ButcherBox Taps Former Target Director to Lead Retail Strategy

Hire follows strong first-half retail performance and expansion into 330 Target Express locations

WATERTOWN, Mass., July 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ButcherBox, the leading direct-to-consumer meat and seafood brand, today announced the appointment of Josephine Theal as vice president of retail strategy, signaling the company's commitment to driving forward as an omnichannel business.

Theal joins ButcherBox as the company continues to expand its retail footprint and deepen strategic collaboration not only with Target, but other national retailers. In January, ButcherBox launched in more than 1,400 Target stores nationwide, and Theal's hire builds on the strong momentum this channel saw in the first six months.

"Our retail performance in the first half of the year exceeded our expectations, which reinforces that this is the right long-term strategy for the brand," said Reba Hatcher, chief commercial officer at ButcherBox. "As we expand our retail distribution, investing in talent and capabilities to support this growth is a key lever to our continued success. Jo spent nearly five years at Target driving discovery and distinction in the meat and seafood department and was instrumental during our launch. Her industry expertise coupled with her firsthand experience of our partnership with Target make her a perfect addition to the team during this crucial growth period."

Growing consumer awareness and retail visibility are helping introduce the ButcherBox brand to new shoppers at Target. The exclusive product offering, which includes five fresh, 100% grass-fed, grass-finished beef products, will expand this month with the addition of 330 Target Express stores, bringing its total footprint to nearly 1,800 Target locations nationwide.

"ButcherBox is proof that doing business that's anchored to a mission and winning in market are not mutually exclusive," said Theal. "I've spent my career driving differentiation at scale, so joining ButcherBox feels less like a career move and more like coming home to a mission I feel so deeply aligned to. Driving results for a brand that's changing the food system while embarking on a bigger retail strategy is a challenge I'm ready to take on."

ButcherBox's presence in Target is just one retail partnership the brand has been cultivating. This spring, the company launched an exclusive product with Costco Wholesale across the Pacific Northwest, with plans to expand into additional regions by the end of the year.

"At the end of the day, our core business will continue to be online with our subscription platform," noted Hatcher. "At the same time, we recognize the opportunity to meet the demand of consumers when it comes to finding healthier meat in their local retail stores."

In 2025, ButcherBox's direct-to-consumer business surpassed $570 million in revenue, and since 2015 the company has delivered more than a billion meals to nearly two million households.

About ButcherBox
ButcherBox, founded in 2015 by Mike Salguero, brings 100% grass-fed, grass-finished beef, free-range organic chicken, pork raised crate-free, and wild-caught seafood to consumers nationwide, both through its direct-to-consumer service and its retail presence in nearly 1,800 Target stores. ButcherBox is the only B Corp Certified meat and seafood company to source only from partners with third-party animal welfare certification. For more information, visit butcherbox.com.

CONTACT: Kerin Norton, [email protected]

SOURCE ButcherBox