The Righteous Felon Jerky Cartel based in West Chester has built upon its humble beginnings, when its founder and his eight partners were in middle school, to become one of the region’s fastest-growing businesses, writes Robert Calandra for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The name comes from an incident two decades ago at Downingtown Middle School. Brendan Cawley was caught with another student in the bathroom by a teacher who thought they were doing drugs. In fact, they were eating Cawley’s homemade beef jerky.

“He caught us mid-chew,” said Cawley. “It was hilarious.”

The story soon spread, and the Righteous Felon Jerky Cartel was born.

Last year, their beef jerky earned $922,810 in revenue, more than double its $372,153 in 2015.

The company has grown from selling its products to local bars six years ago to having a presence in 49 states. Giant Food Stores began selling the company’s two-ounce bags in 2014, and was joined by Wawa two years later. Several more retailers joined in last year, including Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond, Williams-Sonoma, and Speedway.

“Our strategy is to put our effort into quality and our local partnerships, like the one we have with Victory Brewing,” said Cawley.

Read more about the Righteous Felon Jerky Cartel in the Philadelphia Inquirer here.