About
Our Mission of Service
To provide an innovative and delicious breadth of protein products to satisfy our customers’ unique needs and challenges through safe and efficient processes and unrivaled, personable relationships.
Our Culture of Service
People-First Priority
At Branding Iron, we put others first with a true team mentality. This servant leadership style is in effect at every level, promoting an environment where together we strive to be better listeners and to do all we can to help the personal growth of others.
Honest Communication
Honesty is a true Branding Iron policy and that means total transparency. At Branding Iron, our yes means yes and our no means no. Should any issue or delay come to our attention, we bring it to our client’s attention immediately.
Proactively Improving
One of our greatest successes has been in pursuing inventive solutions in products and in production. We are always encouraging the sharing of ideas that can help us improve both what we do and how we do it because we know that great thinking produces great results.
Collaboration
While every company seeks to be set apart in their industry, it is truly the people of Branding Iron who make all the difference. Through total collaboration and a commitment to delivering the highest level of service, we are proud to have a team that works to do their very best to put our clients first.
Our Roots
The story begins in 1940 when Red Holten opened his first IGA. It wasn’t long until Red founded Holten Meats, inventing new ways to produce high quality burgers on a larger scale. In 1961, his son, Jim Holten, began his journey with the company, eventually becoming a partner and inventing new ways to create an even better burger.
First IGA – Granite City, Illinois
In 1971, a separate group of partners in Rochester, Minnesota, opened Rochester Meat Company. Over the next few decades, the company would expand multiple times including the creation of nearly two dozen distribution houses. In 1994, this group invents the Cloud Burger. Then, in 2003, Rochester Meat buys Huisken Meat in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota.
First Formax 26
In 2007, Holten makes its move and acquires Rochester Meats and Huisken Meat Company, combining the strength of all three companies into one. In 2013, this combined group became known as Branding Iron Holdings, Inc. Today, Branding Iron continues to expand its portfolio of products and provide center-of-the-plate protein solutions that customers love.
Our Beliefs
Respect. Integrity. Stewardship.
These are our three core values that drive everything we do and how we interact with everyone around us: coworkers, customers, clients and our partners. These servant leadership values are upheld at every level through our core beliefs.
Appreciation
We celebrate our diverse workforce through holiday celebrations, company picnics and recognition for wins company-wide.
Support
Focusing on the customer’s success and reputation is at the core of building our own success and reputation.
Loyalty
Fostering a culture that feels like a family creates lasting bonds and better results.
Integrity
Our integrity hinges on proactive communication, on-time delivery, product quality and consistency – “We say what we mean and we mean what we say.”
Partnership
Treating our customers as partners builds lasting relationships based on trust, loyalty and transparency. Truly performing as a partner requires us to deeply understand our customers and put their needs first.
Excellence
Excellence drives growth. We must constantly invest in ways to improve our people, processes, and products – “How can we be better today?”
