From small town breakfast tables to brunch spots nationwide, the hearty flavor of Wright bacon is unmistakable. The thick-cut slices with smoky, wood-fired flavor have been a pork lover’s favorite for generations. But where exactly does this iconic bacon come from?
In this article, I’ll explore the history and production process behind Wright bacon to uncover where it’s processed from pork belly to pack
Humble Beginnings in Vernon, Texas
The Wright bacon story starts in 1922 in the town of Vernon Texas. That’s when Egbert Eggleston, his son Fay and son-in-law Roy Wright opened a modest grocery store. Unsatisfied with the thin, lackluster bacon options of the time, the trio set out to create a better tasting, fuller-flavored product.
In the back of their tiny store, they began hand-selecting pork bellies and trimming each slice by hand. Using their own family cure recipe they cold-smoked the bacon over hickory wood fires to achieve a distinctive smoky flavor and hearty texture. It was a tedious process done in small batches, but the payoff was bacon with big bold taste.
Keeping Tradition Alive in Vernon
As word spread, Wright Brand meats quickly gained popularity throughout the Southwest. But even with growing demand, the family stubbornly insisted on controlling the entire production process themselves. They were committed to meeting their high standards for quality craftsmanship.
Flash forward 100 years later, and not much has changed in how Wright bacon is made. The processing and smoking still happens in Vernon, where that very first slab was trimmed by hand back in 1922.
While now owned by food industry giant Tyson Foods, descendants of the Wright family still work at the plant, passing down generations of bacon-making expertise. The equipment may be new, but tradition reigns supreme.
Expanding Output While Sticking to Standards
In recent years, Wright Brand Bacon has seen impressive growth in popularity as new generations discover its smoky, hearty goodness. To meet rising demand while maintaining exceptional quality, Tyson invested $26 million to expand the Vernon bacon plant in 2021.
The expansion added new jobs, production lines, and capacity while keeping the traditional process untouched. Hogs are still raised on American farms, bellies are hand-trimmed, and Wright bacon is smoked low and slow over real wood fires per the company’s exacting standards.
The expansion simply allows more bacon lovers to enjoy Wright’ssignature flavors like hickory smoked, maple flavored, and applewood smoked.
What Makes Wright Bacon Special?
From its humble roots to large-scale production today, certain things set Wright bacon apart from other mass-market brands:
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Thick cut bacon – Carefully hand-trimmed pork bellies yield thick, hearty slices with more meaty bite.
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Wood smoking – Applewood, hickory, and other hardwood smoke infuse authentic flavor.
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Minimal preservatives – No artificial nitrites or ingredients mask the real pork taste.
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Award-winning flavor – The time-honored process results in exceptional taste that wins competitions.
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Local pride – Generations of Wright family expertise and Vernon tradition ensure quality.
The Future of An Iconic Brand
As Wright Brand Bacon passes its 100th anniversary, what does the future hold for this heritage brand? Tyson plans to expand the Vernon plant’s capacity and efficiency without compromising traditional techniques. New bacon flavors will complement classics like hickory and maple to keep Wright on the cutting edge.
But the brand remains grounded in its legacy of thoughtfully crafting premium, full-flavored bacon with care and expertise dating back to 1922. For the town of Vernon and bacon lovers everywhere, the sizzle of Wright bacon will hopefully continue for a hundred more years to come.
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The facility is scheduled to open in late 202
Tyson Foods is putting up a $355 million bacon plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The plant will mostly make Wright Brand and Jimmy Dean products for stores and restaurants. The 400,000-square-foot facility is expected to create 450 jobs with production beginning in late 2023.
The plant will have the newest robotics and automated technologies to make production more efficient and improve the safety of the workers. The facility will be located in the expanded Kentucky Transpark in Bowling Green.
Tyson wants to meet the growing demand for bacon products in stores and restaurants through this project. This is part of the company’s plan to speed up long-term growth that is in line with consumer trends.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear says, “Today, I am proud to announce one of the largest investments in Warren County’s history. This is a community that has had no shortage of economic success in recent years.” “Tyson Foods has been in the commonwealth for a long time, and the company’s leaders have big plans for the future that will make it a great fit for Bowling Green and the surrounding area.” ”.
The company employs more than 3,900 people across Kentucky with an annual payroll of more than $168 million. In its 2020 fiscal year, Tyson Foods paid Kentucky growers and suppliers more than $35 million. The company thinks its total effect on the state will be $425 million. The company has prepared foods operations in Claryville and Poultry operations in Albany and Robards.
The company won’t be hiring anyone for a few months, but people who want to work for Tyson Foods should check the Tyson Foods Careers website often.
About Tyson Foods
Tyson Foods is one of the world’s largest food companies and a recognized leader in protein. Founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson and grown under three generations of family leadership. The company has many products and brands, such as State Fair, Ball Park, Wright, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, and Tyson. Tyson Foods is always coming up with new ideas to make protein more sustainable, make food fit the places where it’s sold, and raise people’s standards for what good food can do. Headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, the company has 139,000 team members. Tyson Foods’ Core Values tell it to be honest, make money for its shareholders, customers, communities, and employees, and take care of the animals, land, and environment that are entrusted to it.
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Kevin Gillespie shows you how to cook bacon the Wright Way™
Why did Wright Packing become Wright Brand Foods?
As a result of the specialization in processing, Wright Packing became Wright Brand Foods, Inc., and had unprecedented growth in sales, causing a need for newer, larger facilities to accommodate the increased volume of fresh ham and pork bellies, which were made into ham and bacon.
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.
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.
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.