Meet Brian Bianchetti | Small Business Operator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brian Bianchetti and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brian, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?Our business doesn’t actually start with me, but with my great grandfather, John Bianchetti. He founded People’s Sausage Company in 1929 in the heart of Los Angeles. His motive was simple: support his young family by doing what he knew best — handcrafting meats. His vision was to build a neighborhood meat shop founded on honesty, hard work, and a commitment to his customers.

Today, at People’s Choice Beef jerky, we take great pride in our process. It is testament to our tradition. We have purposely retained the handmade element in each step of our beef jerky process. It is our way of preserving tradition, remembering our history, and ensuring the highest quality product.

Family is at the heart of our small business. Family extends beyond those that share our last name. It starts with our hardworking employees, includes our incredibly loyal and passionate customers, and extends to our local community. To me, work is not work when it’s for family.

Over the years, we have been able to reinvent our jerky products based on changing market trends while still retaining our identity. Our current line of natural-style beef jerky products is testament to this fact. Drawing inspiration from my great grandfather’s recipes and simple techniques, our beef jerky products are a direct representation of what makes us great — handmade, quality meats made for modern times.

What should our readers know about your business?
We have been handcrafting premium meats for over 90 years and four generations in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. We are one of the oldest beef jerky companies in the country. Our heritage, tradition, and dedication to quality inspire us to make the best quality beef jerky possible. Our products are made for those that appreciate things that are made with purpose.

There have been many challenges and learnings along the way.

One major lesson that informs much of our strategy is the idea that you can’t be all things, to all people. In other words, it’s more important to be loved by few than liked by many. There will always be people who don’t like or believe in your product, and that’s an important indicator that you are on the right path.

As an example, we employ an old-school style of jerky making. This means we do not use any artificial ingredients or overly process our jerky into submission. Instead, we dry our jerky a bit more than other companies. This keeps the jerky as natural as possible.

We don’t lean on fancy machinery, artificial ingredients, tricks or shortcuts. You’ll never find two pieces that look exactly the same, and this is how we like it. It’s the reason our jerky tastes like it was made in your kitchen, not in a factory. We believe jerky with a little variability between each piece is a good thing. It celebrates the all-natural, unprocessed nature of real food.

There are consumers out there who prefer a softer, moist-style jerky. They think our jerky is too dry. This is a completely valid and acceptable opinion to have. Our jerky just isn’t for them. There are, however, many consumers out there who love traditional jerky and will choose our product every day of the week.

I’ve come to respect this feedback because it serves as confirmation that we are staying true to our mission of delivering an old-fashioned style jerky. We do not add any additives or copious amounts of sugar to sweeten or soften our jerky. We are committed to created a tried & true, honest interpretation of jerky.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Los Angeles is a dynamic, vibrant, challenging, and rewarding city. For anyone visiting, it’s important to recalibrate traditional vacation expectations. It’s not a city built for sightseeing. It’s a great place to relax, eat amazing food, and take in the amazing weather and natural beauty.

As a long-term resident of the Eastside, most of the spots are Downtown and East.

I would start the day by heading over to Frogtown and walking along the LA River. First stop, coffee at La Colombe Coffee and a baked good from Just What I Kneaded. The Cinnamon Roll is incredible, but warning, you might want to rent a bike and log a few miles to burn off the calories. There are some off-the-beaten-path shops along the river that are worth exploring.

Grab a quick lunch at Clark Street in Echo Park or Bub & Grandma’s in Glassell Park. Post-lunch, head up the the Griffith Park Observatory for some great views of the city. You can hike, drive, or a combination of the two to summit the hill.

Feeling sporty? Head over to Los Feliz Golf Course for a quick round of pitch and putt golf. No experience required.

Ready to relax? Grab some beers at Highland Park Brewery in Chinatown. The best beer in town.

Finish with dinner at Bestia or Bavel in the Arts District. That is if you can get in!

It’s definitely a food heavy day, but you deserve it.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I like to say that we stand on the shoulders of those that have come before us.

As a multi-generational family business we have benefited from the hard work, ingenuity, and sacrifice of those from the previous generation. It is our responsibility, as stewards of the family business, to maintain that legacy by staying true to who we are while pushing into the future.

My father, Mark Bianchetti, has always said that relationships are the currency of success. A commitment to your craft and your customer will always yield success and we are living proof of that fact. It is the reason why we may not always do it the easy way, but we do it the right way. We hope that our success will validate the importance of this principle in today’s marketplace and serve as inspiration for other small businesses that do things the right way.

Website: https://peopleschoicebeefjerky.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pcbeefjerky/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-bianchetti-60354025/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pcbeefjerky

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeoplesChoiceBeefJerky/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/peoples-choice-beef-jerky-los-angeles

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb1mSIqzmysreekiOD-IDow

Image Credits
Victoria Wall Harris