Hillshire Farm

Hillshire Farm is an American packaged-meat brand with roots in a meat business established in 1934 at a facility in New London, Wisconsin. The business was started by Friedrich (Fritz) Bernegger, an Austrian-born entrepreneur, and developed a recognizable identity around smoked sausages and other prepared meat products. Its smoked sausages are associated with a long, ring-shaped format resembling ring bologna, while Polska kielbasa became another central product expression. The brand’s historical importance lies partly in the way it helped make smoked sausage a familiar supermarket product for a broad American consumer audience. Through national advertising and supermarket distribution, Hillshire Farm helped position smoked sausage not only as a regional or specialty food but also as a convenient household item suitable for everyday meals. Its product range expanded beyond sausage to include bite-sized Lit’l Smokies, packaged deli-sliced meats for sandwiches, summer sausage, and traditional bone-in hams offered either unsliced or spiral sliced. In 1971, the business was purchased by Sara Lee Corporation. Hillshire Farm subsequently became one of the better-known meat brands associated with Sara Lee’s food operations. The brand’s growth and consumer recognition contributed to the later corporate separation of Sara Lee’s businesses. In 2012, Sara Lee Corporation was divided into two companies, including Hillshire Brands and a separate Sara Lee company. Hillshire Farm was operated within Hillshire Brands after that separation. Tyson Foods acquired Hillshire Brands in 2014, bringing Hillshire Farm into Tyson’s portfolio of branded food products. The brand remains marketed as a consumer packaged-meat label, centered on convenience, familiar flavors, and meal-oriented formats. Its core positioning is mainstream American household food: products are designed for preparation with limited effort and are sold in forms suited to grilling, quick meals, sandwiches, party serving, holiday consumption, and everyday refrigeration. The brand’s current ownership is therefore Tyson Foods, although Hillshire Farm continues to function as a distinct consumer-facing brand rather than as a standalone public company.

Hillshire Farm traces its origins to a meat business established in 1934 at a facility in New London, Wisconsin. The business was started by Friedrich, commonly known as Fritz, Bernegger, who was born in Austria. From its early development, the brand became associated with smoked sausage and Polska kielbasa. Its sausage products were distinguished by a long ring-like form comparable to ring bologna, a format that became part of the brand’s visual and culinary identity. The brand’s growth reflected the broader development of American supermarket food. Hillshire Farm helped introduce smoked sausage to a wider general-market audience through supermarket distribution and national advertising. Rather than being presented only as a regional specialty, smoked sausage was marketed as a convenient packaged food that could be incorporated into ordinary household meals. This helped establish the brand in the refrigerated and prepared-meat sections of American grocery stores. Hillshire Farm’s range later extended beyond its core smoked sausages. Lit’l Smokies provided small, bite-sized smoked sausages suited to appetizers and party occasions. The brand also sold packaged deli-sliced meats for sandwiches, summer sausage associated particularly with the Christmas season, and traditional bone-in hams available either unsliced or spiral sliced. These categories allowed the brand to serve both routine meal occasions and seasonal or entertaining needs. In 1971, Sara Lee Corporation purchased the business. Hillshire Farm subsequently operated as part of Sara Lee’s food activities and became one of the company’s recognizable meat labels. The brand’s scale and recognition contributed to the later corporate organization of Sara Lee’s food businesses. In 2012, Sara Lee Corporation separated into two companies, including Hillshire Brands and a separate Sara Lee company. Hillshire Farm became part of Hillshire Brands following that corporate separation. Tyson Foods acquired Hillshire Brands in 2014. The transaction transferred ownership of Hillshire Farm to Tyson Foods, where the brand remains part of a larger portfolio of branded meat and prepared-food products. Hillshire Farm continues to operate as a consumer brand focused on packaged sausage, deli meats, ham, and related products for the United States market. Its historical identity remains closely tied to smoked sausage, Polska kielbasa, national supermarket distribution, and convenient preparation.

• 2014

  Acquisition by Tyson Foods

  [1]Hillshire Farmen.wikipedia.org

  Tyson Foods bought Hillshire Brands and became the owner of Hillshire Farm.

• 2012

  Hillshire Brands separation

  [1]Hillshire Farmen.wikipedia.org

  Sara Lee Corporation was divided into two companies, including Hillshire Brands, which operated Hillshire Farm.

• 1971

  Acquisition by Sara Lee Corporation

  [1]Hillshire Farmen.wikipedia.org

  Sara Lee Corporation purchased the Hillshire Farm business.

• 1934

  Business founded in Wisconsin

  [1]Hillshire Farmen.wikipedia.org

  Friedrich (Fritz) Bernegger started the business at a facility in New London, Wisconsin.

A mainstream American packaged-meat brand emphasizing convenience, familiar smoked and savory flavors, and versatile products for household meals, grilling, sandwiches, parties, and seasonal occasions.

• Sausage

  Smoked Sausage

  Hillshire Farm’s signature product category. The sausages are sold as packaged smoked links and are associated with a long, ring-shaped format resembling ring bologna. The brand helped establish smoked sausage as a widely available American supermarket food and promotes it as a convenient option for meals, grilling, and quick preparation.

• Sausage

  Polska Kielbasa

  A central Hillshire Farm sausage line based on kielbasa-style smoked sausage. It extends the brand’s core smoked-meat identity into a familiar Eastern European-inspired format marketed for household meals and convenient preparation.

• Bite-sized smoked sausage

  Lit’l Smokies

  A line of small, bite-sized smoked sausages. Lit’l Smokies are particularly suited to appetizers, party food, snacks, and recipes in which individually portioned sausage pieces are more practical than full-size links.

• Deli meat

  Packaged Deli-Sliced Meats

  Prepackaged sliced meats intended primarily for sandwiches and other quick meals. This line broadens Hillshire Farm beyond sausage and places the brand in the everyday refrigerated lunch-meat category.

• Cured sausage

  Summer Sausage

  A shelf-stable or preserved-style sausage product associated with seasonal entertaining and gifting, particularly during the Christmas holiday period. It represents one of the brand’s more occasion-oriented meat offerings.

• Ham

  Traditional Bone-in Ham

  Traditional bone-in ham offered in either unsliced or spiral-sliced forms. The product serves larger meal occasions and holiday consumption, with the spiral-sliced format designed to simplify serving.

• 2014

  Tyson Foods acquisition of Hillshire BrandsM&A

  Background

  Hillshire Farm was operating as part of Hillshire Brands after the 2012 separation from Sara Lee Corporation.

  Action taken

  Tyson Foods acquired Hillshire Brands, including the Hillshire Farm brand.

  Aftermath

  Hillshire Farm became part of Tyson Foods’ branded food portfolio and remains owned by Tyson Foods.

  Source

• 2012

  Creation of Hillshire Brands through corporate separationStrategy

  Background

  Sara Lee Corporation reorganized its businesses and separated into two companies, one of which was Hillshire Brands.

  Action taken

  Hillshire Farm was placed within Hillshire Brands as a distinct branded food business.

  Aftermath

  The brand continued under Hillshire Brands until that company was acquired by Tyson Foods in 2014.

  Source

• 2014

  Tyson Foods acquires Hillshire Brands[1]Hillshire Farmen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Tyson Foods purchased Hillshire Brands, making Hillshire Farm part of Tyson Foods’ branded food portfolio.

• 2012

  Sara Lee separates Hillshire Brands from its remaining businesses[1]Hillshire Farmen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Sara Lee Corporation was split into two companies, with Hillshire Farm becoming part of the newly separated Hillshire Brands company.

• 1971

  Sara Lee Corporation purchases the Hillshire Farm business[1]Hillshire Farmen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Sara Lee Corporation acquired the Hillshire Farm business, bringing the brand into its food portfolio.

1. 1Hillshire Farmen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Hillshire Farm official websitehillshirefarm.com