Carl Buddig and Company Celebrates 75 Years of Feeding Family Traditions

The Company Continues to Grow and Innovate to Reach Future Generations

2018 is a milestone year for Carl Buddig and Company, as the family owned and operated company celebrates 75 years of feeding family traditions. The Buddig brand is known for convenient and affordable lunchmeat, and quality and taste are of the utmost importance to the family of owners who always ask, "Would we serve this to our families?" Family is at the heart of everything the company produces, which is a value that has been passed down for four generations since Carl Buddig founded the company in 1943.

The roots of the company began with Carl Buddig distributing meats throughout Chicago. Since those early days, the company has grown its footprint nationwide, offering signature thin-sliced lunchmeats American families have loved for generations, as well as diversifying its portfolio to encourage growth and engage consumers for more than seven decades. In addition to serving national customers for over 75 years, the company also celebrates 50 years of shipping to Canada. Currently, more than 2,000 associates call Carl Buddig and Company home, and for many, that is a family tradition in and of itself, as multiple generations of the same family have been employed at the company.

"I know that my grandfather, father and uncle would be proud of how the company has continued to grow while holding steadfast to the core heritage, values and traditions my family holds so dear," said Bob Buddig, third generation CEO. "It's humbling to be a part of our associates' and consumers' lives and family traditions for the last 75 years, and we look forward to the next 75."

The Buddig family of products has expanded over the years, beginning with the acquisition of the Old Wisconsin Sausage Company in 1981. The smoky, handcrafted sausages are made with the most premium cuts of meat with recipes that were passed down by generations of sausage makers. Old Wisconsin has continued to innovate, launching an all-natural sausage snacks, sticks and bites line that is authentically hardwood-smoked for great flavor and made with only the finest ingredients and spices.

In 2017, the company reached a multiyear agreement to produce Kingsford^™ branded pre-cooked ribs and barbecue entrees. The company continues to scale in operations to meet the demand for its growing product lineup, most recently purchasing a new manufacturing facility in the Chicagoland area in January 2017. The 280,000-square-foot site is the fourth Carl Buddig production facility in Illinois. It will be used to help service current and future needs of our customers.

The full line of Kingsford^™ products will be sampled at Booth 1003, Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, at the Annual Meat Conference that opens this weekend in Nashville, Tennessee.

"We're excited to celebrate 75 years of business with our customers, since they are who got us to where we are today," said Tom Buddig, executive vice president of marketing at Carl Buddig and Company. "We are currently planning a variety of fun celebrations for our anniversary year, from consumer promotions to TV and digital media throughout keys markets in the United States."

About Carl Buddig and Company

Carl Buddig and Company, based in Homewood, Illinois, is owned and operated by third generation Buddig Family members. The Company is also proud that in recent years fourth generation family members have also joined the organization. In 2018, Carl Buddig and Company will celebrate its 75th year of feeding family traditions with the very best in taste, variety and convenience. In addition to manufacturing and distributing great-tasting lunchmeat products, Carl Buddig and Company is also the parent company responsible for manufacturing and distribution of Old Wisconsin^® hardwood-smoked sausage and meat snack products in supermarkets across the country. In June 2017, Carl Buddig and Company entered the barbecue and specialty meats business and is now manufacturing products under the Kingsford Brand. To learn more, please visit www.buddig.com and www.oldwisconsin.com and www.KingsfordBBQMeats.com.

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