What will Meateater buy next??

Just figured I would chime in here.

We are excited to join with MeatEater (I know from reading the post some of you may not like it). The decision wasn’t easy. We have poured the last 12 years of our lives into the business and I was unsure if I wanted to sell the company or not. After talking with MeatEater they insured me they wanted phelps to continue as the same business, use the same humor and continue on with the relationships we already have in place.

As we have grown I realized there are things we are good at and things that we are not good at. So it was nice to know the backend of the business will be taken care of by some of the best in the business.

We will be the same company moving forward. I have full control over call development, customer service, and everything else outward facing. We will provide even better service moving forward as we now have more time to help customers versus doing the books, inventory, etc...

The company still has my name on it, I’m proud of the company I have built and I promise to continue the same great support and designs we have been known for.
 
I’m thinking they might get into rifles next. Maybe through a partnership. I know they have one already, but I’m thinking they may expand the offering.
Fishing gear is probably on the agenda too.
 
JPhelps said:
Just figured I would chime in here.

We are excited to join with MeatEater (I know from reading the post some of you may not like it). The decision wasn’t easy. We have poured the last 12 years of our lives into the business and I was unsure if I wanted to sell the company or not. After talking with MeatEater they insured me they wanted phelps to continue as the same business, use the same humor and continue on with the relationships we already have in place.

As we have grown I realized there are things we are good at and things that we are not good at. So it was nice to know the backend of the business will be taken care of by some of the best in the business.

We will be the same company moving forward. I have full control over call development, customer service, and everything else outward facing. We will provide even better service moving forward as we now have more time to help customers versus doing the books, inventory, etc...

The company still has my name on it, I’m proud of the company I have built and I promise to continue the same great support and designs we have been known for.
Click to expand...

Congrats Jason. Your products have made a lot of memories, for a lot of folks. Best of luck as you charge ahead.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
JPhelps said:
Just figured I would chime in here.

We are excited to join with MeatEater (I know from reading the post some of you may not like it). The decision wasn’t easy. We have poured the last 12 years of our lives into the business and I was unsure if I wanted to sell the company or not. After talking with MeatEater they insured me they wanted phelps to continue as the same business, use the same humor and continue on with the relationships we already have in place.

As we have grown I realized there are things we are good at and things that we are not good at. So it was nice to know the backend of the business will be taken care of by some of the best in the business.

We will be the same company moving forward. I have full control over call development, customer service, and everything else outward facing. We will provide even better service moving forward as we now have more time to help customers versus doing the books, inventory, etc...

The company still has my name on it, I’m proud of the company I have built and I promise to continue the same great support and designs we have been known for.
Click to expand...

I wish more people would see the meateater acquisitions have been completely different than the bass pro/cabelas type mergers. All of the companies that are now under their wing seem to be smaller because they see value in the fact that they’re small businesses, often family owned and operated, and American made.

So the customer service and support are already there, and with the right people in the background taking care of the menial things like marketing, trade show expenses, etc, these guys are now going to have more time and money to invest in things like product development and support.

It’s really a win/win as a consumer if they do what they say they’re going to do- and I’m sure the likes of first lite, fhf, and now Phelps aren’t going to dive into something where they are going to be caught with their pants down from contractual language coming back to bite them.

And thanks to Jason for coming on here and saying that- I think it helps to hear it from the horses mouth. And congratulations as well!
 
The hunting industry is turning into a handful of corporate conglomerates owning everything. Not a fan of it. I'd rather support the little guys than knowing my money is going to someone else's bottom line. Good for Jason for getting paid, but I'm out on this one.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
JPhelps said:
Just figured I would chime in here.

We are excited to join with MeatEater (I know from reading the post some of you may not like it). The decision wasn’t easy. We have poured the last 12 years of our lives into the business and I was unsure if I wanted to sell the company or not. After talking with MeatEater they insured me they wanted phelps to continue as the same business, use the same humor and continue on with the relationships we already have in place.

As we have grown I realized there are things we are good at and things that we are not good at. So it was nice to know the backend of the business will be taken care of by some of the best in the business.

We will be the same company moving forward. I have full control over call development, customer service, and everything else outward facing. We will provide even better service moving forward as we now have more time to help customers versus doing the books, inventory, etc...

The company still has my name on it, I’m proud of the company I have built and I promise to continue the same great support and designs we have been known for.
Click to expand...

ill tell you this from a dude who heard the same lines in education software. that will only hold true for so long, prepare yourself.
 
ODB said:
If you listen closely to Steve on the podcast, I think he is way more conservative than just about everyone else on the team. And I would predict voting-wise he lives in a split household.
Click to expand...
Agreed. Id bet he doesn't even vote in most elections though. Seems like the type that is so disenfranchised with the whole thing that he just hopes for the best.

Personally, I think Meat eater needs to hire someone to start a podcast about gardening and food preservation. Seems right up their alley and with the popularity of gardening and living off the land the last couple years, I'd bet it's a money maker. I wrote them about it, but they didn't seem overly excited about it.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 
1. I am glad Meat Eater is successful.

2. Capitalism is a great thing. Good on Rhinella for making money and using that buying power to grow his brand. Eventually, though, all brands become big and hated.

3. To those of you discussing BLM:

If you think that movement is about fighting racism, you are wrong, and just as brainwashed. Do some independent research on the founders of the organization and its ethos.
 
idcuda said:
Yeah, I liked these companies before they got gobbled up and I still do. I'm not overly optimistic, though, for all the reasons stated.

Small, private companies aren't beholden to anyone and I like that. It's almost comforting to think about FHF or Exo having no inventory for a short period. Those small companies "building stuff in their basements" is more appealing than a neverending supply of mass-produced Chinese crap.

I put the over/under on my enjoyment of the meateater brands at about 4 years. I hope I'm wrong.
Click to expand...
Great post.

I’m a huge fan of Rinella and what he’s done for the industry. The guy basically moved the entire industry from catering to high fence elites to the average DIY public land hunter. The growth of many of the companies listed can be directly tied to Rinella.

All that being said these deals always go the same way at some point. With the company looking for ways to increase profit at customer expense. There’s just no other way this goes. At some point in size Rinella will no longer be in charge. And they have to be getting close.
 
New Meateater episodes up on the Netflix as of yesterday. Looking forward to the moose hunt one.

still like his voice as much as anyone in the outdoor industry. Phelps deal is just another example of aligning with a good company under an umbrella. Things need to change as they grow. Maybe it goes off the rails at some point. I hope not. Steve seems to have struck a good balance of growth and Acquistions while preserving the essence of the brand.
 
ODB said:
Nooooo.

orange Aglow would be my next guess after they add some products to the lineup .
Click to expand...
I was actually thinking Stone Glacier as he's always rocking the packs, but I think they are becoming too big. Exo is still small/specialized.
 
Just seeing this thread now. are you all saying that meateater now owns First Lite, FHF and Phelps? I thought they were just sponsors of the show.
 
nnkboykin said:
Just seeing this thread now. are you all saying that meateater now owns First Lite, FHF and Phelps? I thought they were just sponsors of the show.
Click to expand...
OK. wow. just did some research and saw that they acquired FL in 2019. I had no idea. Big fan of both companies. maybe now I know why.
 
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