For Lenny Lebovich, it all started with a steak. Not just any steak. It was that first bite that sparked the idea. With that steak, Lebovich, a former investment banker and securities analyst who helped expand Chicago’s oldest meat company and subsequently launched Sommers Organic, what is said to be the first USDA organic-certified beef brand, “realized that the fresh food industry can operate in the same way other consumer product companies do, led by consumer data, insights and trends. Within the beef industry, this has been nothing short of a revolution,” he adds.

That’s why he created Pre, a Chicago-based processor of premium, hand-trimmed, grass-fed and finished beef, available in 11 items, including steaks, ground beef and seasonal cuts (ribeye, filet, New York strip, top sirloin, ground beef 80-95% lean, chuck roast and burger patties).

At a Glance

Company Name: Pre
HQs: Chicago
Est.: 2015
Distribution: Midwest
Products: Beef products, including steak, ground beef and seasonal cuts, chuck roast and burger patties.
No. of Employees: 24

“Pre was built from the ground up as a premium ‘packaged fresh’ foods company dedicated to providing consumers exactly what they want, on their terms—products that consistently deliver on taste, health and transparency, while also instilling the confidence to choose and prepare them,” says Lebovich, founder and CEO.

Over the last couple of years, Pre has launched a host of new authentic products, including 1/3-pound hamburger patties, which, like all Pre beef, are sourced from nutrient-rich pastures in Australia and New Zealand.

Then, in March 2017, Pre unveiled a comprehensive brand refresh, followed by an up-to-date packaging and graphics redesign unveiled in June. Pre’s unique patent-pending packaging emphasizes taste appeal and highlights the dual-sided clear vacuum-sealed structure, offering 100% transparency.

“We were looking to elevate the consumer experience at shelf and on package. Pre’s proprietary packaging solves consumer issues around visibility of product in-store and handling and preparation challenges in-home, maximizing the likelihood of a uniquely positive experience and thereby engendering loyalty to the brand,” says Lebovich. “Since Pre was founded, we’ve been in a process of discovering how to most effectively tell consumers what we are and all that we offer. Packaging iterations are the result of honing our ability to optimally share Pre with consumers.”

Pre’s unique patent-pending packaging emphasizes taste appeal and highlights the dual-sided clear vacuum-sealed structure, offering 100% transparency.

Pre will continue to evolve to meet consumer needs and fill gaps in the fresh foods marketplace.

“In the short term, as Pre grows, we will continue to scale our sourcing, supply chain, processing and packaging,” adds Lebovich. “We’ll also continue to innovate as technologies around sustainable practices and packaging evolve, always providing the best for our consumers.”