#993

Sheldon Lavin

United States 94 years old Self-Made

Overview

Source of Wealth
Meat processing
Residence
Children
3

Biography

Sheldon Lavin owns OSI Group, a $6 billion (revenues) global meat processor that started out as the original fresh hamburger supplier to McDonald's.

OSI still supplies most of McDonald's meat products worldwide, and produces plant-based burgers for Impossible Foods.

Lavin joined OSI as a consultant in 1970 to figure out how to finance the company's first modern meat plant as McDonald's franchising took off.

He became a fulltime employee and took over the business in the 1980s, acquiring an estimated 90% stake over time.

OSI now has 65 plants in 17 countries on five continents.

About

German immigrant Otto Kolschowsky started a butcher shop in the Chicago suburbs in 1909 which eventually became OSI.

The sons of OSI's founder shook hands with McDonald's franchising agent Ray Kroc in 1955 and the companies have work together ever since.