From singing hot dog jingles to cruising around in the Wienermobile, Oscar Mayer has undoubtedly become one of the most iconic American food brands. But who actually owns the company behind everyone’s favorite bacon these days? Oscar Mayer’s ownership history is a fascinating journey from humble German immigrant beginnings to becoming part of a massive food conglomerate.
1883: Oscar F. Mayer’s Chicago Butcher Shop
Oscar Mayer’s origins trace back to 1883 when German immigrant Oscar F Mayer opened a small butcher shop in Chicago Mayer had worked at various meat markets and butcher shops after arriving in America as a teenager in 1873,
The young entrepreneur leased a storefront on Chicago’s near-north side, an area heavily populated by German immigrants There he sold favorites like bratwurst, liverwurst, and other Old World sausages
Within 20 years, Mayer’s modest store had grown to over 40 employees with booming sales and Chicago-wide delivery service. The Mayer brothers began branding their quality meats, pioneering a trend that changed the industry.
1919: Major Expansion Begins
In 1906, Oscar Mayer became one of the first companies to join the new federal meat inspection program, helping grow consumer trust. By 1919, the company was ready for major expansion with the purchase of a large processing plant in Madison, Wisconsin.
This marked the beginning of national distribution for Oscar Mayer meats. The Madison plant proved an efficient, profitable operation and company headquarters relocated there in 1957.
1981: General Foods Acquires Oscar Mayer
For nearly 100 years, Oscar Mayer thrived as an independent company managed largely by Mayer family descendants. But in 1981, the Mayer family made the decision to sell the company to food giant General Foods.
This move provided immense financial resources and distribution networks to accelerate Oscar Mayer’s growth to keep up with changing consumer demands,
1985: Philip Morris Merger Forms Kraft Foods
In 1985, just a few years after acquiring Oscar Mayer, General Foods merged with tobacco company Philip Morris. This formed the Kraft General Foods conglomerate, combining the massive product portfolios and consumer reach of both companies.
The merger gave Oscar Mayer access to even greater financial resources and research capabilities while allowing Philip Morris to diversify beyond tobacco.
2001: Kraft Foods Goes Public
After functioning as a subsidiary of parent company Philip Morris for over 15 years, Kraft Foods including Oscar Mayer was spun off with an initial public offering of stock in 2001. This gave Kraft Foods more autonomy while still maintaining close ties to tobacco giant Altria Group (formerly Philip Morris).
The move aimed to maximize Kraft’s value, with Oscar Mayer a significant part of its more than $26 billion in revenue at the time.
2015: Kraft Merges with Heinz
Fast forward to 2015 when Kraft Foods announced it would merge with H.J. Heinz Company, producer of the iconic Heinz ketchup brand. The new Kraft Heinz Company formed became the third largest food and beverage company in North America.
For Oscar Mayer, this opened the doors to collaborate with other Kraft Heinz brands like Planters, Maxwell House, Ore-Ida, and more. Today, Oscar Mayer operates as a subsidiary of this near-$30 billion food empire.
What The Future Holds
While no longer family owned, Oscar Mayer benefits from the vast resources and reach of food industry titan Kraft Heinz. The company remains committed to Oscar Mayer’s legacy of quality meats and innovative products like bacon that have made it a household name for 140+ years and counting.
Ongoing partnerships with other major brands provide Oscar Mayer opportunities to evolve and introduce new offerings. Recent examples include co-branded items like Taco Bell taquitos with Oscar Mayer hot dogs or Philadelphia cream cheese-stuffed Oscar Mayer cold cuts.
One thing is certain – with owners like Kraft Heinz in its corner, Oscar Mayer is well positioned to keep satisfying America’s cravings for meaty, smoky bacon for generations to come.
The Untold Truth Of Oscar Mayer
FAQ
Who bought out Oscar Mayer?
Who makes Oscar Mayer bacon?
Is Oscar Mayer a Kraft product?
Who is the CEO of Oscar Mayer?
When did Oscar Mayer start making bacon?
In 1924, the company introduced packaged sliced bacon under the Oscar Mayer brand name. A Milwaukee branch was also opened that year. By 1928, the company had 25 different varieties of “Approved Brand” sausages on the market. That year, Oscar F. Mayer was elected to chair the board, and Oscar G. Mayer was named company president.
Does Oscar Mayer make bacon crispy?
(That’s right, the pig gets no credit.) Oscar Mayer uses a fairly standard set of ingredients for industrial-cured bacon: water, salt, sugar, sodium phosphate, sodium ascorbate, and sodium nitrite. The verdict: We want crispy. We want crunchy. We do not want bacon that shatters into bits on the first bite, as Oscar Mayer’s did.
Who owns Oscar Mayer foods?
In 1981, Oscar Mayer was bought by General Foods Corporation, and its name was changed to Oscar Mayer Foods Corp. After Philip Morris Companies, Inc. acquired both General Foods in 1985 and Kraft Inc. in 1988, Oscar Mayer became part of Kraft General Foods, Inc., the subsidiary created by combining the two food giants.
Who owns Oscar Mayer?
For nearly a century, Oscar Mayer remained an independent company owned primarily by descendants of the Mayer brothers who started it. In 1981, Oscar Mayer stockholders elected to sell the company to General Foods.