Cardinal Meat Specialists expands reach, invests in teams, and reshapes how it connects with customers
The North American protein sector is at a crossroads. Price volatility, labor shortages, and evolving eating habits are reshaping how food moves from plant to plate. In this environment, processors must adapt while maintaining consistency and meeting the needs of both retail and foodservice customers. Ontario-based Cardinal Meat Specialists knows these pressures well, having built relationships across the supply chain over decades. Today, President and Owner Brent Cator leads a business that combines established practices with new ways to reach the market.
Brent works across strategy, customer relationships, and team alignment. His role centers on keeping the organization aligned as the business expands. Reflecting on the past year, Brent shares, “I’d say it’s been a lot.” The changes he describes don’t come from a single initiative; instead, they reflect a shift in how Cardinal approaches growth.
Market expansion
Cardinal has shifted from reactive to proactive, actively pursuing new business instead of waiting for customers to come to its doors. “The biggest single thing is how we go to market. We have reorganized our teams and invested in sales operations to strengthen the customer experience, improve service execution, and identify new growth opportunities with existing and prospective clients,” Brent continues.
The transition has changed how Cardinal uses its strengths. It built its reputation on burgers and ground protein and has since developed a sous vide platform with more than 120 products. Brent shares, “We really do two things exceptionally well from an offering to market. We do about 170 different types of burgers, and we’ve been at the sous vide game for over 30 years.”
Now, Cardinal brings its expertise into new areas where it wasn’t previously known. Brent explains: “It’s taking a sous vide capability into different spaces the customers need,” describing how the team applies its knowledge beyond traditional meat. For example, Cardinal applies the same precise time-and-temperature control for proteins as it does for cooked rice and side dishes. That approach helps foodservice operators reduce prep time, improve consistency, and manage labor more easily.
Brent ties the expansion to broader industry conditions. “Labor costs are massive,” he says, pointing to the pressures facing restaurants and kitchen teams. “These products have allowed operators to focus on what they’re known for.”
Innovation focus
At Cardinal, innovation and product development start with a defined customer need rather than an internal idea seeking a market. That focus on value shapes every product launch as Cardinal tackles rising protein costs by exploring alternative cuts and innovative formats. Brent observes: “They’re not feeling like they’re trading down when they have to move from steaks to, let’s say, a braised beef.” The new additions to the Roadhouse line, which include pulled pork and pulled beef au jus, reflect this approach. Commenting on the new flavors, Brent reveals, “Between maple and whiskey, there aren’t many more ways to be Canadian!”
Cardinal’s process blends market research with insight from within the company. “We do a lot of research, and we work with Canada’s top spice and sauce suppliers. However, the most powerful result comes from listening to customers and our own staff. Common sense is the biggest driver of innovation,” he says.
That mindset drives how Cardinal works with customers. Brent outlines his approach: “I don’t go to a customer and ask, ‘Do you want to buy this?’ Instead, I ask, ‘If you had a magic wand, what would be different?’” Such conversations often reveal operational gaps that Cardinal aims to solve. “We take on what seem like impossible tasks, bring together diverse teammates, and make them possible,” says Brent. Recent projects reflect a widening portfolio. “These are things that historically Cardinal’s not known for,” Brent notes, pointing to new products such as sous vide eggs and rice.
Team philosophy
That ability to take on impossible tasks and deliver doesn’t happen by accident – it depends on the people behind the process and how connected they feel to the business. For Brent, it all comes down to communication. Cardinal supports this with formal touchpoints across the organization. Twice annually, the entire company shuts down, and shares everything from financials and innovation to goals and direction. Brent highlights how employees are encouraged to challenge decisions and bring new ideas in regular ‘why’ meetings, where they can ask about what the company is doing, suggest alternatives, and raise concerns. That open culture helps ideas flow through the business. Brent notes, “Sometimes it’s the packer on the line who has the best idea, and it turns into one of our most successful products. My father was renowned for saying no one of us is as smart as all of us.”
He adds that the company aims to build “a championship team rather than a collection of individual stars.” Family ownership reinforces this mindset. Brent explains, “There’s been a steadfast application of integrity and a commitment to delivering on products,” which has helped build trust with customers over time.
Looking to the future, Brent foresees expansion. “Expect us to be feeding a lot more Canadians,” he says, pointing to growth across new channels. “Customers know we won’t give them a product that will ever let them down,” he adds. With 100 years in the protein business, Cardinal is still finding new ground. As Brent puts it, “In some ways, we’re just getting started.”