Welcome to
Jensen Meat

Where Great Taste Meats Integrity®

We provide the best looking …

Best cooking …

Best tasting ground beef products.

Learn More

ABOUT US

Since 1958

History

Jensen Meat Company, founded in 1958 by Reggie Jensen, is a leading processor of quality ground beef products for the Food Service Distribution, Restaurant, Retail and School markets. Our commitment is to provide the best looking, best cooking, and best-tasting ground beef products to our customers and consumers.

Philosophy

Jensen Meat Company does not cut steaks nor generate any fabricated trimmings from our operations. Our products are only made from raw materials that we choose to use and not from leftover scraps in our plant.

Motivation

Our raw materials are sourced out daily, ensuring quality and price competitive­ness. Our suppliers make available to us raw materials that are processed to Jensen Meat Company specifications. Product that does not meet our strict quality control standards is not accepted nor sold to our competitors.

Meet Us

Abel Olivera

C.E.O.

Abel Olivera

Abel Olivera

C.E.O.

Abel has been with the company since 2005 serving various positions from Operations Manager to Vice President of Operations, before being promoted to his current position.

He’s brought ample knowledge and discipline in planning, forecasting, streamlining and making the company more efficient. In his current position he manages all aspects of the business including planning, purchasing, logistics, inventory control and costing, pricing, production, quality assurance, customer service, sanitation and maintenance.

Olivera is a member of the North American Meat Association and serves in various industry committees.

Patricia Lavigne

Executive Vice President

Patricia Lavigne

Patricia Lavigne

Executive Vice President

Patricia has worked at Jensen Meat for over 15 years. She handles all executive accounts and manages our customer service team.

“Customer service can be a challenge in any industry, which is why it is important to be up to date and fully aware of everything going on in your industry.” She points out the attention to detail her staff exercises when dealing with customers. “Everyone is accountable. This is one of the most intelligent, steadfast group of individuals we have had here at Jensen. I am very excited to be working with such an amazing group of people.”

Patricia was born and raised in southern California and is married with three beautiful children.

Sam Acuña

C.F.O.

Sam Acuña

Sam Acuña

C.F.O.

Sam is a native of San Diego with over 25 years of combined experience in the food & beverage (Cantare Foods), pharmaceutical (Merck KGaA) and electronic (HP & Curtiss-Wright) industries; all in the manufacturing and food processing sector.

“What I learned in the manufacturing and processing environment is that it is essential to implement and maintain a reliable real-time system (ERP) in order to manage and project the business, especially when working with commodities where it reveals cost efficiencies within your production environment”.

Sam holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from SDSU.

Jeff M. Duran

V.P. of Logistics

Jeff M. Duran

Jeff M. Duran

V.P. of Logistics

Jeff has been employed with Jensen Meat Co. for 18 years and in the food manufacturing industry with companies such as Michael Angelo’s Gourmet Foods for a combined total of 26 years. Born and raised in Southern CA. Jeff attended and graduated from San Marcos High School.

Married for 25 years with one son. Relocated to Round Rock, TX (outside of Austin) for two years with previous employer, and moved back to Escondido CA. Job duties consist of overseeing all aspects of shipping and receiving, and logistics at Jensen Meat.

“In working in the food manufacturing industry I have learned that planning and preparation is essential in the overall efficiency and success of any company.”

He enjoys spending time with family, exercising, outdoor activities and staying physically active. Jeff is an avid sports fan and enjoys watching his San Diego Chargers.

Anthony Crivello

V.P. of Operations

Anthony Crivello

Anthony Crivello

V.P. of Operations

Anthony has been with Jensen Meat Company since 1987 (27 years). He was born and raised in San Diego and attended the University of San Diego.

“Since college the meat business is all I have ever known; from driving a truck, working in the warehouse, in production as production supervisor, as production manager in operations, as VP of Production, and now as VP of Operations.”

His duties at Jensen include food safety, planning, scheduling, research and development, and thinking of ways to increase quality and efficiency. The goal of his department is to efficiently produce a safe and high quality product, while keeping the employees happy, and most of all safe.

Edmundo Garcia

Senior Plant Manager

Edmundo Garcia

Edmundo Garcia

Senior Plant Manager

“I first started working with Jensen Meat as a meat packer in 1977, when the company mainly supplied local restaurants. I have served as a supervisor and now as production Manager.”

“Both Jensen Meat and the industry have changed a great deal since my first introduction; for example, our production capacity has gone from 500 pounds a day to almost 300,000 pounds a day with modern techniques and technology. But our commitment to quality and our clients has been the foundation of our success.”

“In my free time I enjoy spending time with my grandkids, and enjoying a good game.”

Javier J. Casanova

Director of Purchasing and Planning

Javier J. Casanova

Javier J. Casanova

Director of Purchasing and Planning

Javier has been in the industry for over 15 years with combined experience in food & beverage, and manufacturing. His journey started in the restaurant industry as a cook and later as a waiter. He moved to warehouse and inventory management in the gaming industry, semiconductor industry, and nursery. After a few years an opportunity arose to work in purchasing, and with this he got involved in planning (with Jensen) in food manufacturing.

Javier has always had a passion for food and, after being in different industries, has learned that the food industry is very stable and here to stay; since everybody needs food. All his experience was gained hands-on. He is a loving, proud husband and father of four (3 teenage girls and a 6 year old boy).

Jose C. Valencia Sr.

V.P. of Human Resources

Jose C. Valencia Sr.

Jose C. Valencia Sr.

V.P. of Human_Resources

“I have been in HR close to 27 years. I grew up in Tijuana, Mexico where I received my B.A. in Business Management.”

“In 1987 I moved to San Diego to pursue my MBA with emphasis in Finance. I have been in seven different industries (mostly manufacturing) from Aerospace to Shoes, to Golf and lately, for the past twelve years, in food manufacturing at Jensen Meat.”

“I have had the opportunity to see the growth and changes within the company. The last five years have been the best years here and also the most fun to be in a company and industry that challenges the economy; while the country was suffering, here at Jensen things were booming.”

“The values of the human resource department are very simple: Treat people with dignity and respect and make sure we value inclusion. My goal is to become the employer of choice here in Otay and maybe one of the best in San Diego.”

Alex Hamlin

Director of Food Service Sales
and Business Development

Alex Hamlin

Alex Hamlin

Director of Food Service Sales
and Business Development

Alex has been successful in protein sales and service for more than 20 years. Before finding a home at Jensen he worked for renowned beef packers, manufacturers, importers, and distributors.

His customers have included some of the West’s finest restaurants, hotels, resorts and clubs. Originally from the East Coast, where he was a chef in NYC and met his wife of many years, he now resides in SoCal.

He has two wonderful teenage children and two terrific dogs. The entire family is active in sports, continuing education, and charity work.

Debbie Dardon

Quality Assurance Manager

Debbie Dardon

Debbie Dardon

Quality Assurance Manager

Debbie is approaching 35 years of experience in the food industry and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science & Nutrition from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

As an SQF Practitioner, Debbie was able to achieve SQF certification for Jensen Meat in 2009. She has diverse knowledge in several USDA/FDA food categories.

Food Safety, Regulatory, and Quality are Debbie’s passion and she embraces its challenges while working towards continuous improvement.

WHAT WE DO

Individually Quick-Frozen (IQF) and Fresh patties

We make really tasty patties – made from the best RAW materials. We make them in several sizes, but some of the most common are: 1.5, 2, 3.2, 4, 5.3, 6, 8 and 16oz.


Did we say they are really tasty?
They are!

Shapes

Our patties come in the following shapes:

Patty Shapes

Fat %

The following are the fat to lean ratios we use:

Fat Grades

THE PLANT

The Newest, Most Modern Plant, West of the Mississippi.

Our new plant manufactures over 250 SKUs of retail and food-service products. This plant processes individually quick-frozen (IQF) and fresh patties, in different shapes, lean/fat ratios and value-added products; for both Jensen and private-label brands.

Production/Distribution

Currently, 80 percent of products produced are frozen and 20% are fresh/refrigerated. All products are distributed west of the Mississippi and consist of 65% retail products, 20% food distribution products and 15% restaurant products.

The Jensen Label

50 percent of our retail products are under the Jensen label, and we plan to increase the Jensen branded business during the next year. This new plant also processes a small percentage of turkey and pork sausage under the Jensen label.

New Products

The newest Jensen brand patties include:
Bacon and Cheddar, Swiss and Mushroom, Chipotle and Monterey, and Jalapeño.

QUALITY & SAFETY

No Scraps

No Scraps

Why eat burgers from left over steak scraps? It’s not safe, it’s not quality, so we don’t use them, period.

No Head/Cheek Meat

No Head/Cheek Meat

We also don’t have head or cheek meat in our burgers. It’s not safe at all. We keep it safe.

SQF 3 Certified

SQF 3 Certified

Not only are we compliant with USDA, but we go above their requirements with superior Certification Standards.

Sanova Usage

Sanova Usage

We use a lemon juice and salt solution to kill 99.99% of all pathogens. Result: A safe, clean and delicious patty.

C.A.B. Logo

JENSEN is a C.A.B. Brand

The Certified Angus Beef ® brand is the best Angus beef available. The brand relies on a set of 10 strict quality specifications — developed by leading scientists, researchers and academics — to consistently deliver a superior beef-eating experience.

NEWS

Here is a collection of interviews, reviews, and general news about us.

[ 2023 ]
[ 2021 ]
[ 2020 ]
[ 2019 ]
  • Jensen Meat Continues Commitment to Environment and Renewable Energy  Press Release (PDF)
  • Jensen Meat Unveils SOLOS™ Individually-Wrapped Hamburger Patty Brand  Press Release (PDF)
  • Jensen Meat’s Latest Ad on the Padres Radio Network:
[ 2018 ]
[ 2017 ]
[ 2016 ]
[ 2015 ]
[ 2014 ]

RECIPES

Here are a few recipes to get you started using delicious Jensen ground beef.


Send us your favorite recipes and we’ll post them here.

Ingredients

  • 1 (8 oz) package Refrigerated Crescent Rolls
  • 1 lb Jensen® Ground Beef
  • ½ Yellow Onion, chopped
  • 1 (1 oz) package Taco Seasoning Mix
  • 1 (16 oz) container Sour Cream
  • 8 ounces Shredded Mexican-style Cheese Blend
  • 1 (14 oz) bag Tortilla Chips, crushed

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
  2. Lay crescent dough flat on the bottom of a square cake pan and bake according to package directions.
  3. Meanwhile, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened.
  4. Add the taco seasoning and stir together well.
  5. When dough is done, remove from oven and place meat and onion mixture on top, then layer with sour cream and cheese, and top off with the crushed nacho chips.
  6. Return to oven and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp Butter
  • 2 Onions, finely chopped
  • 1 cup chopped Green Pepper
  • 2 Carrots, finely chopped or shredded
  • 8 oz Lean Jensen® Ground Beef
  • 8 oz Ground Pork
  • 6 large ripe Tomatoes, chopped
    or 1 can (28 oz) chopped Tomatoes, drained
  • 1 tsp dried Oregano
  • ½ tsp dried Rosemary
  • ½ tsp dried Tarragon
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 8 oz Fresh Mushrooms, sliced

Directions

  1. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the finely chopped onions, carrot, and green peppers with the 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the beef and pork, and cook until brown. Add chopped tomatoes, dried oregano, tarragon, rosemary, and bay leaf. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for an hour.
  2. 10 minutes before serving, add in mushrooms and simmer until softened (about 10 minutes).

Ingredients

  • 1 (8 oz) package Egg Noodles
  • 1 lb Jensen® Ground Beef
  • 1 Yellow Onion chopped
  • 1 (10.75 oz) can Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • ½ cup Sour Cream
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Prepare the egg noodles according to package directions and set aside.
  2. In a separate, large skillet, sauté the ground beef and chopped onion over medium heat for 5–10 minutes, or until browned. Drain the fat and add the soup and garlic powder. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Remove from heat and combine the meat mixture with the egg noodles. Add the sour cream, stirring well, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Sweet Italian Sausage
  • ¾ lb Lean Ground Beef
  • ½ cup Minced Onion
  • 2 cloves Garlic, crushed
  • 1 (28 oz) can Crushed Tomatoes
  • 1 (6 oz) cans Tomato Paste
  • ½ cup Water
  • 2 (6.5 oz) cans Tomato Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Salt
  • 1½ tsp dried Basil
  • ¼ tsp ground Black Pepper
  • 4 Tbsp chopped Fresh parsley
  • 12 Lasagne Noodles
  • 16 oz Ricotta Cheese
  • 1 Egg
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • ¾ lb Mozzarella Cheese, sliced
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions

  1. In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion and garlic, over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer covered for about 1½ hours, stirring occasionally
  2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8–10 minutes. Drain noodles, rinse with cold water, and sprinkle with olive oil to keep noodles from sticking to each other.
  3. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and ½ teaspoon salt.
  4. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
  5. To assemble, spread 1½ cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1½ cups meat sauce over mozzarella and sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil – to prevent sticking: spray foil with cooking spray, or make a foil tent to make sure it does not touch the cheese.
  6. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

CONTACT US

Thank you for visiting.

For more information about our quality products, career opportunities, or to give website feedback, send us a message.

Jensen Meat Company
2550 Britannia Blvd, Suite 101
San Diego, CA 92154
Tel. 619.754.6400
Fax 619.754.6450
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