Ask any southerner about Smithfield ham and their eyes may glaze over with joy. This salty, long-cured delicacy holds an iconic status in places like Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. But who actually produces this distinctly American ham today? The answer involves a tangled web of corporate deals and international investments.
In this article, we’ll explore the pedigree and ownership behind the Smithfield ham company. From its colonial Virginia roots to acquisition by a Chinese firm, it’s been an eventful journey for this signature southern meat.
Early Days in Smithfield, VA
The origins of Smithfield ham can be traced back over 200 years to the small town of Smithfield, Virginia This colonial port on the Pagan River was an ideal spot to export salt-cured hams to Europe and the West Indies
By the 1700s, the Smithfield ham industry was booming The combination of the town’s natural environment, curing practices and unique breed of peanut-fed hogs created a distinct product cherished for its rich flavor
The first commercial enterprise, known as Gwaltney, was established in 1925 by Joseph Gwaltney. The first use of the name “Smithfield Ham” on packaging rather than just “Virginia Ham” came in 1936 with Henry Winborne’s company, Smithfield Packing.
Growth Through Mergers
Over the next decades, Smithfield ham production grew through innovation and mergers. Companies like Gwaltney, Luter’s and Vause consolidated operations under the Smithfield banner.
In the 1980s, Joseph W. Luter III took over his family’s company and applied modern technology and mass production. This allowed the Smithfield name to expand from a regional southern treat into nationwide distribution.
By 1992, the Smithfield companies merged into a powerhouse called Smithfield Foods. Headquartered in Smithfield, VA, it became the largest pork producer and processor in the world.
Sold to a Chinese Company
In 2013, Smithfield Foods was acquired by Shuanghui International Holdings Limited, a Chinese meat company. Shuanghui, now known as WH Group Limited, purchased Smithfield for $7.1 billion.
This made Smithfield the first major US food company to be sold to Chinese interests. While controversial at the time, the deal provided Shuanghui access to Smithfield’s world-leading pork expertise and American pork supplies.
Despite the change in ownership, Smithfield ham continues to be manufactured in Smithfield, VA to this day. The company’s operations, facilities and leadership structure also remained mostly intact after acquisition.
Brands Under Smithfield Foods
While Smithfield ham remains its marquee product, Smithfield Foods now produces many leading pork brands:
- Farmland – deli meats, bacon, sausages
- Cook’s – ham, bacon, smoked pork
- Gwaltney – hot dogs, lunch meat, bacon
- Eckrich – sausage, deli meat, smoked sausage
- Margherita – pepperoni, salami, capicola
- Carando – salami, prosciutto, capicola
In addition to pork, Smithfield has expanded into poultry through ownership of Armour and its chicken and turkey cold cuts.
Vertically Integrated Production
Unlike many food companies, Smithfield Foods controls its products from farm to package. Their facilities include:
- Hog farms – raises 15 million hogs per year
- Slaughterhouses – processes over 90 million hogs annually
- Processing plants – produces wide range of fresh pork, packaged meats and meals
This huge vertically integrated system – dubbed “from squeal to meal” – gives Smithfield maximum control over quality from start to finish.
The Curing Process
Smithfield ham follows traditional salt-curing methods perfected in Virginia over centuries. Here’s the multi-step process:
- Fresh hams rubbed with salt then aged for 2-3 weeks.
- Soaked and scrubbed before a second salting.
- Cured for several months.
- Slowly hickory smoked for flavor.
- Aged up to a full year to develop the distinctive dry, salty taste.
It’s an artisanal process that results in Smithfield ham’s signature flavor, dark color and firm texture.
Serving Smithfield Ham
Part of Smithfield ham’s appeal is the ritual of preparing and serving it:
- The extremely salty ham is traditionally soaked overnight before cooking.
- Using a knife, the skin and some fat is trimmed away.
- Slices are cut paper-thin.
- Served as an appetizer or in biscuits, cornbread, green beans and more.
For southerners, the rich smell and sweet, salty taste make Smithfield ham a treasured regional delicacy.
Protecting a Legacy
To protect Smithfield hams as authentic, the state of Virginia passed a law restricting use of the name. To be called a genuine Smithfield ham, a product must meet requirements including:
- Made in Smithfield, VA town limits.
- Cured for minimum 6 months.
- Contains no water or preservatives.
- Meets USDA standards.
This prevents imitation products from diluting the Smithfield name.
The Future of Smithfield
The takeover by a Chinese company caused some Americans to view Smithfield ham as less authentically southern. But operations remain centered in Smithfield, VA using time-honored local methods.
Under its new global ownership and expanded portfolio, Smithfield Foods seems positioned to thrive. Yet their prized country ham and other Virginia-made products preserve centuries of American meat-curing heritage.
So while the company now answers to international investors, the hometown spirit of Smithfield ham endures. When sliced paper-thin and enjoying among friends, its history and roots on the Tidewater come through in every salty, smoky bite.
GOOD IS WHAT WE DO
Hometown roots. Global reach.
At Smithfield Foods, we’re helping to feed a world of nearly 8 billion people. We give families healthy, safe, and affordable food while also coming up with new and creative ways to make our business less harmful to the environment. It’s our responsibility, and our promise. Were found on tables everywhere.
Who’s behind the Chinese takeover of a U.S. pork producer?
Did WH Group buy Smithfield?
In 2013, WH Group (formerly known as Shuanghui International Holdings) purchased Smithfield for $4.7 billion; including debt, the deal valued the firm at $7.1 billion, then the largest acquisition of a U.S. company by a Chinese business.
Who owns Smithfield Foods?
The acquisition of Smithfield’s 146,000 acres of land made WH Group, headquartered in Luohe, Henan province, one of the largest overseas owners of American farmland. [b] Smithfield Foods began its growth in 1981 with the purchase of Gwaltney of Smithfield, followed by the acquisition of nearly 40 companies between then and 2008, including:
Does Smithfield sell ham?
The company supplies hams and other fresh pork cuts to grocers’ meat cases and sells products under brands including Armour, Farmland and Nathan’s Famous. Company officials have said that since the WH acquisition, Smithfield has increased its annual sales from $13 billion to roughly $18 billion.
Did China buy Smithfield Foods?
One year ago this month, a Chinese company bought America’s largest pork producer, Smithfield Foods. The $4.7 billion deal is the biggest Chinese acquisition of a U.S. company to date. Nathan Halverson from the Center for Investigative Reporting looks into the Chinese government’s role in the takeover.