Brooklyn’s Meat Packing District Still Packs Meat – Just Ask Steve Solomon!
While Manhattan’s Meat Packing district has transformed itself from open air meat markets and meatpacking plants into one of the trendiest neighborhoods now know for exclusive nightclubs and high end stores, Brooklyn’s lesser known Meat District is alive and flourishing, and still entirely focused on meat.
Constructed in the early 1970's, the Brooklyn Wholesale Meat Market is located in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. Consisting of two buildings totaling over 175,000 square feet, King Solomon Foods Inc., a fifth generation wholesale meat, poultry and pork purveyor has called this home as one of the original tenants. Steven W. Solomon, current owner of King Solomon Foods is the great grandson of founder, Charles L. Solomon. A Jewish immigrant from England, Charles, left his first job unloading bananas - over 75 years ago - when he heard there were more pennies to be made on the dock moving chickens.
Today Steven carries on the tradition, and true to his heritage, his operation is one of the only facilities left in the tristate area that sells fresh Kosher meat, veal and lamb (in addition to his non-kosher division). King Solomon Foods is also one of the last remaining companies in the NY Metropolitan area that breaks down fresh cattle received from Maryland’s Amish farms as well as Mid-west ranches; this is essentially a 24 hour operation, with much of the cutting done in the wee hours of the morning. Orders come in the middle of the night, after restaurants are closed and can see what they need, so the fax and answering machine is busiest when most people are sleeping. Truckloads of fresh meat leave his 30,000 square foot facility each week. Work days for Steven begin at 3:00 AM, so of course he is known to take his lunch while others are nursing their first cup of morning coffee. Steven’s customers range from many of New York’s finest steakhouses, such as Peter Luger, Wolfgang’s and Benjamin’s to top butcher shops such as Ottomanelli Brothers and Lobel’s, and gourmet markets like Grace Balducci and Citarella.
Steve is also very busy transforming and rebuilding the Brooklyn Burger brand which he also owns. Although the boxed burger market is very crowded, he is confident that the high quality of the blended beef used in Brooklyn Burger will catapult them to the top. The burger is already carried in many regional supermarkets, with more expected to pick up the brand this spring. Steven has already added four new flavors, and will soon be rolling out a Glatt Kosher version of the great burger just in time for barbecue season!
While Manhattan’s Meat Packing district has transformed itself from open air meat markets and meatpacking plants into one of the trendiest neighborhoods now know for exclusive nightclubs and high end stores, Brooklyn’s lesser known Meat District is alive and flourishing, and still entirely focused on meat.
Constructed in the early 1970's, the Brooklyn Wholesale Meat Market is located in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. Consisting of two buildings totaling over 175,000 square feet, King Solomon Foods Inc., a fifth generation wholesale meat, poultry and pork purveyor has called this home as one of the original tenants. Steven W. Solomon, current owner of King Solomon Foods is the great grandson of founder, Charles L. Solomon. A Jewish immigrant from England, Charles, left his first job unloading bananas - over 75 years ago - when he heard there were more pennies to be made on the dock moving chickens.
Today Steven carries on the tradition, and true to his heritage, his operation is one of the only facilities left in the tristate area that sells fresh Kosher meat, veal and lamb (in addition to his non-kosher division). King Solomon Foods is also one of the last remaining companies in the NY Metropolitan area that breaks down fresh cattle received from Maryland’s Amish farms as well as Mid-west ranches; this is essentially a 24 hour operation, with much of the cutting done in the wee hours of the morning. Orders come in the middle of the night, after restaurants are closed and can see what they need, so the fax and answering machine is busiest when most people are sleeping. Truckloads of fresh meat leave his 30,000 square foot facility each week. Work days for Steven begin at 3:00 AM, so of course he is known to take his lunch while others are nursing their first cup of morning coffee. Steven’s customers range from many of New York’s finest steakhouses, such as Peter Luger, Wolfgang’s and Benjamin’s to top butcher shops such as Ottomanelli Brothers and Lobel’s, and gourmet markets like Grace Balducci and Citarella.
Steve is also very busy transforming and rebuilding the Brooklyn Burger brand which he also owns. Although the boxed burger market is very crowded, he is confident that the high quality of the blended beef used in Brooklyn Burger will catapult them to the top. The burger is already carried in many regional supermarkets, with more expected to pick up the brand this spring. Steven has already added four new flavors, and will soon be rolling out a Glatt Kosher version of the great burger just in time for barbecue season!
Steve W. Solomon (CEO) on the right with his son Zack Solomon (VP) on the left