PIED-LEAN LLC was founded by Patrea Pabst at the end of 2001, to market fullblood and purebred Piedmontese beef. The company is owned by Patrea Pabst and Bob Kalkreuter of Beaver Creek Farm located near the South Carolina border. Patrea is a partner in a large law firm, specializing in biotechnology and medical patent law, and has been actively involved in breeding and exhibiting purebred animals for more than 25 years. Four years ago, Patrea and Bob began looking for a way to compete in the cattle market, where profit margins are steadily declining, and to compete without jeopardizing their animals or the consumer with harmful growth products.  In the Piedmontese, they found an animal with a truly unique genetic composition, which made it unnecessary to use additives, and a meat that is low in cholesterol, low in fat, very tender, and has a clean, crisp taste. Studies have shown that the beef market has been consistently losing margin to chicken and pork marketers, largely as a result of the perceived health risk of eating beef. Piedmontese beef is better for the consumer, and has a wonderful but different taste that is highly appealing.

Beaver Creek Farm follows a more European style of management. Antibiotics, hormones, and other artificial manipulations of the cattle are avoided. The cattle are treated extremely well, and no shortcuts are taken. The heifers are allowed to mature fully before breeding. Each animal is evaluated individually. Genetics are carefully selected to yield the best animals. Animals are grazed on pasture, then fed out on oats, corn, alfalfa and minerals for 60-90 days. The Pied-Lean Program accepts on a retained ownership basis bulls and steers to 1200 lbs and cows to four years of age. We have found that, just as the Europeans told us, older cows yield exceptional beef.