Fairbury Foods – Makin’ Bacon Since 1969

June 2011 - Ahhhh, bacon. Who doesn’t love the smell of bacon in the morning, or any time of the day, for that matter?

The intoxicating smell of bacon frying wafts through Fairbury’s downtown historic district each morning as commuters are headed to work. Feaster Foods, a division of Westin Packaged Meats, (and still referred to by locals and natives as Fairbury Foods) cooks up millions of pounds real bacon each year to produce Real Bacon Bits, a Fairbury tradition since 1969. The Fairbury production facility is located on “Bacon Road” (2nd Street) near the Rock Island Railroad Depot Museum on Fairbury’s southern edge. Only the highest-quality bacon is used to make Fairbury bacon bits, which are processed on state-of-the-art, German-engineered equipment, according to the highest food safety requirements.

Now in its 40th year, Fairbury Foods cooks up nearly 80,000 lbs of bacon each day and produces real bacon bits and pieces for wholesale and retail sale. The bacon bits produced in the Fairbury plant can be found on the shelves of the nation’s largest grocery outlets under several different brand names. Real bacon bits are also packaged and sold in bulk to the foodservice industry and can be found on restaurant salad bars and as a topping for pizza. As one of the nation’s largest producers of real bacon bits, chances are strong that you’ve eaten either bacon bits or pieces that were produced in the Fairbury facility.

Fairbury Foods is also the nation’s largest producer of imitation bacon bits at its secondary location, situated several blocks away, closer to the Fairbury downtown historic district. Imitation bacon bits produced at this facility are made from home-grown soybeans and flavored for a smoky bacon taste. The imitation bacon bits are a healthy and tasty alternative to real bacon bits and  have been Certified Kosher by the Greek Orthodox Union. Over 4 million pounds of imitation bacon bits are produced annually in this state-of-the-art production facility.

Not Just Bacon Anymore

The future of the Fairbury Foods facility relies, in part, on acquisitions and new opportunities, one being the production and distribution of new food products, according to Ron Schacht, VP of Operations. Westin has now partnered with Kenny Sailors of Omaha to form the company’s newest division, “Mae’s Health & Wellness”, featuring products made from the aronia berry (black chokeberries). Aronia berries, known as “nature’s healer and protector”, are taking center stage as the superfruit” with the highest concentration of antioxidants of any fruit, more than blackberries or cranberries. 

Sold under the brand name Superberries, products featuring aronia berries include juice concentrate, gummy snacks and fresh frozen berries that can be ordered online at www.Superberries.com. Order fulfillment services for the aronia berry products are now performed from the Fairbury Foods corporate facility. “We are always looking for ways to stay competitive and increase market share for our products. Aronia berries are grown in southeastern Nebraska and northeastern Kansas, making them a locally-grown commodity that is not only good for you but also good for our economy,” according to Schacht.