Butterball
Encyclopedia
Butterball is a brand
of turkey
and other poultry
products produced by Butterball LLC. The company manufactures food products in the United States and internationally — specializing in turkey, cured deli meats, raw roasts and specialty products such as soups and salads, sandwiches, and entrées.
Butterball LLC was a joint venture
of Smithfield Foods
and Maxwell Farms Inc., an affiliate of the Goldsboro Milling Co. Seaboard Corporation
bought Smithfield's stake in Butterball in 2010. The company sells over one billion pounds of turkey a year, including one in every five turkeys sold in the United States and operates the world's largest turkey-processing plant (675,000 square feet) in Mount Olive, North Carolina
Though the Butterball brand has been formally recognized since 1940, Butterball LLC was formed in 2006.
In Canada, the rights to Butterball is owned by P&H Foods.
Among numerous other brands, English
-bred Butterball turkeys are sold in the United Kingdom
during Christmas
time for the Christmas feast.
, Ohio
. Leo Peters purchased the trademark in February 1951. Leo Peters licensed the name to Swift and Co. for 10 years before selling it in the 60's. Peters sold the name "Butterball" to Swift, which was acquired by ConAgra in 1990.
Leo Peters retained rights to use the name Butterball Farms for his butter products and the company operates today as Butterball Farms, Inc., producing and marketing shaped butter
products.
In October 2006, ConAgra's Butterball branded turkey business was sold to North Carolina
based Carolina Turkeys, — making Carolina Turkey the largest turkey producer in the United States. The company, located southeast of Raleigh, NC in Mount Olive, North Carolina
on the Wayne and Duplin county line, subsequently renamed itself Butterball LLC.
In 2008, the company moved its headquarters to a new $12 million building in Greenfield North off Interstate 40 in Garner, North Carolina
. The headquarters has a "customer experience center" with a special kitchen for promotional demonstrations.
Smithfield offered $200 million to Maxwell Farms for the portion of Butterball that Smithfield did not own. Chief executive C. Larry Pope said at that time that he hoped Maxwell Farms would spend more on the company's facilities and marketing. A decision had to be made whether to buy Maxwell's share or sell Smithfield's. On September 10, 2010, Smithfield announced the sale of its 49 percent share of Butterball for an estimated $175 million. Maxwell Farms will sell 50 percent of Butterball to Seaboard Corp.
, is Butterball LLC's corporate secretary — managing all operating activities from turkey production and directing Maxwell Farms, the managing partner of Butterball. Pelletier is also president of Maxwell Farms, Inc., vice president of Goldsboro Milling Company, and secretary-treasurer of Maxwell Foods, Inc. Pelletier had joined Goldsboro Milling Company in 1981.
In The West Wing episode "The Indians in the Lobby
", President Josiah Bartlet
calls the number (referred to as the "Butterball Hotline" in the script) to discuss stuffing and cooking his Thanksgiving turkey.
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
of turkey
Turkey (bird)
A turkey is a large bird in the genus Meleagris. One species, Meleagris gallopavo, commonly known as the Wild Turkey, is native to the forests of North America. The domestic turkey is a descendant of this species...
and other poultry
Poultry
Poultry are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of producing eggs, meat, and/or feathers. These most typically are members of the superorder Galloanserae , especially the order Galliformes and the family Anatidae , commonly known as "waterfowl"...
products produced by Butterball LLC. The company manufactures food products in the United States and internationally — specializing in turkey, cured deli meats, raw roasts and specialty products such as soups and salads, sandwiches, and entrées.
Butterball LLC was a joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
of Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods, Inc. is the world’s largest pork producer and processor. Headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, it runs facilities in 26 U.S. states, including the world's largest meat-processing plant in Tar Heel, North Carolina, and has operations in Brazil, China, France, Mexico, Poland,...
and Maxwell Farms Inc., an affiliate of the Goldsboro Milling Co. Seaboard Corporation
Seaboard Corporation
Seaboard Corporation is a diversified conglomerate that operates worldwide a number of agriculture and ocean transport businesses. In the United States, the company mainly engages in pork production and processing. Internationally, Seaboard also has operations in cargo shipping, commodity...
bought Smithfield's stake in Butterball in 2010. The company sells over one billion pounds of turkey a year, including one in every five turkeys sold in the United States and operates the world's largest turkey-processing plant (675,000 square feet) in Mount Olive, North Carolina
Mount Olive, North Carolina
This article is about the town in Wayne County, North Carolina. For the unincorporated community in Stokes County see Mount Olive, Stokes County, North Carolina....
Though the Butterball brand has been formally recognized since 1940, Butterball LLC was formed in 2006.
In Canada, the rights to Butterball is owned by P&H Foods.
Products
According to Butterball, the following products are sold under the Butterball name:- whole turkeys
- turkey cuts
- cold cutCold cutCold cuts are cheeses or precooked or cured meat, often sausages or meat loaves, that are sliced and usually served cold on sandwiches or on party trays. They can be bought pre-sliced in vacuum packs at a supermarket or grocery store, or they can be purchased at a delicatessen or deli counter,...
s - sausageSausageA sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
- baconBaconBacon is a cured meat prepared from a pig. It is first cured using large quantities of salt, either in a brine or in a dry packing; the result is fresh bacon . Fresh bacon may then be further dried for weeks or months in cold air, boiled, or smoked. Fresh and dried bacon must be cooked before eating...
- turkey medallions, strips, chicken strips
- turkey franks
- ground turkey
- frozen turkey burgers, mignons, meatballs
Among numerous other brands, English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-bred Butterball turkeys are sold in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
during Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
time for the Christmas feast.
History
The name Butterball was originally registered as trademark #378,438 on June 11, 1940, by Ada Walker of WyomingWyoming, Ohio
Wyoming is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 8,261 at the 2000 census.Wyoming has a renowned education program - the Wyoming City School District was ranked first in the State of Ohio on the 2004-2005 State Report Card, with an index score of 108.2...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Leo Peters purchased the trademark in February 1951. Leo Peters licensed the name to Swift and Co. for 10 years before selling it in the 60's. Peters sold the name "Butterball" to Swift, which was acquired by ConAgra in 1990.
Leo Peters retained rights to use the name Butterball Farms for his butter products and the company operates today as Butterball Farms, Inc., producing and marketing shaped butter
Butter
Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...
products.
In October 2006, ConAgra's Butterball branded turkey business was sold to North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
based Carolina Turkeys, — making Carolina Turkey the largest turkey producer in the United States. The company, located southeast of Raleigh, NC in Mount Olive, North Carolina
Mount Olive, North Carolina
This article is about the town in Wayne County, North Carolina. For the unincorporated community in Stokes County see Mount Olive, Stokes County, North Carolina....
on the Wayne and Duplin county line, subsequently renamed itself Butterball LLC.
In 2008, the company moved its headquarters to a new $12 million building in Greenfield North off Interstate 40 in Garner, North Carolina
Garner, North Carolina
Garner is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States and a suburb of Raleigh. The population was 17,757 at the 2000 census and was 27,533 in 2009.-Geography:Garner is located at ....
. The headquarters has a "customer experience center" with a special kitchen for promotional demonstrations.
Smithfield offered $200 million to Maxwell Farms for the portion of Butterball that Smithfield did not own. Chief executive C. Larry Pope said at that time that he hoped Maxwell Farms would spend more on the company's facilities and marketing. A decision had to be made whether to buy Maxwell's share or sell Smithfield's. On September 10, 2010, Smithfield announced the sale of its 49 percent share of Butterball for an estimated $175 million. Maxwell Farms will sell 50 percent of Butterball to Seaboard Corp.
Corporate
Walter “Gator” Pelletier, past chairman of the National Turkey FederationNational Turkey Federation
The National Turkey Federation is the non-profit national trade association based in Washington, D.C. representing the turkey industry and its allies and affiliates. NTF advocates for all segments of the turkey industry, providing services and conducting activities which increase demand for its...
, is Butterball LLC's corporate secretary — managing all operating activities from turkey production and directing Maxwell Farms, the managing partner of Butterball. Pelletier is also president of Maxwell Farms, Inc., vice president of Goldsboro Milling Company, and secretary-treasurer of Maxwell Foods, Inc. Pelletier had joined Goldsboro Milling Company in 1981.
Turkey Talk-Line
Beginning in late 1981, Butterball has maintained a toll-free telephone line called the Turkey Talk-Line to help customers with cooking and preparation questions. Eleven thousand people called in 1981, and in recent years the number has grown to over 200,000 each holiday season. Each of the operators holds a degree in either dietetics or home economics, roughly half of which are Masters-level. The most frequent question asked is how long a turkey takes to defrost.In The West Wing episode "The Indians in the Lobby
The Indians in the Lobby
"The Indians in the Lobby" is the 51st episode of The West Wing.-Plot:It is the day before Thanksgiving and the President is rather disgruntled that the family must spend Thanksgiving at Camp David, rather than his New Hampshire farm, because a poll suggests that Americans would prefer that the...
", President Josiah Bartlet
Josiah Bartlet
Josiah Edward "Jed" Bartlet is a fictional character played by Martin Sheen on the television serial drama The West Wing. He is President of the United States for the entire series until the last episode, when his successor is inaugurated...
calls the number (referred to as the "Butterball Hotline" in the script) to discuss stuffing and cooking his Thanksgiving turkey.
External links
- Butterball, LLC - Turkey Purveyor
- Butterball Farms, Inc. - Butter Purveyor