BRONX, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 21, 2025--
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Acquiring Golden Packing will allow Baldor to vertically integrate meat processing by combining its high-end sourcing with expert butchering while maintaining the brand’s reputation for excellent service and strength in logistics. This integration will expand Baldor’s selection of premium, portioned meats, offering its chef customers both labor savings and consolidation on product deliveries.
“For decades, our customers have trusted us for high-quality fresh food. Adding meat processing has been a part of our plan since we sold our first piece of protein,” says TJ Murphy, Owner & CEO of Baldor Specialty Foods. “With veteran meat guru Mark Pastore on the team, I knew it was the right time to move forward in the search for a partner. With Baldor’s sourcing, procurement, and delivery capabilities paired with Golden’s cutting and dry aging expertise, we will be scaling a cut shop that meets our customers’ growing needs around meat and bringing wheels to the great business Golden has already created.”
To support its growing protein category, Baldor has strengthened its team with key hires. Mark Pastore, who has more than three decades in the meat industry building programs for foodservice and retail including as President of Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors, joins as Vice President of Business Development, leading protein sales expansion and increasing Golden Meat Co.'s visibility on the East Coast. Kevin Lindgren, previously Director of Protein Merchandising at Baldor, will now serve as Director of Golden Meat Co., focusing on operations and integration. Baldor also welcomed John Winters DiMarco as Protein Business Development Manager, and Daniel Nguyen as Senior Protein Supply Planner.
“I’ve always loved Baldor’s focus on high-end products and service, and I was eager to build a meat brand here at that same level, with a premium portioned-steak program,” says Mark Pastore. “TJ and I immediately clicked, and when we walked into Golden for the first time, and saw their precision and service, we knew they were the right partners for us.”
Golden Packing’s legacy begins in the 1920s on Little West 12th Street in Manhattan—an area today known as the Meatpacking District. That business gained a second life in 2020, thanks to David Bernstein, a great-grandson of the original owner, and his co-founder Jerry Zwernemann. Bernstein and Zwernemann together have more than 60 years combined in the meat industry. Today, Golden has more than 150 customers, including many of the highest-end steakhouses in NYC.
The founders of Golden Packing will stay on—as will their staff of 35, including butchers and drivers—to operate the business and build out the Baldor offerings.
"Even with how large Baldor is, it doesn't feel like we are partnering with a corporation—it feels like a family. We have found a like-minded organization that is as committed to their customers as we are," says David Bernstein. "This is a great day for our business, and we are excited to see Golden's business accelerate as part of Baldor, with the opportunity to sell our meat up and down the Eastern Seaboard."
Golden Meat Co.’s sales will be processed through Baldor platforms with delivery through the company’s existing trucking operations. Baldor’s extended breadth of product offerings will be available to existing customers and previous Golden Packing customers will now have access to all of Baldor products.
“Baldor’s investment in Golden was inspired by our customers, hearing about the challenges caused by labor shortages and the difficulties getting high-quality center-of-plate ingredients,” says Benjamin Walker, Chief Revenue Officer. “It’s our goal to make our customers lives easier. And that means being able to deliver everything they need to succeed—from produce to dairy to grocery to the best meat in the world, sourced from premium Baldor partners, like DemKota, Joyce Farms and Niman Ranch—all on a single delivery. This is a big unlock for us and our customers. We can’t wait to see meat on every order.”
Golden Meat Co. product offerings will include a full line of meats both dry aged and fresh, prime and high choice, all custom cut and portioned to customers’ needs. In line with Baldor’s philosophy of sourcing, Golden will continue to expand its vendor partnerships with a focus on connecting customers with products from farms that prioritize flavor and humane raising of animals.
Golden Meat Co. has officially joined Baldor’s inventory lineup of over 6,000 items across produce, grocery, bakery, dairy, meat, poultry, and fish. Chefs interested in learning more about Baldor’s new premium-cut beef offerings can visit the About Golden Meat Co. page and the Golden Meat Co. products page on Baldor’s website.
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GULF BREEZE, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Isaias crashed into the U.S. Gulf Coast on Friday as a dangerous Category 2 storm, lashing communities in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle with damaging winds, heavy rain, flooding and life-threatening storm surge.
The first hurricane of the Atlantic season made landfall near Destin, Florida, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said. It had maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (169 kph). The storm weakened to just below major hurricane status before it came ashore.
“The storm is here. Buckle down at this point. Don’t be getting out on the roads," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference, adding that flash flooding would be a hazard "throughout the region.”
Hurricane-force winds lashed the Gulf shoreline in the low-lying coastal area known for powdery white sand beaches that are dotted with vacation homes, waterfront bars and seafood shacks. Forecasters warned the conditions could also stir up tornadoes.
In Mobile, Alabama, officials reported downed trees and power lines, while Emerald Coast Utilities Authority, which serves parts of Florida, issued a boil-water notice for its customers.
More than 400,000 customers in Florida and Alabama were without power Friday evening, according to poweroutage.com.
Residents in Panama City, Florida, braved the rain while filling sandbags Friday to protect their houses.
“I mean, it’s just the nature of the beast. It’s Florida," said Corliss Stone, who works for the fire department.
One of the biggest concerns is a storm surge that could be as high as 6 to 9 feet (1.8 to 2.7 meters), according to the hurricane center. Places most at risk include Florida’s Pensacola Beach and the Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Anne Petzold, who lives with her husband in the Florida beach community of Gulf Breeze, said everyone in their neighborhood planned to ride out the storm. The couple installed hurricane shutters and picked up anything in their yard that could turn into a projectile.
“Everybody does what they can do, everybody asks if they need help — they ask for help, they offer help. All good,” she said. “It’s just another adventure.”
Dangerous conditions are expected throughout the western panhandle, southern Alabama and southern Mississippi, the National Hurricane Center said. Several counties announced mandatory evacuations while Mobile, Alabama, imposed a curfew beginning Friday evening until morning.
In a sign of how serious the warnings are, dozens of Waffle Houses in the Florida Panhandle were closed, according to the company's website. The beloved Southern breakfast chain is known for staying open through severe weather and often is a measuring stick of a storm’s severity.
Kelsei Frazier, a Florida-native living in Pace who is no stranger to hurricanes, knows all about the Waffle House Index.
“We joke because if Waffle House is still open, then you know it’s not a bad hurricane, but all the Waffle Houses that I know of within at least a normal range from us are closed,” said Frazier. “Which is a pretty big deal.”
DeSantis warned residents to expect power outages, gasoline shortages and closures of bridges and highways.
The state's National Guard deployed about 5,000 soldiers and airmen to help with the response, and search and rescue teams were ready to respond, while some prisons evacuated inmates.
Isaias is expected to weaken and be downgraded to a tropical storm by Saturday afternoon, the center said.
Still, heavy rain is forecast as it moves inland, with 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) or even more expected through the weekend from southern Alabama to southwestern Georgia.
Isaias, which is the first hurricane to hit the eastern U.S. since Milton tore up the Gulf Coast of Florida in 2024, also is expected to bring heavy rain and potential flooding to much of the Southeast over the weekend, and then to parts of the Midwest and Northeast into Monday.
The storm grounded most Friday flights at several Panhandle airports, including all flights into and out of Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, scrapped his plans to attend Saturday’s football game between the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He said he didn’t want to disrupt the emergency response.
Isaias was expected to miss the oil industry’s biggest hubs along the Gulf Coast, but fuel prices could rise if power outages shut down refineries for processing crude, industry experts said.
On Dauphin Island, a barrier island off the Alabama coast, Mayor Jeff Collier said he didn't expect major damage, “but at the same time, these things are very fickle and a little jog here or there, or some last-minute increase in strength — we just have to be prepared for the worst.”
Meanwhile in the Pacific, Hurricane Simon became a Category 2 storm on Friday and was expected to strengthen further before making landfall in Mexico this weekend.
Tropical Storm Rachel was also expected to bring heavy winds and rain to northern Mexico and Southern California over the weekend.
Megnien reported from Panama City, Florida, and Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. These Associated Press journalists also contributed: Seth Borenstein and Collin Binkley in Washington; Rio Yamat in Las Vegas; Gerald Herbert in Pensacola, Florida; Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; Sarah Raza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama; Laura Turbay in Little Rock, Arkansas; and Hallie Golden in Seattle.
This GOES-19 GeoColor satellite image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and taken at 1:06 p.m. EDT, Friday, Oct. 9 2026, shows Hurricane Isaias approaching the Gulf Coast of Alabama and Florida . (NOAA via AP)
People sit outside an evacuation shelter as Hurricane Isaias approaches Pensacola, Fla., Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Jim McKenzie looks out over an empty beach as the effects of Isaias keep beachgoers away on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, on Mon Louis Island, Ala.(AP Photo/Octavio Jones)
An American flag flaps in the wind generated by the effects of Isaias on an empty beach on Friday, Oct. 9, loom overhead on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, in Mon Louis Island, Ala. (AP Photo/Octavio Jones)
Shahar David, employee at Cafe Bistro, feeds his family before closing as Hurricane Isaias approaches Pensacola Beach, Fla., Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Jason Coffey boards up a convenience store at a gas station as Hurricane Isaias approaches Pensacola Beach, Fla., Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Residents pick up sandbags for storm preparation at the James Seals Jr. Parks & Recreation Center ahead of Hurricane Isaias' expected landfall along the Gulf Coast, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in Mobile, Ala. (AP Photo/Octavio Jones)
Marine flags flap in the wind generated by the effects of Isaias as a vehicle passes on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, in Dauphin Island, Ala. (AP Photo/Octavio Jones)
Surfers swim out to waves as Hurricane Isaias approaches Pensacola Beach, Fla., Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Silas Bowles, of Gulf Breeze, Fla. films the surf as Hurricane Isaias approaches Pensacola Beach, Fla., Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Mike Howard, foreground, and Joshua Brown board up Perdido Key Sports Bar as Hurricane Isaias approaches Perdido Key, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
People walk on the beach at sunset as Hurricane Isaias approaches Pensacola Beach, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Daniel and Brand Harp, of Lebanon Tenn., here on vacation, pack their belongings to evacuate in the morning as Hurricane Isaias approaches Pensacola Beach, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
This satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Isaias in the Gulf of Mexico, Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration via AP)
Larry Smith boards up his home with plywood ahead of Hurricane Isaias' expected landfall along the Gulf Coast in Dauphin Island, Alabama, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Octavio Jones)
