Pap's Beef Jerky expands with first Louisville production plant

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Pap’s Beef Jerky is preparing for the grand opening of the local company’s first production plant.

Jim Richardson started Pap’s Beef Jerky in 2012, and he’s now thrilled to finally make his own jerky in house. The warehouse off Crittenden Drive near the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport will be the distribution hub for the jerky along with two brands of potato chips: Spudz and Grippo’s. But the location will also house the company’s first jerky plant.

“That’s exciting! What part of that isn’t exciting?!" Richardson said. "Every company desires to see their company grow, and we feel like we can, and we are."

Along with Pap’s Mild, Hot and Pitmasters flavors, the company partnered with Cincinnati-based Grippo’s to make a barbecue flavored jerky.

“With the opportunity to partner with Grippo’s on the beef jerky, it’s been amazing," said John Good, founder of Spudz. "We’ve really seen huge growth on the beef jerky side."

Good and Richardson teamed up a few years ago to create Derby City Distribution, the company that delivers the jerky and potato chips to store shelves locally and across the country. They are also the sole distributor of Grippo’s for the region and have the rights to use the Grippo’s season for their collaboration jerky.

The momentum is fueling the demand for more snacks and the need for more space. It took a couple of years to find the right property, but Good and Richardson agreed on the warehouse location near the airport late last year. And the majority of the work transforming the space and building the plant has happened in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pap’s is on target to sell 1 million units of jerky this year, and the new plant allows the company to make their product locally.

“We wanted to control it from start to finish, and this property allowed us to," Richardson said. "We’re making some good beef jerky right here in Louisville."

It also allows the company the opportunity for even more growth in the future with new products and packaging for Pap’s and Spudz. The team plans to hire more employees eventually as well.

There will be a grand opening ceremony Nov. 19 for the new plant.