What’s better than a burger topped with bacon? According to Three Jerks Jerky, it’s a burger made of bacon. The company that is known for making its beef jerky from 100 percent filet mignon is entering the gourmet burger market with the introduction of its Filet Mignon and Pork Belly Blend Burger.
The Pork Belly Blend Burger is the company’s take on the popular bacon burger. It’s made up of 60 percent beef filet and 40 percent pork belly. “We wanted to do our take on it – Three Jerks Jerky style – so we combined filet mignon and pork belly,” said Jordan Barrocas, co-owner of Three Jerks Jerky. “And it tastes great.”
The 12 packs of frozen, individually vacuum-sealed, 5-oz. burger patties will sell for $79.99 on the company’s website, www.threejerksjerky.com.
“The whole idea was to build on what we’ve done with the jerky, which is using filet mignon in an application that it’s not traditionally used in, and taking this special cut of meat that’s usually relegated to celebrations and special occasions and bringing it to everyday consumption,” Barrocas said. “It’s worked well with jerky and filet mignon makes for a great-tasting burger, too.”
Owners, Barrocas and Daniel Fogelson, came up with their gourmet jerky idea during an at-home cooking experiment. The idea for the filet mignon burgers came about in much the same way. “We used the same method to develop the burgers — make it, taste it, change it, taste it, like it, sell it,” Barrocas said.
A Kickstarter campaign jumpstarted the duo’s jerky business in the summer of 2013 and additional capital from Daymond John, one of the “sharks” from the ABC reality show, Shark Tank, helped them take their business to the next level. John invested $100,000 in Three Jerks Jerky for a 15 percent stake in the company. By the end of 2015, the company’s revenues were approaching $2 million.
In February, Three Jerks Jerky partnered with Rastelli Foods Group. The Swedesboro, New Jersey-based meat purveyor is sourcing all of the raw product for the jerky product. The jerky is then shipped to four co-packers the company is working with — two in California which Three Jerks has been working with since the start, and two more, in Michigan and Pennsylvania, that Rastelli helped connect them with.
Rastelli will be sourcing the raw material for the burger line, as well as handling packaging and distribution.
“It was a collaboration. We try to identify new revenue streams and product line extensions that make sense for our clients and their customers,” said Mike Carr, Rastelli Foods’ marketing director.
The burgers will be sold via the e-commerce channel initially, but there are plans to expand to wholesale and retail at a later date.
And the product ideas won’t stop with jerky and burgers — Three Jerks Jerky plans to keep expanding its product line. “Our plan is to take filet mignon off the pedestal,” Barrocas said. “We want to keep coming up with product ideas that will continue to bring it into everyday use.”
