History of the Owens Sausage Company

Behind the just-right seasoned taste of Owens® Sausage and every other product we sell, there is a proud Owens family commitment to quality. In 1928, C.B. (Clifford) Owens and his wife Kate leased a 100-acre farm in Richardson, Texas, with a dream of making country-style sausage.

Their start was modest – joining with a neighbor who delivered butter and eggs to about 50 customers every Saturday. C.B. thought the customers would want some good country sausage to add to their breakfasts.

C.B. and a few farm hands made the sausage, while Kate made the sausage sacks from sheets and flour sacks. They used the best ingredients, including hams and tenderloins.

It was hard work, done before the days of manufacturing plants, delivery trucks and even refrigeration, but the work paid off for the Owens family as Owens Country Sausage (OCS) grew from a farmhouse kitchen operation to one of the nation’s leading regional sausage producers.

Company Timeline:

As business grew, sausage production moved from the Owens’ kitchen to the family’s barn. Finally, in 1947, they opened a new sausage-making plant in Richardson, Texas.

By 1955, OCS had grown to include a sales branch in Tyler, Texas, and 12 delivery trucks. More branches followed in Houston and San Antonio.

In 1963, a new production plant opened at Spring Creek Farm (near the original family farm). This replaced the downtown Richardson plant and became the new company headquarters. This was also the year Owens® Sausage was first sold outside of Texas, in Shreveport, La.

Also in 1963, the famous Owens eight-horse Belgian hitch made its debut. The horse team helped generate awareness of the company and was used in area parades and events.

By the mid-1970s, Owens had become one of the nation’s leading regional sausage producers.

Jerry Owens, former chairman of the board, started in the family business at age 5, cutting strings for the sausage sacks. Jerry Owens took over as president of the company in 1973.

In 1978, Owens opened the Spring Creek Farm Museum in celebration of its 50th anniversary. The museum was created to preserve the company’s farm heritage through depicting scenes of a typical 1920s country life.

Jerry Owens’ son, Stewart, was named vice president of the company in 1980, marking the third generation of active family involvement in the company. In 1984, Stewart was promoted to president and chief operating officer, a position he held until 2005.

In 1987, Owens was acquired by Bob Evans Farms and became part of a successful and growing family. Owens product line is now distributed in 10 states throughout the southwest.

In 2003, Owens opened a state-of-the-art plant in Sulfur Springs, Texas, which is solely dedicated to the production of breakfast sandwiches.

In 2003, Mike Townsley joined Owens as president and Chief Operating Officer.

In 2004, with the acquisition of Mimi’s Café in California, Bob Evans Farms continues to grow beyond its more than 580 restaurants and successful line of grocery products.

Mimi’s Café currently operates 104 company-owned restaurants in 17 states, with a majority of them in California.

Source:
OwensInc.com
(Archived 2007) https://web.archive.org/web/20061015161427/http://www.owensinc.com/website/owens/ohomepage.nsf/ContentWrapper?ReadForm&PageName=Company+History