Plant Provisions’ Meat-Free Deli Slices

June 18, 2021

Plant Provisions, which offers a variety of vegetarian deli slices, was founded in 2019. But its founder, Michael Galbo, wasn’t always focused on meat-free eating. “My grandfather had a butcher shop in The Bronx,” says Galbo. “He was a first-generation Italian-American, and obviously food was a big part of our world. I grew up in that deli culture. I was in and out of trucks with my dad as a kid, helping him with deliveries. It’s the center of our lives.”

At the time, the meat industry looked a little different than it does now. “The Bronx was pastures and forests back in those days,” explains Galbo. “And the animals that [my grandfather] butchered were from the local area. It’s hard to imagine cows roaming around the Bronx, but I think food was a lot different than it is today, especially when we look at the way meat is mass manufactured.”

When Galbo went to college, he learned about mass meat production and was horrified. From there, he began studying sustainability and alternative energy. This newfound awareness also led him to embrace vegetarianism. The change in his diet, he says, was hard to share with his family. “Their reaction was certainly one of cynicism, kind of like, ‘Hey, why are you doing that? You’re missing out on good food.’ They thought I was just a young kid acting on the latest trends. I don’t think they took it seriously.” Galbo stuck with his new diet, though, and also began to focus his career around energy reduction and sustainability.

As his vegetarianism continued and his career evolved, Galbo couldn’t help but feel that he was missing out on the convenience of deli meat. “It just travels really well,” says Galbo. “I can’t tell you how many times I would have a salad just spill on my lap. Or I would go to a corporate function and only have a veggie wrap with hummus. [Vegetarian food] was always a secondary thing. And I felt like, ‘Man, there’s gotta be a way to make something that is hearkening back to the deli world that I know.’”

This was around the time that Beyond and Impossible were first releasing their goods—vegetarian products meant to resemble meat in flavor and texture. This approach didn’t appeal to Galbo: “When I looked at what was happening in the plant-based world, I felt like, why are we kind of manufacturing something to taste like something that it’s not?” He began thinking about creating his own product, and resolved to focus on “elevation, not imitation. We looked at it as an opportunity to bring new and differentiated flavor profiles to consumers because our canvas was totally different,” says Galbo. “We didn’t have to make something that mimicked meat.”

Galbo didn’t have any formal culinary training, so he partnered with Lauren Klein, a trained chef, and decided to create the product that was missing from supermarkets: vegetarian deli slices that would taste delicious and contain whole foods. “That first six-month period was really all about prototyping and creating different flavors and ingredient combinations with me in my apartment in Brooklyn,” remembers Galbo. “My wife just absolutely hated me because there’d be beet juice splattered all around the apartment walls.”

In March 2020, Plant Provisions had created their product and was finally ready to launch—and then COVID hit. So instead of having a formal release, they spent the year working at the Stony Brook University Food Business Incubator, a commercial kitchen located on Long Island. The experience was educational. Galbo was able to learn from the other food producers who were sharing the space with him. The extra time also allowed him to produce larger quantities of his products, incorporate feedback from customers, and perfect the recipes.

Over a year later, Plant Provisions’ deli slices boast multiple flavors—Chipotle Chili, Smokehouse, Tuscan Red Pepper, and the soon-to-be-released Wild Truffle—and can be found in retail locations throughout the city. Additionally, they are offering a food service pack for delis and restaurants looking to improve their plant-based menu. They’re also gearing up to distribute their products more widely, focusing on retailers in the New York tri-state area. The best part, according to Galbo, is that his culinary approach to making meat-free products ended up resonating with his family. When they saw that he wasn’t trying to imitate meat, but create a new culinary experience that everyone could enjoy, they gave their approval. Today, the whole family is excited that Galbo is selling his products in some of the same places his father used to deliver to when Galbo was a kid.

Plant Provisions has something for everyone, whether they’re a vegetarian or not. “If you are a person who loves salami, we’re not going to replace salami for you,” says Galbo. “That’s not our intention. If you love a great sandwich and want something that tastes really good, that’s what we’re here to do for you. Whether it’s Salami or our Chipotle Chili slices, you’re going to have an experience that you want. Our goal is to get as many people trying to expand their thinking of what food can be in new ways that hopefully help them go in a more sustainable direction.”

You can learn more about Plant Provisions here or order their products from Ace by emailing orders@acenatural.com or calling (718) 784 6000. Enjoy!