Uncovering the Mystery of Who Makes Jamestown Bacon

Bacon is one of America’s most beloved breakfast foods The savory, smoky flavor of perfectly crisped bacon is hard to resist. While major brands like Oscar Mayer and Hormel dominate grocery store shelves, smaller bacon producers are gaining popularity for their artisanal offerings. One such brand that has garnered attention is Jamestown Bacon With minimal branding and a focus on quality ingredients, Jamestown has developed a cult following. But the company behind this increasingly popular bacon remains shrouded in mystery. So who exactly makes Jamestown Bacon? Let’s examine the sparse clues and try to solve this porcine puzzle.

A Quality Product with Little Marketing

Part of the appeal of Jamestown Bacon is its emphasis on quality over marketing. The packaging is fairly minimalist, with a simple font spelling out “Jamestown Brand Bacon” in capital letters. Below that in smaller text reads “Hardwood Smoked” and at the very bottom “Product of the U.S.A.” No fancy graphics or slogans, just the basics.

The back label highlights that it is “slow smoked over all natural hardwood chips, hand-trimmed and sliced” Again, no buzzwords or claims about being the best tasting or most delicious. Just simple statements about traditional smoking and preparation methods.

This straightforward labeling suggests a focus on an authentic process and quality ingredients. The bacon within reflects this. It has a rich mahogany red smoke ring around the pinkish-red meat. The fat to lean ratio is nicely balanced. The slices have a hearty thickness that looks perfectly suited for getting crispy edges and chewy centers when cooked.

Taste-wise, the smoky flavor really shines through. There is enough salt to accentuate the savory pork flavor without overpowering it. The texture manages to be both crisp and tender. Each bite highlights the care that went into curing and smoking this bacon.

The lack of marketing makes it clear – this bacon sells on flavor, not advertising claims. The taste and quality speak for themselves. But with no obvious branding, who is behind this increasingly popular breakfast meat?

Scant Information to Sleuth Out

For such a seemingly popular bacon brand, there is surprisingly little information about Jamestown available online. The Jamestown website provides no details about their company history, manufacturing facilities, or leadership team. The “About Us” section simply states:

“We are a U.S. family owned company that has been making bacon for over 40 years. We created Jamestown brand to provide great tasting bacon made with premium pork bellies and real hardwood smoked flavor.”

Searching online provides little more to unravel this mystery. There are no press releases announcing Jamestown Bacon’s launch or Growth. No interviews with the founders about their inspiration. The company has no social media presence. They seem to let their product speak for itself.

Reviews of the bacon itself are overwhelmingly positive. It frequently lands on lists of the best bacon brands. But even bacon aficionados commenting seem uncertain of its origins. The leading theories mention possible links to larger firms like Smithfield, Tyson or JBS USA. But there are no definitive connections.

Jamestown does not provide a mailing address either. The back label lists a PO Box in Jamestown, NY along with a phone number. This hints that Jamestown, New York may be connected to the brand in some way, but not enough to pin down a manufacturing facility. The trail runs cold in this sleepy upstate city on the shores of Chautauqua Lake.

So without transparent information from the producer itself, where else can we look to uncover who makes this popular pork product?

Specialty Retailers Provide More Clues

Since Jamestown Bacon has limited grocery store distribution but a cult following, we can gather more clues by checking out the specialty food stores that stock it. The premium butcher shops and farm-to-table stores highlight small scale producers with exacting standards. Focusing on their product selections and profiles of brands provides insights into Jamestown’s origins.

Shelton’s Farm Market, a family-owned chain of specialty food stores in the greater Buffalo area, carries Jamestown bacon both in stores and online. Shelton’s website lists Jamestown as a U.S. family owned company, aligning with Jamestown’s own minimal claims.

More telling is that Shelton’s groups the Jamestown bacon alongside other New York produced charcuterie like smoked chorizos and deli meats from regional brands like Gianelli and Daniele. This suggests Jamestown is a smaller producer located in New York.

The butcher shops of Olde Brooklyn Lantern in Brooklyn, NY and Rocket Community Market in Seattle, WA also list Jamestown alongside other artisanal charcuterie and smoked meats from regional producers. The common thread indicates Jamestown is likely a small-scale producer selling locally produced bacon.

Following the Distribution Trail to Upstate New York

The distribution trail also leads back to New York when searching wider grocery store availability. Jamestown can be found at retailers like Wegmans, Tops, and Price Chopper, which have a strong presence in the Northeast.

Checking zip codes of reviewers online, most purchasing Jamestown reside in New York state with some spillover into parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan. The pattern tracks with a distribution radiating out from New York.

Jamestown seems to have only minimal distribution nationwide. The Lidl grocery chain, with stores across the East Coast, carries it but availability seems limited only to lids locations in New York and Pennsylvania. No signs of mass distribution indicate a smaller producer.

One reviewer based in California mentioned special ordering Jamestown through their local deli after trying it on a trip to upstate New York, further suggesting the brand’s roots lie in the Empire state.

Local Sourcing in New York Offers Final Clues

The final clues come from checking local food and restaurant guides within New York. Several boutique hotels and inns in the Finger Lakes region note serving Jamestown Bacon at breakfast, including the