Neeses Country Sausage gains lifeline with sale to Raleigh's Jesse Jones
Neese's Country Sausage products appear set to return to grocery shelves following the struggling Greensboro company being purchased by the maker of Jesse Jones hot dogs.
The family owned companies disclosed the ownership changes Friday in a news release and Facebook posting. Terms were not disclosed.
Jesse Jones, based in Raleigh, is known for its bright-red hot dogs, along with smoked sausage and bologna.
Neese's products have been a local and statewide food staple since its founding in 1917, when the company sold supplies from a covered wagon. It primarily is known for its country sausage, liver mush and liver pudding.
Jesse Jones president Karl White said that "we look forward to bringing Neese's products back to restaurants and retailers very soon."
Production at Neese's 1452 Alamance Church Road facility has been paused for several weeks.
Recognition of the product shortage has become acute in recent days, with multiple media reports listing grocery stores and restaurants stating they have limited or no supplies.
White said that "the original recipes that have defined the Neese's brand for decades will remain unchanged."
"We are committed to reintroducing Neese's products in a way that remains true to the original recipes, while positioning the brand for long-term success."
Jesse Jones officials did not immediately respond when asked about plans for the Greensboro workforce. The company said updates will be posted on the companies' websites.
"We believe the White family is the right fit to carry our family sausage business forward and build upon its legacy for generations to come," Tommy Neese III said.
"The company extends its sincere appreciation for the outpouring of support, concern and well wishes received from loyal customers, retailers and industry partners."
The shortage is related to a U.S. Department of Agriculture statement in December regarding a Food Safety and Inspection Service notice of Suspension on Sept. 11 that affected a specific production area.
According to the notice, "a determination (was made) that the establishment was not meeting the requirements of (federal food regulation) 9 C.F.R. § 430 for its ready-to-eat processes," according to a USDA statement to media outlets.
The federal regulation cited involves requirements for controlling listeria contamination in ready-to-eat foods, including already-cooked meat products. The Charlotte Observer reported that the liver mush and liver pudding production areas are those affected by the shutdown.
"The establishment has responded to the Notice of Suspension, which is under review," according to the statement.
The Charlotte Observer reported in May that Neese's has not filed a corrective action plan to resolve the production issues that may also affect its sausage production.
Jesse Jones officials said the company "has been investing in production capabilities to manufacture Neese's products, helping alleviate past supply constraints while introducing updated packaging designed to enhance food safety."
A potential complication for the company was the death on April 3 of Thomas Neese Jr., the company's longtime president and chief executive, at age 92.
According to his obituary in the News & Record, Thomas Neese Jr. joined the family business in 1966 and "for more than 60 years, Tom kept a detailed paper chart of weekly hog costs, which is still referred to today."
According to the Jesse Jones website, the company was founded in Virginia by its namesake and his wife, Annie, that began with selling fresh "whole hog" sausage year-round - "something city residents could usually only enjoy during traditional farm hog-slaughter seasons."
The first sausage plant was near Danville, Va., with a focus on sausage production.
The company expanded to hot dogs and bologna after World War II with Jones' sons moving production to Garner in 1947. In the 1950s, the family renamed the company from Jones Sausage to Jesse Jones.
In the mid-1960s, the family sold the business to General Mills, which expanded operations and integrated the plant into its meat-snack business, producing brands such as Slim Jim and Penrose.
Ownership changed several times over the following decades as the company grew.
In 1997, the Jesse Jones business was sold to White Packing Co.
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