Noah Quist of Three Gingers Beef Jerky
Jerky so good, you’ll be coming back for seconds before you even leave the farmer’s market!
Nestled in the heart of Beverly, Three Gingers Beef Jerky has grown from a humble kitchen experiment to a brand with national ambitions. At the helm is Noah Quist, a former chef turned small business owner whose journey is as flavorful as his product. What started as a personal passion has become a community-loved staple. And it’s only just beginning!
Noah still remembers his very first sale at the Beverly Farmers Market in 2021. The customer wasn’t even a jerky fan, but bought a bag for her kids. She returned just 35 minutes later—not for her kids, but because she had eaten the entire bag herself in the car. That moment stuck with Noah and perfectly captures what makes his jerky special: it surprises you.
What began in his home kitchen has since expanded to a facility producing thousands of bags each month with a national rollout underway. The company’s core values are simple but powerful: “Make Friends. Share Jerky.”
Every small business has its trials, but for Noah, USDA certification and approval was the crucible. As a former chef, he underestimated the bureaucratic labyrinth that awaited him. “I got hit between the eyes with the reality hammer,” he admits. It was the kind of challenge that causes many to give up. But Noah didn’t. “I overcame this through true grit and pure determination at a level I never thought I had in me.”
Looking back, the learning curve—though steep—was incredibly rewarding. Noah has grown not just as a business owner, but as a father, husband, and man. “This journey was a BEAST,” he says, “but we’re now winning every day.”
One of the hardest parts of running a small business is maintaining a healthy work-life balance. For Noah, that’s non-negotiable. “My workday ends at 2:45pm when I pick up my kids from school,” he explains. No work before 8:30am, and none after pickup unless it’s urgent. This strict boundary helps preserve his family’s mental and emotional health—something he prioritizes above all else.
Three Gingers Beef Jerky is proudly local-first, with products available in breweries, convenience stores, and retail shops throughout Beverly. Noah emphasizes the importance of sharing experiences with other small business owners. “Learn from others and help others along at the same time,” he advises. Noah admits the importance of staying rooted in genuine relationships and community presence. He also credits his success to a vast network built over a lifetime—one that continues to open doors when he least expects it.
So, what’s next for Three Gingers? Noah isn’t shy: he wants to go big. A national presence in the beef jerky snack market is the goal—and he’s well on his way. His advice for future entrepreneurs?
“Rely on friends, family, and most importantly, the network you’ve spent your life creating. You’ll never believe who knows someone with direct experience in the most random, far-reaching, narrow question or need. It’s amazing. Let go of the wheel sometimes. Seems crazy, but trust.”
