DAVIS, Calif. — After spending nearly 40 years in the meat industry, Superior Farms senior sales representative Mehdi Shirazi has announced he will retire from the business at the end of the year.
"It's a really positive thing to start this new chapter," Shirazi said. "Superior Farms has been a great company to work for these past 14 years."
Shirazi started out in the meat industry out after graduating with a degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Wisconsin. He accepted a job at Sigmans Meat Company as a project engineer to build a data processing room, design a kill floor, and set labor standards for the company. Twenty years later he was the president and CEO, part owner and Chairman of the Board. "You name it — I was everything!" he jokes. He was actively involved at that time for the Colorado Meat Dealers, which later became the National Meat Association.
"When I became the owner and assumed a lot of responsibility, I just wanted to stick with it," he said. "We were the biggest processed meat company in the Colorado area, furnishing product to private labels, King Soopers, Safeway, Albertsons, Food Club and Top Co. I've grown up with most of the top management of the retailers. We have great relationships because we started out the same."
When Sigmans Meat was purchased by Heartland, Inc, Shirazi went to ConAgra for a year to run their portion control operation in Phoenix. He was offered a job to run Mountain Meadow sales operation. Superior Farms purchased Mountain Meadows in 2001.
"Mehdi is an industry icon. His knowledge, relationships and personal integrity are unsurpassed and his contribution to our company immense," said Executive Vice President Gary Pfeiffer, who has worked with him for 14 years. "Mehdi has been a mentor to me as well as many others both here at Superior Farms as well as throughout the meat industry. We're sad to see him go, but pleased to be able to celebrate such a wonderful team member and career."
Although he started as an engineer, his peers felt that Shirazi had talent in sales and marketing. Obviously, they were right. Shirazi was an integral part of the Superior Farms team that developed a national lamb and veal program for Kroger. "Kroger was my biggest project," he said. "To get 100 percent of their divisions, for me, was a big accomplishment."
Shirazi and his wife live in Arizona where he also moonlights as a volunteer Sheriff for the Maricopa Sheriff's Department. He's decided not to make any big plans until the year is up.
"I've got trips lined up with customers so they know that it's a positive thing. I want to make sure that the customers are happy," said Shirazi. "It's a wonderful and challenging industry. This has been a lot of fun!"
Superior Farms, founded in 1963 with headquarters in Davis, California, is North America's largest processor and marketer of lamb. The company is the recognized market leader in the retail and foodservice markets it serves, providing products and services to customers throughout the United States, Canada and more than 10 countries. The company has approximately 400 employee-owners at more than 5 facilities and offices. Superior Farms strives to operate with integrity, providing value to its rancher partners, and is committed to serve as stewards of the animals, land, and environment entrusted to it. More information is available at www.superiorfarms.com . @Superiorfarms @eatlamb
Source: Superior Farms