Welcome back for the first real installment in the Food Fair series! Today, we’re going to take a look at the history of a brand you probably recognize, which played a very big role in the cuisine of the Seattle World’s Fair.
“The only meat products served at the Seattle World’s Fair are Bar-S! That’s your assurance of quality in every Bar-S meat product you buy.”
The above quote from the Official 1962 World’s Fair Guidebook makes it quite clear that Bar-S was a big deal at the fair. That’s a little hard to imagine now, in a time where the Bar-S hot dogs look a little cheap and are definitely easier on the wallet than, say, Nathan’s.
The history of Bar-S as we know it today only dates back to 1981, nineteen years after they were served at the fair. A bit confusing, I know, but let’s dive in and see why.
The Bar-S trademark was filed on August 23, 1954. It was owned by the Seattle Packing Company, which seems to have been the 1950 rechristening of an existing meat packing plant. In 1957, the Seattle Packing Company and the Bar-S name were sold to Cudahy Packing Company, whose roots date back to 1890 Nebraska.
Prior to the late 40s, Cudahy was a major supplier of various meats, lard, and some cooking oils to both the US and the UK. In addition to various packaged meat products, Cudahy produced margarine, soap, and household cleaning products. In fact, Old Dutch Cleaner became one of the company’s most famous products.
After World War II, the company began to shrink and in 1970, Cudahy sold to General Host (GH) Corporation. What GH acquired had moved far beyond meat production and included cheese plants, salt mines, mink farms, and more. GH split the various components of Cudahy into individual business components, renaming the meat component Cudahy Foods.
Under this new model, each plant operated relatively independently, and was allowed to pick which brand they wanted to operate under (ex. Bar-S, Gold Coin, Rex). In the mid-70s, a new president, Tim Day, took over Cudahy Foods. He downsized and unified the plants under the Bar-S name, helping to once again turn a profit for the long-struggling Cudahy.
In 1980, GH decided to get out of the meat business and sought a purchaser for Bar-S and Cudahy Foods. When a buyer failed to materialize, GH approached Day about buying part or all of Cudahy. Although initially reluctant, and suggesting a deal that GH didn’t like, Day was the only prospective buyer. In May 1981, Day purchased most of Cudahy Foods and called his new acquisition Bar-S Foods Co.
The company underwent a number of changes over the next few decades, including expansions and centralizations. In 2010, Bar-S Foods was acquired by Sigma Alimentos, a leading packaged food company in Central America.
Since 2006, Bar-S has been the #1 hot dog sold in the US. The company’s current line consists of hot dogs, bacon, lunch meat, sausage, and heat-and-serve options such as corndogs.
Interestingly, the “classic franks” I picked up are a product of Canada. Perfect for keeping with the food of the world theme, I think!
Bar-S has quite an interesting history. If you’re interested in the full version, check out this Bar-S history booklet.
See you next week for the next Food Fair installment, and a very tasty recipe.
thenorthwestpast 