He Started Selling Bacon Out of His Trunk… And It Took Off | Mark LaFay, Old Major Market

On today's show I sat down with Mark LaFay, founder of Old Major Market.

Mark shares how he went from being a trained technologist from Purdue and concert promoter in the early 2000s, booking shows for bands like Paramore, My Chemical Romance, and Hatebreed, into building a meat business rooted in community and sustainability.

After years in music, PR, and tech, he pursued meat in 2016 using a lean minimum viable product approach, starting with small-batch bacon sold through neighborhood Facebook posts and weekly pickup from a truck.

Old Major grew via farmers markets, online ordering, prepared meals, and eventually shipping, all while navigating inspection rules, trademark hurdles, and pandemic-driven demand. By 2023, Mark went full-time with Old Major, cut unprofitable distribution, expanded into a larger facility, and focused on bacon and sausage, seasonal items and wholesale growth. If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.

You are going to learn about: - The Founding of Old Major Market - Old Major Market's Growth Strategies - Why Old Major Market Focused on Bacon and Sausage Over Other Meats

Thank you to our partners: NCW Jameson Camp

Check out these great clips from the show: 01:20 Guest Introduction: Mark LaFay, Old Major Market 02:36 Booking DIY Concerts 05:55 Wild Shows and Flops 09:18 Touring and Managing Bands 11:22 Tech Marketing Hacks 13:57 Leaving Music for Tech 16:48 Startup Burnout to Meat 19:16 Bacon as MVP 19:53 How to Cure and Smoke 23:49 First Sales and Momentum 25:35 Lean vs. Waterfall Mindset 28:02 Becoming the Bacon Guy 29:11 Handmade Bacon Value 30:04 Early Growth Metrics 31:11 Naming Old Major 34:04 Trademark Close Call 37:00 Side Hustle Reality 37:54 Inspections Explained 40:16 Pickup Truck Model 41:26 Take and Heat Expansion 42:35 Sourcing Local Meat 44:23 Mentor Kills Retail Plan 48:40 Pandemic Demand Surge 50:58 Grants and Automation 52:21 New Facility Buildout 54:42 Market Wagon Scaling 56:53 Profit Focus in 2023 59:08 Defining Local Food 01:00:18 Scaling Back and Shipping 01:01:26 Wholesale Growth Milestones 01:04:27 Pandemic SKUs and Charcuterie 01:07:11 Writing For Dummies Books 01:11:39 Future Plans and Best Sellers 01:15:29 Where to Buy in Indiana 01:16:55 Pinch Me Restaurant Moments 01:18:00 How to Learn Meat Craft 01:20:00 Why Indiana Feels Like Home 01:21:05 Old Major Music Festival 01:23:44 Hidden Gems and Hoosiers

Get IN. is brought to you by our friends at Sweetwater. Whether you are looking to start a podcast or level up your current show you need to hit them up.