Johnsonville (company) facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Food processing |
| Founded | 1945 |
| Founder | Carl Hirsch and Ralph F. and Alice Stayer |
| Headquarters | Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, U.S. |
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Key people
|
Don Fussner, (CEO) |
| Products | Sausage |
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Number of employees
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4,000 |
Johnsonville is a company that makes sausages. Its main office is located near Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, in the United States. It is one of the biggest sausage makers in the U.S. and sells more sausages than any other brand there.
How Johnsonville Started
Johnsonville started in 1945. Carl Hirsch, Ralph F. Stayer, and Alice Stayer opened a butcher shop. They named it after their hometown, Johnsonville, Wisconsin. Ralph F. Stayer took charge of the business after Carl Hirsch passed away.
Today, you can find Johnsonville products in over 45 countries around the world. The company is owned by a private group, not by public shareholders. It has about 4,000 employees, and they call their employees "members."
In 2014, Johnsonville had the largest capacity in the United States for processing pigs. They could process 3,400 pigs each day.
In 2024, Johnsonville was named one of the top midsize employers in the U.S. This was based on a survey of 170,000 workers. Johnsonville also received this honor in 2022 and 2023.
In June 2025, another food company, Hormel Foods, filed a lawsuit against Johnsonville. Hormel claimed that Johnsonville had unfairly gotten their sausage recipes and business information.
What Sausages Johnsonville Makes
Johnsonville makes more than 70 different kinds of sausage products. These include:
- Brats
- Grillers
- Italian sausage
- Smoked-cooked links
- Breakfast sausage (both fully cooked and fresh)
- Chicken sausage
- Meatballs
- Summer sausage
Johnsonville's Sponsorships
From 2017 until 2024, Johnsonville was the main sponsor for the American Cornhole League.
