Wholesale changes
Albany vegan deli setting up shop in downtown Troy
TROY, N.Y. » A vegan food company is expanding to Troy with a new downtown home for its wholesale operations.
Albany-based Berben & Wolff’s, which opened the region’s first and only vegan delicatessen last year on Lark Street, is now renting space for wholesale production at 156 4th St., the corner building that formerly housed The Brown Bag eatery.
Owners Joey Berben and Max Wolff originally started the business as vegan food manufacturers and distributors in 2015, aiming to offer creative and delicious vegan options to the people of the Capital Region. Last spring, after just one year of positive reception and recognition, the duo opened an entirely vegan deli at 227 Lark St. in Albany, where they serve a revolving menu of classics and specials with a focus on quality and ethical consumption.
Popular menu items include the house-made seitan pastrami Reuben sandwich, the popcorn mushroom po’boy and seitan wings that come in Buffalo, barbecue and garlic parmesan flavors.
Meanwhile Berben & Wolff’s maintains several wholesale accounts, including area eateries like The Ruck in Troy and Junior’s Bar & Grill in North Greenbush. The expansion was needed to secure more kitchen space for preparing wholesale products, as Berben is aiming to boost the company’s wholesale operations in the future.
“It kind of gives us a lot more room to just breathe, and we can focus on maybe adding some more menu items, doing more for our deli case, things that we weren’t really able to keep up with before because our other kitchen is really tiny,” Berben explained, adding that they plan to invest in more equipment as well.
With the move, Berben & Wolff’s will be capable of taking on more restaurant accounts, venturing into retail and ramping up overall production, Berben said.
“A lot of it is just space,” Berben said of the reason for coming across the river, “and we also love Troy.”
Berben grew up in Troy and said he used to live right around the corner from Berben & Wolff’s new location.
“It’s kind of nice to go back,” he said.
For now, the Troy site will not be serving the public, but it’s a possibility in the future, Berben said.
“We eventually do want to turn it into another location,” Berben said, noting he and Wolff have some cool ideas for the spot. “I really think getting the wholesale on a bigger level is our goal, really just reaching out to more places, kind of getting outside of the Capital District. .”
Once this is achieved, Berben added, “We do want to open another location, preferably in Troy. I think that’s most likely what we’re really shooting for.” For more information on Berben & Wolff’s, visit www.berbenandwolffs.com and www.facebook.com/Berbenandwolffs.