Oscar Mayer

Oscar Mayer

Company type	Division
Industry	Food processing
Founded	1883 (1883)
Founder	Oscar F. Mayer, Gottfried Mayer
Headquarters	Chicago , United States
Area served	North America
Products	Meat and cold cut products (hot dogs, bologna, bacon, ham, Lunchables)
Parent	Kraft Heinz Company

Oscar Mayer is a prominent American manufacturer specializing in meat and cold cut products, widely recognized for its range including hot dogs, bologna, bacon, ham, and Lunchables. The brand operates as a division of the Kraft Heinz Company and is based in Chicago, Illinois.

Founding and Growth

Entrepreneur and German immigrant Oscar F. Mayer (1859–1955) launched his career within the meat trade in Detroit, Michigan before relocating to Chicago. In 1883, Mayer and his brother Gottfried took over the Kolling Meat Market situated on Chicago’s near-northside, catering primarily to German-American communities with products such as bratwurst, liverwurst, and weißwurst.

With increasing demand, the enterprise expanded its retail space and supported community events including the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. By the turn of the century, it employed 43 staff members and provided delivery services throughout the city. In 1904, Oscar Mayer set a precedent by branding its meat products, establishing a new industry norm. Their initial offerings featured "Old World" style sausages and Westphalian ham, later diversifying to include bacon and wieners. The company was an early adopter of federal standards, participating in the government’s meat inspection program starting in 1906.

A significant development occurred in 1919 with the purchase of a processing facility in Madison, Wisconsin, renowned for its operational efficiency and profitability. This plant became integral to Oscar Mayer’s business model, leading to Madison becoming the company’s headquarters by 1957.

Acquisition by Kraft

The Mayer family maintained ownership of Oscar Mayer for almost 100 years until 1981 when shareholders sold it to General Foods. Subsequently, in 1985, Philip Morris acquired General Foods and merged it with Kraft Foods in 1989 to create Kraft General Foods. Kraft Foods went public through an IPO in 2001. By 2007, Altria Group (formerly Philip Morris) divested its remaining Kraft shares to investors.

On November 4, 2015, Kraft Heinz revealed plans to move Oscar Mayer’s headquarters along with its U.S. meats division from Madison back to Chicago. The company also intended to streamline production by shutting down seven manufacturing plants across North America, including locations in California, Maryland, Ontario, New York, Pennsylvania, and Madison.

In August 2017, Bloomberg Businessweek disclosed that Oscar Mayer committed $10 million towards revamping its hot dog lineup aimed at appealing to health-conscious buyers.

Advertising

Oscar Mayer became widely known through memorable television campaigns featuring children performing catchy tunes such as the "Oscar Mayer Wiener" jingle (1963) and the "My bologna has a first name" advertisement (1973), which ranked among the longest-running commercials nationwide.

The brand is also identified by its Wienermobile—a promotional vehicle touring across America since 1936. In May 2023, Kraft Heinz temporarily rebranded it as the Frankmobile but reverted the name following public response.

In motorsports sponsorships, Oscar Mayer began backing NASCAR driver Ryan Newman in 2019 with Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 6 car, extending this collaboration through 2021.

On May 23, 2025, Oscar Mayer partnered with Indianapolis Motor Speedway to host the first-ever Wienie 500 race featuring six Wienermobiles competing on this legendary circuit.