Crispy, smoky, delicious Wright’s bacon has been a breakfast staple for nearly 100 years. But while this iconic bacon brand may feel nostalgic, its ownership and history is more complex than you might expect.
Let’s unwrap the fascinating story behind one of America’s favorite bacon brands.
Small Town Roots
The Wright’s bacon story starts in 1922 in the small town of Vernon, Texas. That’s when Egbert Eggleston, his son Fay, and son-in-law Roy Wright opened the Vernon Meat Company in the back of a local grocery store.
Using pork bellies delivered by train, the trio hand-rubbed the meat with salt and liquid smoke to create tasty bacon Within four years, the successful little company built its first plant for production.
The Wright Family Legacy
In the 1940s, Roy Wright bought out the Eggleston family interest and renamed the company Wright Packing Company. Roy’s sons later joined the family business.
For decades, the Wrights grew their company into one of the major employers in Vernon. By the 1960s, Wright Packing had over 200 employees!
In the 1970s, the Wright brothers decided to focus solely on processed meats like bacon and ham. This allowed them to rapidly grow the company, now called Wright Brand Foods.
Acquisition by Tyson
After 70 years of family ownership, Wright Brand Foods was acquired by giant meat processor Tyson Foods in 2001. This marked the first time since 1922 that a Wright or Eggleston didn’t control the company.
Under Tyson, Wright’s bacon production has steadily grown through facility expansions. Tyson recently invested $26 million to expand the Vernon plant, adding 32 jobs.
Still Smoky After All These Years
While the ownership has changed, what hasn’t changed is Wright’s dedication to hand-trimming and naturally wood smoking their bacon.
Wright’s proprietary 90-year old curing process gives their bacon a thicker, smokier character than other brands. Popular flavors include hickory smoked, applewood smoked, and maple.
So next time you enjoy a hearty breakfast of eggs and Wright’s bacon, appreciate the long history behind this small town bacon brand. Its classic taste has endured from family business to giant corporation!
It started with a belief in a better slice of bacon.
Eggleston, his son Fay, and his son-in-law Roy Wright set out to make a thicker, more flavorful slice of bacon in 1922. And they did it the only way they knew how: with craftsmanship, commitment and a mouth-watering family recipe.
They picked out and cut each pork belly by hand in the back of their small grocery store in Vernon, Texas. They cured it, smoked each piece over real hickory wood and hand trimmed every thick slice. When they finally tasted their handiwork, they knew their careful attention to detail had paid off. Â.
Word of their special thick-cut bacon spread and the family business quickly grew. Wright® Brand meats were soon found in stores across the Southwest. Through it all, the family maintained complete control of how their bacon was made. They were in charge of the whole process and made sure that every piece of bacon met their high standards for care and skill. Â.
Kevin Gillespie shows you how to cook bacon the Wright Way™
Who owns Wright Brand Foods?
Wright Brand Foods, Inc. was a meat-packing company located in Vernon, Texas, that was eventually bought by the Tyson Foods corporation in 2001 after seeing rapid market growth beginning in the late 1980s. In 1922, Egbert Eggleston, his son Fay, and son-in-law Roy Wright, founded the Vernon Meat Company in the back of a local grocery store.
Who makes Wright Brand Bacon?
Rich in both tradition and flavor, the bold taste of Wright Brand bacon has been savored since Roy Wright and Fay Eggleston handcrafted their first batch in 1922. It’s a history of doing things a certain way, and one we don’t plan on changing. Wright® Brand Bacon – Hand trimmed, thick cut and real wood smoked.
Why is Wright Brand celebrating 100 years of real-wood smoked bacon?
The one-day bacon-themed celebration will celebrate Vernon, Texas, the town that has made possible 100 years of real-wood smoked bacon. Vernon, TX – September 12, 2022 – Wright Brand knows there’s no place like home. That’s why the brand is celebrating its centennial anniversary in the place where it all started–Vernon, Texas.
What’s new at Wright Brand & the bacon strip?
Wright Brand will kick off the celebration on September 16 in partnership with local businesses by introducing a variety of bacon-centric offerings in stores along the newly named main street, The Bacon Strip.
What does Wright Brand Bacon taste like?
A thick, smoky character you can count on in each and every slice. We do things a lot like your great grandfather did. Rich in both tradition and flavor, the bold taste of Wright Brand bacon has been savored since Roy Wright and Fay Eggleston handcrafted their first batch in 1922.
When is Wright brand bacon celebration?
CAPTION: The one-day bacon-themed celebration on September 16 will celebrate Vernon, Texas, the town that has made possible 100 years of Wright Brand Bacon. Wright Brand’s newly appointed Mayor of Bacon City, USA will attend the festivities and will be formally inducted as mayor for the weekend.