The Evolution of Plumrose Bacon to Swift Prepared Foods

If you’ve been searching store shelves wondering “what happened to Plumrose bacon?”, you’re not alone Plumrose bacon and other Plumrose meats have disappeared, replaced by a new brand name – Swift Prepared Foods This major rebranding reflects the changing strategy and identity of the company formerly known as Plumrose USA.

A Brief History of Plumrose

Plumrose USA started out in 1932 as primarily a sliced ham company. Over the decades, the company expanded into other meats including bacon, deli meats, ribs and canned hams. They supplied grocery stores, warehouses, restaurants and other food outlets across the country.

Plumrose operated as an independent company for many years. Then in 2017, the Brazilian meat company JBS acquired Plumrose USA for $230 million. This made Plumrose part of the JBS USA subsidiary.

During the time that JBS has owned Plumrose the company has invested significantly in expanding operations. This includes building a $70 million ready-to-eat bacon plant in Missouri along with plans for a $200 million Italian meats facility.

So while the Plumrose identity was built on ham and bacon, rapid changes were happening behind the scenes to transform it into a diverse prepared foods company.

The Rebranding to Swift Prepared Foods

In January 2021, Plumrose USA announced it was rebranding to Swift Prepared Foods. This change was implemented to align the company name with its evolving business strategy.

According to Swift’s president, the rebranding positions the company to grow and provide a wider variety of food solutions beyond just ham and bacon.

The Swift name communicates their expertise in prepared foods It also allows room for innovation of new product lines along with branded and private label products,

So the Plumrose bacon, ham and lunch meats you may have bought are now under the Swift brand name. Look for “Swift” instead of “Plumrose” on product packaging in stores.

Why the Change from Plumrose to Swift?

There are several strategic reasons why Plumrose USA likely decided to rebrand to Swift Prepared Foods:

• Reflects expanded offerings – Plumrose was known for ham and bacon. But their offerings now include deli meats, ribs, Italian meats and more prepared foods.
• Flexibility for innovation – The new Swift brand gives them freedom to develop new products without being tied to their ham and bacon legacy.
• Remove association with Danish Crown – Plumrose was previously owned by the Danish company Danish Crown. The rebrand distances them from that previous owner.
• Unified JBS branding – As part of the JBS USA family, having one unified brand fits with their other JBS meat brands like Swift pork and Swift beef.
• Prepared foods positioning – The “Prepared Foods” part of the name communicates their strategy to grow in convenient, heat and eat items.

Overall, the Plumrose name evoked a narrow focus on ham and bacon. Rebranding to Swift Prepared Foods allowed the company to reinvent itself and align all elements of its business under one modern, cohesive brand.

What Does This Mean for Consumers?

For consumers who were loyal buyers of Plumrose bacon, ham and lunch meats, the rebranding to Swift likely won’t impact your experience too much. You’ll still find the same great products, just under the new Swift name and packaging.

Here are some things to expect as a consumer with this transition from Plumrose to Swift:

• Same taste and quality – The recipes and production of favorites like their bacon and hams remain unchanged.
• New branding and packaging – Look for the Swift logo and brand design instead of the familiar Plumrose packaging.
• Potentially new product innovations – Keep an eye out for new prepared food options that may come from their investment in this category.
• More uniform offerings nationwide – You may see Swift products in more stores as JBS leverages its distribution power.

While the name is different, you can expect the same quality from Swift that you previously enjoyed with Plumrose meats. And you may find some new convenient meal options under the Swift brand in the future.

The Bottom Line

Plumrose USA has rebranded itself as Swift Prepared Foods to align with its growing prepared foods business. While the Plumrose name is gone, the same products live on under the new Swift brand. This strategic change positions the company to innovate and expand in the future. So next time you browse the bacon section, look for Swift instead of Plumrose to find your favorite pork products.