Legacy Maker Farms officially launched following the acquisition and rebranding of Honey Creek Legacy by an investor group led by entrepreneur Steven Hershberger.
The Indiana-born business leader, who brings deep experience in food manufacturing and consumer packaged goods, will serve as CEO and president of the Fairmount, Indiana-based premium beef company.
“With this acquisition, we can deliver the quality experience of Legacy Maker products to a much larger customer base,” Hershberger said.
“At Legacy Maker Farms, we pledge to see ourselves as generational stewards of the land, the knife and the plate – and our commitment to the craft extends beyond remarkably good beef. Through the cultivation of absolute trust, a culture of care, the premium experience and enduring relationships, Legacy Maker Farms is set to bring a more intelligent, empathetic and innovative approach to serving our customers.”
Hershberger has led several technology, analytics and CPG-based manufacturing companies over his career and holds 13 U.S. patents in Internet of Things and decision science.
The rebranded company is positioning itself for growth across grocery, specialty retail, foodservice and direct-to-consumer channels. Key initiatives already underway include facility upgrades, enhanced customer support and AI-driven capabilities, as well as exclusive partnerships within media and food industries.
Central to the company’s go-to-market strategy is ELI, a predictive intelligence system developed by Sooth. ELI will guide Legacy Maker Farms’ marketing, product development and broader growth strategy. Ian Baer, founder and CEO of Sooth, will serve as the company’s CMO in a fractional capacity and as an advisor to its board of directors.
“Most companies develop products first, then position them as best they can, working from limited, often inaccurate data and hoping for the best. That’s a bad bet, and why most product marketing and new brand launches fail,” Baer said. “ELI flips the model. Every product and marketing decision Legacy Maker makes will be grounded in verified, predictive intelligence about what customers actually respond to.”
“Among food and beverage companies, there’s a traditional way of understanding the consumer. But Legacy Maker Farms is taking a different approach,” Hershberger said.
“ELI sits at the nexus between consumers’ hearts and wallets, providing powerful insight into their needs, wants and purchasing decisions. With our marketing, product and broader growth strategy all guided by ELI and Sooth, our goal is to reshape what it means to be a food and beverage company that serves both commercial and consumer customers.”
Legacy Maker Farms operates a 100 percent closed-loop agricultural operation that produces USDA Prime, all-natural beef. The sustainability model generates renewable natural gas serving Low Carbon Fuel Standard states across the U.S. and produces enough energy to power more than 5,000 homes and businesses. The operation keeps 200,000 tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere, diverts 128,000 tons of material waste from landfills and conserves 36.5 million gallons of wastewater annually. Products are available direct-to-consumer online and through select retail and restaurant partners.
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