Our history
In 1955, Gus Barber started out with one employee, a sharp butcher knife and an old truck. From a humble 1,000 square foot facility, Gus worked hard to deliver high quality boned beef to restaurants and markets in Portland, Maine.
Growing to meet demand
When a local grocer wanted to sell cut-up chicken but was short on labor, Gus saw an opportunity. This move proved so successful Gus changed the company name to Barber Beef & Poultry.
Cooking up new ideas
As the competition turned boned beef and cut chicken into commodity items, Barber responded with innovative customer-pleasing products. In 1965, we introduced portion-controlled chicken breasts and chicken nuggets. We also became the first company to offer stuffed chicken entrees like Chicken Cordon Bleu and Chicken Kiev.
Still in the family
While Gus passed away in 2008, Barber Foods remains an independent, family-owned company with his children Steve, Julie, David and Kathy as owners and trustees. They’re joined by more than 700 associates from around 61 different nations – working in a state-of-the-art 150,000+ square foot production facility. Together, we are proud to develop and deliver great tasting products that are real people pleasers.
Key Executives
Bruce Wagner - CEO
David Barber - EVP
Vicki Mann - CFO
Mark Dvorozniak - VP Brand Marketing
Cindy Talbot - VP Human Resources