Matt O’Hayer
Matt O'Hayer founded VitalFarms in 2007 and serves as Executive Chairperson. Based in Austin, Texas, VitalFarms produces pasture-raised eggs and butter with a focus on animal welfare. The company has grown from a local farm to a national brand supplying major U.S. retailers.
Matt O’Hayer's Bio
Matt O'Hayer founded Vital Farms in 2007 after a lifetime of starting businesses. Based in Austin, Texas, he built the company on 27 acres with 20 hens and a simple question: what if store-bought eggs came from hens that actually saw the sun?
He was in his 50s at the time and living in an RV on the farm, trying to convince people that pasture-raised eggs were worth a premium. That was not an easy sell at first. The company started slow and stayed small for years.
O'Hayer had already tried his hand at around 50 businesses before Vital Farms, from carpet cleaning to a travel company he later sold. He stepped into the egg business with no farming background and no guarantees.
Vital Farms went public on NASDAQ in July 2020, raising $125 million in its IPO under the ticker VITL. The company now sells in more than 23,500 stores across the United States and works with over 425 family-owned farms. Revenue reached nearly $1 billion, and the company is targeting $2 billion annually by 2030.
O'Hayer served as Executive Chairperson from 2019 until stepping down in 2026. Russell Diez-Canseco, who had been President and CEO since 2014, succeeded him as Executive Chairperson.
Career Timeline
2007 — Founded Vital Farms
Started on a 27-acre farm in Austin, Texas, with 20 hens and a philosophy of pasture-raised eggs.
2014 — Russell Diez-Canseco joined as CEO at Vital Farms
Diez-Canseco became President and CEO, developing sustainable relationships with the family farm network.
2019 — Became Executive Chairperson at Vital Farms
Transitioned from day-to-day CEO role to Executive Chairperson while retaining strategic oversight.
2020 — NASDAQ IPO at Vital Farms
Vital Farms went public on NASDAQ under the ticker VITL, raising $125 million.
2025 — Grower network surpasses 10 million hens at Vital Farms
Added approximately 75 new farms in Q3 2025, growing the family-farm network to over 10 million hens.
2026 — Stepped down as Executive Chairperson at Vital Farms
Russell Diez-Canseco succeeded O'Hayer as Executive Chairperson after nearly two decades leading the company.
