90 YEARS | SMITHFIELD FOODS

Were it not for a massive fire on Pagan River wharf in 1921, Smithfield might be better known for peanuts than ham today. But that disaster opened the door for the Genuine Smithfield Ham — a legally-protected designation to this day — to become big business in Isle of Wight.

In 1936, the Luter family saw an opportunity to compete in this market and founded Smithfield Packaging Company, marking the humble beginnings of what’s now the nation’s largest pork producer, a company that generates $15 billion in annual revenue and employs about 32,000 people nationwide.

Though the firm has made numerous acquisitions in recent years — including plans announced earlier this year to buy Nathan’s Famous and its line of beef franks — one thing remains the same, says Jim Monroe, vice president of corporate affairs. “We’re a pork company,” he says. “That’s the lion’s share of our portfolio.”

A huge company milestone happened in 2025 when Smithfield became a publicly traded company again, though Monroe says the years leading up to that IPO were also significant as the company aligned around a single brand strategy. “That’s when we truly became one, unified Smithfield.”

Looking ahead, Smithfield will continue to adapt by introducing new products that meet changing consumer tastes and demands for greater convenience. And it will seek out “really selective, strategic” opportunities for mergers and acquisitions that complement its existing strategy, which is to lead in packaged meats, Monroe says.

“We’re going to continue to innovate, to grow market share,” he adds. “We’ve introduced lots of product innovation over the last year, and we’re going to continue to do that.”

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