Sausage lovers everywhere know and love the bold, farm-fresh flavor of Owens Sausage. But not everyone knows the story behind the brand and who actually owns Owens Sausage today. As an avid sausage enthusiast myself, I decided to dig into the history and ownership to uncover the full story.
Humble Beginnings on the Farm
Owens Sausage has its origins back in 1928 when a man named Clifford Owens started making sausage on his family farm using a secret family recipe. He would hand make the sausage along with his four brothers and then sell it locally to friends and neighbors. The hearty seasoned sausage was an instant hit in the community.
By 1946, the Owens brothers had grown the business beyond the farm and were selling their sausage regionally in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana The company was originally called Owens Country Sausage when it first expanded beyond the farm
Steady Growth through Acquisitions
In 1969, Owens Country Sausage was acquired by Hunt Foods and Industries. This helped expand distribution and marketing for Owens Sausage products on a wider scale. With a larger company behind it, the brand increased in popularity throughout the 70s and 80s.
In 1983, Owens Country Sausage was bought by Beatrice Foods, which further accelerated growth and reach for the Owens brand. Under Beatrice, the company name was changed to Owens Sausage Company.
Bob Evans Steps In
In 1987, Owens Sausage Company was acquired by Bob Evans Farms as a wholly owned subsidiary. Bob Evans Farms is a nationally recognized food company started by Bob Evans himself in 1948.
Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Bob Evans Farms was looking to diversify its breakfast-focused portfolio by adding sausage expertise through the acquisition of Owens. This new ownership helped transition Owens from a regional brand to a national presence.
Bob Evans Farms likely saw the potential to grow Owens beyond its traditional Southern strongholds and make it a mainstream sausage brand throughout the U.S. As a subsidiary of Bob Evans, Owens expanded distribution across the country while staying true to its founding recipe and sausage-making heritage.
The Bob Evans Brands Today
Currently, Owens remains an important brand within the stable of Bob Evans Farms products, which also includes Bob Evans Restaurant and Foods, Bob Evans Side Dishes and Bob Evans Fresh Sausage.
While each brand has its own unique offerings, they collectively give Bob Evans Farms coverage across breakfast foods, sandwiches, sides and sausage categories nationwide. The company leans into the farm-inspired roots of both its Bob Evans and Owens brands as a key part of its marketing strategy and product appeal.
Keeping the Owens Family Tradition Alive
Even though Owens Sausage is now owned by a large corporation in Bob Evans Farms, the company proudly showcases its artisanal family history on packaging and promotions. The Owens name still appears prominently on product labels. Marketing campaigns frequently reference the humble farmhouse beginnings and secret family recipe.
This connection to founding family history allows Owens to stand out in the retail sausage market dominated by national conglomerates. It provides an air of nostalgia and homespun craftsmanship that consumers respond to positively.
The company also maintains its Owens Sausage headquarters in Owensboro, Kentucky as a nod to the brand’s namesake roots and place in American sausage tradition. Some manufacturing and distribution operations remain located there as well.
What the Future Holds
Owens Sausage has certainly come a long way from its roots on the Owens family farm in 1928. Through multiple acquisitions over the decades, it has grown into a household name across America under the ownership of Bob Evans Farms.
It will be interesting to see where the future takes Owens in terms of product innovation, distribution and marketing. But if history is any indication, the core sausage recipes and humble farm origins will continue playing an integral role.
As sausage making craftsmen themselves, the Owens brothers would likely be amazed to see their secret family recipe transformed into a nationally beloved brand today. With Bob Evans Farms behind the wheel, Owens Sausage seems poised for even greater growth while staying true to the high-quality, boldly seasoned sausage that customers have come to expect.
Boldly Seasoned Owens Sausage, Inspired by the Farm
Everyone should try our family’s secret sausage recipe. It has strong, farm-fresh flavors that will make you enjoy every bite of your meal.
Find Your Owens Favorite
From fully cooked ham to the fresh sausage that started it all, come explore our products.
Owen’s Sausage
FAQ
Do they still make Owens sausage?
Who started Owens sausage?
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Who owns Owens sausages?
Ohio-based Bob Evans Farms bought the Owens brand in 1987 and in 2013 closed the Richardson plant and farm. Since then, the area around the old sausage estate has boomed with State Farm Insurance’s huge new corporate campus and thousands of workers moving to the area.
Who owns Owens farms?
In the early 1960s, the family bought the tract of farmland along Spring Creek for its business. For years, the old farm hosted tours and hayrides with a petting zoo and holiday events. Ohio-based Bob Evans Farms bought the Owens brand in 1987 and in 2013 closed the Richardson plant and farm.
Is Owens meats a family business?
It is thought that Owens Meats is the oldest continuously operated family business in Kittitas County and perhaps one of the oldest in the state of Washington. Owens Meats opened its doors in 1887, two years before Washington became a state.
Who owns Owens?
Expectations are high for OWENS because it is owned by creative entrepreneurs Graham and Debbie Owen who also operated Phileas Fogg’s World of Adventure in Brighton. This enterprise was a visual, immersive delight and received accolades for being Tourist Attraction of the Year for Sussex.