Tracing the Origins: Where is Sugardale Bacon Made?

Crispy, smoky, delicious bacon is a staple food for many American breakfasts. If you’re a bacon lover, chances are you’ve enjoyed bacon from the popular brand Sugardale. But have you ever wondered exactly where Sugardale bacon is made?

In this article, we’ll explore the history and manufacturing operations of the Sugardale Foods company. We’ll trace the journey from pig farm to package to unveil where this tasty bacon comes from. Let’s dive in!

An Overview of the Sugardale Foods Company

Sugardale Foods is one of the major producers of bacon, ham, hot dogs and lunchmeat in the United States. The company was founded in 1917 in Garfield Heights, Ohio by the Davis family.

Over 100 years later, Sugardale remains family-owned and run, now in its fourth generation of Davis family leadership. The company has manufacturing plants and operations across Ohio, Mississippi, and California.

Some fast facts about Sugardale Foods:

• Employs over 1,200 people
• Ships to all 50 U.S. states
• Produces over 300 million pounds of bacon per year
• Makes 50 million hot dogs annually
• Certified humane and antibiotic-free pork programs

Now let’s look specifically at how Sugardale crafts its signature bacon

Where Sugardale Sources Its Pork

According to the company, all of the pork used in Sugardale bacon comes from American family hog farms. Sugardale does not own any hog barns themselves. This allows them to source only the highest quality pork for their products.

The fresh pork comes from a network of hog farms across the Midwest. States like Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio have high concentrations of pork producers and supply much of the raw material for Sugardale bacon.

Sugardale maintains close relationships with hog farm partners. The farmers who supply pigs for Sugardale must meet stringent standards for humane animal care and handling. Sugardale also works with farms enrolled in third-party verification programs like Certified Humane.

How Sugardale Bacon Is Manufactured

Once the pork arrives at Sugardale facilities, it undergoes state-of-the-art processing and cooking to transform it into delicious bacon.

The steps include:

• Quality inspection of raw pork
• Precision trimming and slicing
• Application of signature dry cure blend
• Cold smoking process over natural hardwoods
• Controlled cooking and drying
• Chilling, slicing and packaging

Two of the main Sugardale bacon production facilities are located in Bolivar, Ohio and Picayune, Mississippi. Between these two plants and other secondary facilities, Sugardale has the capacity to produce over 300 million pounds of bacon per year through this process!

Why Sugardale Uses Multiple Plants

Sugardale operates multiple manufacturing plants across different geographic regions for several important reasons:

• Allows proximity to local hog farm suppliers for freshness
• Provides redundancy if one plant experiences operational issues
• Expands production capacity to meet high demand
• Enables distribution access to both coasts of the U.S.
• Strategic locations chosen based on workforce availability
• Different regional consumer preferences can be accommodated

By utilizing facilities in Ohio, Mississippi and California, Sugardale can ensure efficient manufacturing and transportation of their products across America.

Third-Party Safety Inspections

In addition to Sugardale’s own safety and quality control measures, their facilities and processes undergo rigorous third-party inspections.

These include:

• USDA – Routine audits for compliance with U.S. food safety regulations
• American Institute of Baking (AIB) – Confirms sanitation program effectiveness
• Women’s Business Enterprise National Council – Certifies women-owned business practices
• ISO 9001 – Verifies quality management protocols and standards

Thanks to compliant processes, Sugardale plants have excellent food safety records, giving consumers confidence in the brand.

Where to Purchase Sugardale Retail Bacon

Since Sugardale sells its bacon wholesale to large retailers, you can find Sugardale bacon for purchase at:

• Major grocery chains like Kroger, Publix, Safeway, Winn-Dixie, etc.
• Big box stores such as Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s Wholesale Club
• Select convenience and corner stores
• Online through services like Instacart and Amazon
• Directly from Sugardale’s website

Look for the recognizable logo and packaging in the bacon section of stores near you. Sugardale’s wide retail distribution makes it a prime choice for shoppers across America.

Is Sugardale Considered Local Bacon?

For consumers living near one of Sugardale’s production facilities in Ohio or Mississippi, purchasing Sugardale bacon could be considered buying local. However, since Sugardale distributes nationally, their products cannot be considered truly local bacon for most Americans.

To find bacon made closer to home, check your farmer’s markets, local meat shops, or regional bacon crafters. These provide the ultimate local bacon experience. But Sugardale remains an excellent large-scale brand.

Why Bacon Lovers Trust Sugardale

Over their 100+ year history, Sugardale has earned bacon lovers’ trust by:

• Consistently producing delicious, quality bacon
• Caring for animal welfare and sustainable practices
• Utilizing stringent safety procedures
• Maintaining excellent food safety ratings
• Supporting American family hog farms
• Delivering Exceptional taste and value

As one of America’s favorite bacon brands, Sugardale has secured their place at the breakfast table for generations to come.

So next time you enjoy a taste of that smoky Sugardale bacon, you can rest assured it came from humanely raised Midwest pork, underwent safe manufacturing, and was crafted for quality you can trust. Dig in!