Patrick Byrne
Sarah Fresh A2/A2 Milk
9747 Pan American Dr.
915-790-2609
www.sarahfarmsep.com
What inspired you to become an entrepreneur, and can you share the story of how you started your first venture?
After getting out of the U.S. Marine Corps, everyone told me to get a job with a good company, work hard, and save for retirement. But that didn’t feel like my style. So I bought a truck and started a distribution company. I began building milk routes and buying more trucks, which eventually led me to El Paso—mainly because the price of milk was so high here.
What do you consider to be the most special qualities or aspects of your business?
Because we’re family-owned, we control quality at every step of
the process—from growing feed and raising our own cows to
processing the milk and delivering the finished product on our own trucks. That keeps us closely connected to every part of the industry. We truly care about our customers and our employees. Our strategy is simple: produce a higher-quality product for less money.
Can you describe a significant challenge or setback you faced as an entrepreneur, and how you overcame it?
A lot of my friends in El Paso told me they like milk but can’t digest it. That feedback started us on a journey to produce milk with only A2/A2 protein, which is easier to digest. We’ve gone back to basics—producing milk the way it was meant to be, like it was 2,000 years ago. Starting in July, we’ll be launching Sarah Fresh A2/A2, offering milk that comes only from cows producing the A2/A2 protein casein. This will be huge for our region and could help many people who struggle to digest milk enjoy it again.
How do you approach risk-taking in your business endeavors, and what strategies do you employ to manage and mitigate potential risks?
Providing the borderland with the best tasting highest quality milk is our passion and are always looking for ways to improve. This all starts with the cows, they are part of the family and get the best care and diet. We strive to improve every step of the process. We work hard to take the milk from cow to customer in 24 hours. We breed they best cows and quality is in our DNA. Simply put we do dairy right!
What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs who are just starting out on their entrepreneurial journey?
It’s going to be hard. Entrepreneurship is something you live every second of your life—but it’s worth it. If it were easy, everyone would do it. Growth doesn’t highlight your wins; it exposes your weaknesses. Pivot fast, and share your vision with the people who work with you. Helping others along the way will be the most rewarding thing you do. Get your priorities straight. For me, it’s God, Family, Milk—in
that order.
Photography by Jordan Licon