerky. After realizing he loved a cow like a dog, he stopped eating meat in 2016.
The story of cattle raising holds a storied place in Texas history and an instrumental role in the molding of its identity, beginning with the Spanish Colonial era.
It’s not only a tale of incredible economic development but also a narrative that reflects the diverse cultures, traditions, and great personalities and families of Texas. Chief among them are the Burnetts, of course, and the legendary Four Sixes Ranch.
Texas is home to the “Beef Capital of the World,” not to mention the moniker closer to home, “Cowtown,” where the Fort Worth Stockyards are headquartered. There's more drinkin' that goes on down there than slaughterin' these days, but what it represents of the days gone by is unmistakable.
Well, there is an entrepreneur nearby who has a vision of his own. Brett Christoffel sees a day at hand that Texas — our Texas — will be the center of plant-based protein production.
“There's no reason we can't be between where we can grow on the earth … and I'm not talking about your standard road crops, but where you can grow on the earth as well as vertical farms, indoor farms, hydroponics, etc.,” says Christoffel. “I mean, there's limitless opportunities because any building can be converted into a grow for plants. It just depends on what's needed.
“And when it comes to producing of the proteins, there's just this huge opportunity. It's just that people don't necessarily see that.”
Be still your heart. This is not the result of any conspiracy from the horse-and-buggy migratory trends of the Berkeley Californians.
Christoffel, born and raised mostly in Dallas, is CEO of All Y’alls Foods based in the Denton County town of Cross Roads, population 1,744, according to 2020 census figures. Cross Roads is a mere 10 minutes or so south of Aubrey, the “Horse Capital of Texas.”
The state's movement toward clean energy and sustainability has increased significantly in recent years, Christoffel says, and that shift could lead to innovative, new forward thinking by consumers and business leaders in other sectors.
Plant-based protein production uses 10% of the land, fuel, and water required for its animal equivalent. And every Texan knows we must conserve our precious water more than ever."
“Here in Texas, we produce more petrochemicals than any other state,” he says. “But we also capture the most wind energy in the U.S. — 30%. And, amazingly, we are the second-largest solar energy producer in the U.S. There is more balance here than you might think. People are starting to think differently.”
Christoffel is admittedly an activist for both his business and the social and environmental impacts of a plant-based diet. His epiphany actually took place at the Fort Worth Zoo seven years ago. He and his wife were taking their stroll through when came to the elephants exhibit.
“It occurred to me instantly, and for the first time, that all animals are aware and present and don't want to die,” says Christoffel, whose previous career was in sales. “I don't know how I never really saw that before. I turned to my wife and said I am done eating animals, and that was that.”
He began to see cows as he did dogs and cats, he says.
Before this, the concept of a plant-based diet had been something akin to visit from Mr. Spock for Christoffel, who says, “I was the last guy in the world that you’d expect to become vegan.”
“I loved juicy burgers, pork chops, and everything else. I couldn't understand why anyone would remove animal products from their diet,” he says. “That didn't make sense to me. The first time I heard the term ‘meatless Mondays,’ I laughed out loud because I couldn't even think of a meatless snack.”
He studied the lifestyle, including attending seminars conducted by plant-based chef Matthew Kenney.
His conversion translated into health benefits, he says. Over a four-year period, beginning on that day at the zoo — which, as an aside, was followed by a stop for lunch at the vegan Spiral Diner on Magnolia — he lost more than 100 pounds, plus, he adds, “a peace I’ve never known before and a sense of connection with all living things.” He says he cured his own depression through diet alone.
Christoffel began experimenting with GMO-free whole soybean-based recipes in his home kitchen in 2017. In May of the next year, he launched his first product; It's Jerky Y'all, and with it, his company, All Y'alls Foods.
It's Jerky Y'all flavors today come in Prickly Pear Chipotle, Prickly Pear Teriyaki, Black Pepper & Sea Salt, and It's Big Crunchy Bacony Bits Y'all toppings.
“We launched [the bacon bits] in July of 2020 and within six months they hit the No. 1 meatless bacon on Amazon,” Christoffel says. “And they're our biggest seller to this day.”
Compared to beef jerky, he says, All Y’alls’ has more protein, calcium, iron, and magnesium and is full of fiber and phytonutrients. It has no or low sugar and sodium.
“Oh, and did I forget to mention that it has zero cholesterol? You're welcome.”
A portion of every sale goes to helping rescued animals at Rowdy Girl Sanctuary.
“We've got a new flavor coming out in a couple of months that you've never heard of. I say, never heard of because you never think of it with jerky. But it's fun and people who are trying to are, like, ‘this is amazing.’”
In addition to selling direct on the company website, It’s Jerky Y’all is in upwards of 400 stores, including 143 H-E-B grocery stores. Christoffel outsources manufacturing and distribution.
Christoffel has bootstrapped the enterprise, he says, though the company is currently looking to raise $1 million to ramp up operations.
“We just want to continue to release products, including jerky, with unique and bold flavors. Do we expect everyone to like everything? No, it's just not gonna happen. But for the most part we put out products that people enjoy, and we get a lot of feedback saying that they do.”