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Oscar Mayer

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The Oscar Mayer logo

Oscar Mayer is an American meat and cold cut production company, owned by Kraft Foods, known for its hot dogs, bologna, bacon and Lunchables products.

History

German immigrant Oscar F. Mayer (March 29, 1859 in Kösingen, near Neresheim, Württemberg - March 11, 1955) began working at a meat market in Detroit, Michigan, and later in Chicago, Illinois. In 1900 in Chicago, Oscar Mayer, along with his brother Gottfried, leased the Kolling Meat Market, on the near-northside of Chicago. The two sold bratwurst, liverwurst, and weißwurst and were popular in the predominantly German neighborhoods of Chicago around the market.[1]

As the meat market's popularity grew, it expanded its storefront and sponsored local events including the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. By 1900 the company had 43 employees and Chicago-wide delivery service. In 1904 Oscar Mayer began branding its meats to capitalize on their popularity, beginning an industry-wide trend. In 1906 Oscar Mayer became one of the first companies to voluntarily submit to the newly-created Food Safety Inspection Service (part of the United States Department of Agriculture) for testing the purity of their products.[citation needed]

Oscar Mayer is also famous for their Wienermobile, which has toured the United States for over 70 years. The first Wienermobile was created in 1936, and six have since been built.

Oscar Gustave Mayer, grandson of the founder and the third Oscar Mayer to head the company until he retired in 1977, remarried in 1999, at the age of 85.

In 2007, the company was subject to an email hoax which claimed that Oscar Gustave Mayer did not support the United States military.[2][3] On July 6, 2009 Mayer died of old age at 95 in Hospice Care in Fitchburg, Wisconsin.

The "Oscar-Mayer-Platz" in the village of Kösingen, now in the Federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, is named for him.

References

  1. ^ "Oscar Mayer Company History" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  2. ^ "Starbucks Refuses Marines". Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  3. ^ "Oscar Mayer Supports the Troops Myth, Hoax and Rumor". Retrieved 2009-04-22.
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