Echo Valley Meats Shark Tank 4-5-2013 - About Echo Valley

Echo Valley Meats Shark Tank 4-5-2013 - About Echo Valley Meats

The story of David Alwan's Echo Valley Meats – Self Driven, Self Made, Self Success

Company Website: http://www.echovalleymeats.com/

Online Store: http://www.echovalleymeats.com/#!store-portal/c24c

?Our owner, David Alwan, was co-owner of Alwan and Sons Meat Company in Peoria, Illinois. In November 1998, David sold his share of the business and struck out on his own to start Echo Valley Meats with Dawn Fortner-Alwan, his wife. In the beginning, EVM consisted of one retail meat market in Bartonville, Illinois where our main office and packing plant are now located. David started EVM with the vision of pursuing a market share in the wholesale meat industry and expanding into the production of various meat products.

?When David started, Echo Valley Meats Inc. became a USDA Federally Inspected plant. In 2000 he completed a USDA certification course for Hazards Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.

Safety for the consumer has always been an important aspect of David’s business and as such, he has always been proactive in becoming educated and certified in the latest safety requirements for the meat industry.

?Once becoming USDA Certified, David and Dawn created a Holiday Gift catalog offering specialty meat products. Since starting the catalog in 1999, sales have progressively increased every year.

?In 2001, David added a large processing facility and more employees to the Bartonville location, allowing him to produce and sell new products. This also has allowed him to expand into the private labeling market, making products for companies such as Swiss Colony and a grocery store chain in Chicago. He also worked with a company making a unique veal and shrimp sausage for a restaurant chain. He also became very involved in the Illinois Association of Meat Processors and attends their annular meat show each year. He has won numerous awards from IAMP, which you can find at the bottom of this page.

?With his expanding product line and reputation for quality meats and meat products, David opened a second retail store, Echo Valley Meats of Peoria, on Knoxville Avenue in February of 2003. Echo Valley Meats of Peoria was a traditional old fashioned butcher shop with hand trimmed steaks, fresh cut meat cut daily, as well as ready to eat meals fresh in the case. Echo Valley catering has created entrees and side dishes the customer can purchase and heat and serve or easily prepare. Our ready to cook meals take the time and hassle out of preparing healthy, tasty meals for the family. With the knowledge that his retail concept was working, David expanded into the Twin Cities by opening Echo Valley Meats of Bloomington in June of 2005.

?David also took Echo Valley into casual catering services, offering a wide variety of grilled and smoked meats. Echo Valley Meats Catering does private and business functions as well as wedding. This venue has proven to be very popular.

?David’s vision for Echo Valley is to expand his wholesale market share by producing new private label products as well as look to new market areas for the retail “old fashioned butcher shop” locations. His holiday gift catalog has grown over the years and the website is used by customers throughout the year for ordering. His market share is as infinite as his unlimited creativity. He set his goals high for the company’s expanded marketing goals.

?Echo Valley Meats and David Alwan are self-made. David had a vision and goals that he wanted to accomplish and he has done that. He has educated himself, grown his business slowly, and watched the changing marketplace. David also became involved in the business organizations within his market as well as becoming involved in the community around him. He found there was no better way to learn about your potential customers than to absorb himself in the community.

?Because of his experience, people would come to David when they had questions about the meat industry. David knew that smart and successful businessmen know their industry, but they don’t necessarily know everything about running a business. David realized that if he were to succeed with his vision, he had to contact someone for expert advice on how to succeed.

?Echo Valley’s success is fueled not only by offering healthy, quality products with professional service, but also keeping a handle on the bottom line and having the desire to turn a profit and that is where International Profit Associates was so helpful.

?One of the most important things he discovered in growing his business was to get professional advice if you need it. David hired International Profit Associates,IPA, to give him advice on how to manage the rapid growth of his business and maintain control over the margins. The experience, knowledge and expertise that the IPA consultants brought to the table has made all the difference. With their no-nonsense approach and the valuable tools and training they provided, David has been able to grow his business and become a better manager and business owner. David acknowledges that he would not be where he is today without the help of IPA. Dave Alwan and Echo Valley Meats were one of five small businesses to receive an award from IPA a consulting firm hired to assist Echo Valley fine tune the profitability of the company. Dave appeared on the cover in IPA’s Business Today Magazine and Echo Valley Meats was a feature story. Dave has returned to assist IPA bu speaking at their 2010 business conference in Chicago, Illinois.

?David’s Volunteer Service and Awards from the Community

?2001 – Hosting annual fundraisers for the Bartonville Police Department, DARE programs and Bartonville Fire Department. EVM Bartonville has a fundraiser in the parking lot and donates the sale of grill items for that day to the local police and fire departments. The DARE car is displayed as well as fire trucks and the firemen show the community their equipment and gear.
2002 – David Alwan was awarded the Citizen of the Year Award by the Limestone Chamber of Commerce. Local community leaders selected him for his continued service to the community.
2004 – David was awarded a Distinguished Citizen Award from the Peoria and Bartonville police departments for catching a wanted fugitive when they attempted to pass bad checks at EVM. He also assisted in other arrests for bad check writing since then.
2004 – David was a Board Member for the Easter Seals Golf Classic, one of the major fundraisers for Easter Seals. He brought in several new corporate donations and had Echo Valley Meats donate the meat entrees for the banquet.
2005 – David was co-chair for the Easter Seals Golf Classic, one of the major fundraisers for Easter Seals. He again had Echo Valley Meats donate the meat entrees for the banquet.
2005 – David was selected as one the “40 Leaders Under 40? in Peoria by Peoria Magazines’ Interbusiness Issues. Read More
2006 – David is a board member of the 2006 Wines on the Prairie Polo Game for Easter Seals. He has donated money, time and resources to help organize and obtain sponsorship for the event.
2006 – David won the “Highest Award for Achievement” upon completion of the Dale Carnegie Course.
2007 He and his wife Dawn were co chairs for the 2007 Wines on the Prairie Polo Game for Easter Seals. He has donated money, his time & resources to help organize and obtain sponsorship for the event.
2007 – David was involved with the Easter Seals Clay bird Shoot; a fall fundraiser that made record breaking numbers in donations.
2008 – David and Dawn are Senior Co- chairs for the Easter Seals Wines and Polo on the Prairie event to be held on June 23rd, 2008.
2008 – David was asked to give a Speech on “Passion” to the Easter Seals VIPs for this year’s Easter Seals Telethon. He brought several of the 250 people in attendance to tears with his inspirations speech.
2008 – David and his Wife Donated the Food / Dinner for St. Mary’s School Auction, one of the schools major fundraisers.


David & Dawn donate hay from their farm to Central Illinois Riding Therapy for the horses used in the riding program.