In the heart of New Mexico's cattle country, Sam Cobb transformed his family's meat processing business into a major producer of soy-based Boca Burgers. A devastating factory fire in 2005 tested his resolve, but Cobb rebuilt quickly while supporting his employees. His pragmatic pivot highlights the tensions between traditional ranching and emerging plant-based foods.
Sam Cobb, a fourth-generation rancher, leads RMS Foods in Hobbs, New Mexico, a city dominated by oil, gas, and animal agriculture. His father, S.G. Cobb, founded the company in 1959 as Rich Meat Services after working in frozen foods. Initially focused on beef and pork for hotels and restaurants, RMS became the Southwest's largest supplier to Dairy Queen franchises under Sam's leadership starting in 1980.
In 1997, Cobb invested in Boca Burger, a soy-based product launched in Florida. Leveraging existing meat-processing equipment, RMS shifted to plant proteins, producing 60 percent of Boca's patties by the time Kraft Foods acquired the brand in 2000 for an undisclosed sum. Sales doubled from $20 million in 1998 to $40 million in 1999, reaching $70 million by 2002.
A fire on Valentine's Day 2005 destroyed the Hobbs factory around 4:20 p.m., with no injuries reported. President Cobb, standing with staff across the street, vowed to assess damages and rebuild. He secured insurance deals and state benefits for nearly 100 employees, rehiring a third for reconstruction. Maintenance manager Andy Barrientes recalled working 17-hour days: "We got it done quick." The facility reopened eight months later, and Kraft designated RMS as Boca's exclusive manufacturer.
Cobb maintains a family ranch in Lea County, bought in 1978, and another in Texas dating to the 1880s. He eats plant-based products daily for quality checks but identifies as an omnivore. "I make veggie burgers for a living so I can afford to be a cowboy," he said. Amid a plant-based market slump since 2022, RMS now produces under 4 million pounds of Boca Burgers annually, down from 20 million. Recently, it partnered with Rebellyous Foods for plant-based chicken patties.
Cobb acknowledges global challenges: "There’s no way that as our global population grows, everybody can have a T-bone steak every night." Yet he emphasizes taste and price over environmental messaging, noting friends who resist plant-based options.
