A major social media influencer may take over a manufacturing space previously operated by hip-hop artist Kanye West in Cody.
Texas resident Brian Johnson, also known as the “Liver King,” may become the new owner a 30,819-square foot property that West incorporated into a state-of-the-art sample and prototype laboratory for his “Yeezy” footwear company.
Officials with Complete Human, a nutrition company, are working to form a partnership with Johnson’s nutritional supplement company. If successful, the supplement company will operate the former Yeezy building as a manufacturing plant.
Millions of Followers
The Liver King may not be as famous as West but has drawn 1.6 million followers on Instagram and 2.8 million fans on TikTok in less than a year.
Known for promoting the consumption of raw meat, his highly muscular frame and thick beard, Liver King encourages viewers to embrace their hunter-gatherer “ancestral” past while taking up strenuous workouts and swigging down protein shakes chock full of blended raw animal organs, animal testicles, or his daily pound of raw liver and sea salt.
“I’m full of unbridled passion and energy and willingness and wantingness to do good in this world,” Johnson said on his website, “to make a difference… to make insane sacrifices because of my drive and dedication to make my greatest contribution… to help people heal and be healthy through ancestral living.”
The Liver King isn’t a big fan of greens, claiming vegetables lack the material required to produce a healthy set of testicles.
Liver King addresses his fans “primals,” calls his cardio workouts “simulated hunts,” and refers to his weight workouts as “training barbarian.”
Johnson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A recent workout video Liver King made at Yellowstone National Park showed the influencer dragging a rack of weights tied to his back as steam from volcanic thermals waft in the background, all to a soundtrack of thumping electronic music.
He also recently shot three promotional videos at the Cody Rodeo Grounds for his products. In one he emulates a bucking bull as his son straddles his back and holds on for the necessary eight seconds.
“You done good boy,” Johnson remarked.
Evan Demarco, co-owner of Complete Human, said Johnson was in Cody touring the area and ranches that may produce his product.
Developing Partnership
A.J. Richards, a spokesperson for Complete Human, said negotiations are in the works to develop a partnership with Johnson and his Ancestral Supplements company, which offers workout products such as grass fed beef organs, liver, heart, thyroid, bone and marrow.
Complete Human recently purchased Cody-based Wyoming Legacy Meats and is building a new meat processing facility in Cody. The company plans to sell its meat directly to health-conscious consumers, a movement Richards said has been “rediscovered” in recent years.
“People are becoming aware and understanding of the value,” he said. “It’s not new.”
Due to their shared clientele, vision and products, Richards said the partnering with Liver King could be a natural fit, but no deal has been finalized yet.
Richards said if a partnership is developed, grass-fed USDA certified meat will be brought from the processing plant to the other facility, where it would be used in Johnson’s products.
Demarco said his company has acquired West’s old manufacturing space from its current owner, pharmaceutical company Lannett, and is wrapping up the closing details. Lannett previously ran operations in Cody as part of its Cody Labs venture. West leased this space from Lannett for roughly $108,000 a month for about 18 months between 2019 and 2021.
“What’s really ironic is that a building originally used for producing opiates is now going towards a healthy nutritious lifestyle,” Richards said. “The idea that we’re taking something originally designed for that is the real story.”
The 14.86-acre property on County Road 2AB in Cody was listed for sale at $2.5 million when originally offered in February.
Demarco said although his company will not be buying Ancestral Supplements, Johnson would be the co-owner of the new facility his products would be made at.
To develop a partnership with the company, Demarco said Johnson, like other partners, had to agree to invest in an equity stake in the company, which he said will give him a role within the company larger than that of a “minority owner.”
Complete Human has teamed up with other social media influencers such as Janna Breslin and Brooke Ence and the company is also working with grill maker Traeger to manufacture a line of meal boxes in Cody featuring cuts of Wagyu beef brisket, ribs and chicken.
Demarco said he sees promotional partnerships like these as critical to “shining a light” on his company because of the food shortages he sees coming in the next one to two years. He said he expects inflationary pressures to cause a wave of beef culling and force many beef producers to start selling grass fed beef.
“It will revolutionize grass feeding,” he said. “We’re hoping we can help mitigate this. Even though we anticipate food shortages in the short term, we believe this can be beneficial in the long run.”
