Oscar Mayer started as one Chicago butcher shop in 1883 and became one of the best-known hot dog names in the country, helped by a hot dog on wheels and one of the most famous jingles in advertising.
History
- 1873Oscar F. Mayer, age 14, moves from Bavaria to the U.S. and starts as a butcher's boy.1
- 1883Opens his first shop in Chicago and takes in $59 on the first day.1
- 1906Volunteers for the new federal meat inspection program.2
- 1919Buys a processing plant in Madison, Wisconsin.2
- 1929Adds the yellow band to its packages.1
- 1936The first Wienermobile hits the road.2
- 1963The Oscar Mayer jingle is created and becomes a radio request.1
- 1988A fleet of six 23-foot Wienermobiles tours America.1
- 2015Kraft Heinz announces the headquarters will move from Madison back to Chicago.2
More to know
Ownership passed from the Mayer family to General Foods in 1981, then through Philip Morris and Kraft. Today Oscar Mayer is part of Kraft Heinz.
For cart owners
Oscar Mayer is a household name. Most customers recognize it on sight, which helps at events with out-of-town crowds.