Stevens Sausage
Stevens Sausage Company is a family-owned, Smithfield, NC-based pork products manufacturer operating since 1948, producing traditional Southern items including country hams, sausage, hot dogs, and chitterlings for direct-to-consumer online/mail-order sales and grocery retail distribution across eastern North Carolina.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1948
- HeadquartersSmithfield, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Stevens Sausage does
Stevens Sausage Company is a family-owned pork products manufacturer founded in 1948 and headquartered at 3411 Stevens Sausage Rd, Smithfield, North Carolina. The company produces traditional Southern pork products — country hams, breakfast sausage, smoked sausage, hot dogs, chitterlings (chitlins), hocks, sidemeat, hot-dog chili, and souse — at a single plant producing thousands of pounds per week. Its flagship country hams are produced using a proprietary three-phase curing process (curing at 40-45°F for 30-40 days, followed by 30 days of equalization and a final aging phase) developed by founder Needham S. Stevens and refined over multiple generations, with the country ham line consolidated under the company in 1971 when Percy Stevens turned the operation over to the family business. Two generations of Stevens family members (Mike, N.S. Jr., David, and Tim) currently operate the plant.
The company operates a hybrid go-to-market combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce (stevens-sausage.com) and toll-free phone ordering (800-338-0561) for nationwide shipping of country hams and specialty cuts, with regional retail distribution through grocery stores across eastern North Carolina. Pricing is transaction-based with publicly disclosed price points ranging from $20 for ham bits to $75 for a whole country ham, plus flat-rate shipping. Additional revenue comes from branded merchandise (hats) and event sales at community festivals. The company supplements its marketing with a recipe content library, email newsletters, Google Reviews, Facebook, and earned media (WRAL Tarheel Traveler), and maintains a 7+ year lead sponsorship of the Ham & Yam Festival in Smithfield, NC. Operating geographies are eastern North Carolina as the core market with selected products shipped nationwide.
Stevens Sausage firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Stevens Sausage
- Legal name
- Stevens Sausage Co.
- Website
- https://stevens-sausage.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1948
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Stevens Sausage Company is a family-owned, Smithfield, NC-based pork products manufacturer operating since 1948, producing traditional Southern items including country hams, sausage, hot dogs, and chitterlings for direct-to-consumer online/mail-order sales and grocery retail distribution across eastern North Carolina.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Stevens Sausage industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cured Pork Products
- NAICS
- Animal Slaughtering and Processing (3116), Meat and Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers (42447)
- SIC
- Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Meat Packing Plants (2011)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sausage Manufacturing (Fresh, Cooked, Fermented, Emulsified) (AFANAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Pork Further Processing (Cured, Smoked, Ham, Bacon) (AFANABAE), Hot Dogs, Frankfurters & Bologna (Emulsified/Comminuted Meats) (AFANAEAG), Cooked/Ready-to-Eat Pork Products (Fully Cooked, Sliced, Diced) (AFANABAG), Refrigerated Meat & Charcuterie Wholesale (AFAIAHAI)
Keywords
Where Stevens Sausage is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Smithfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Stevens Sausage business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct Product Sales: Stevens Sausage generates revenue through direct sales of pork products including country hams, sausages, hot dogs, chitterlings, and related items. Sales occur via e-commerce on company website, phone orders, and retail grocery distribution.
- E-commerce and Phone Orders: Direct-to-consumer sales through owned e-commerce storefront and toll-free phone order system (800-338-0561) with per-order shipping fees.
- Retail Distribution: Products distributed through local grocery stores in eastern North Carolina and expanding to additional retail locations. Includes whole country hams, slices, hot dogs, smoked sausage, and chitterlings.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Whole Country Hams |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Bone-In Country Ham Slices (4 Pack) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Country Ham Center and Ends (4 Pack) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Country Ham Bits (4 Pack) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Country Cured Pork Side Meat (4 Pack) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Branded Merchandise (Hats) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Stevens Sausage product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Stevens Sausage Company is a family-owned pork processor founded in 1948 that produces and sells traditional Southern pork products, including country-cured hams (whole, sliced, ham bits, centers/ends, sidemeat), breakfast and smoked sausage, Carolina-style red hot dogs, chitterlings, hocks, and a newer bacon and ground pork sausage line. The company sells directly to consumers via its own e-commerce site, toll-free phone ordering, and retail grocery stores in eastern North Carolina, with nationwide shipping for selected items from its Smithfield, NC plant.
Product overview
Stevens Sausage Company is a family-owned meat products company in operation since 1948, specializing in traditional Southern pork products. The company operates as a single unified product portfolio centered around pork processing and curing. The core products include Stevens Country Hams (whole hams, slices, and ham bits cured using a traditional three-phase process), Breakfast Sausage and Semi-Dry Sausage (link sausage and patties), Smoked Sausage (original and red varieties), Hot Dogs and Red Hots (Carolina-style red hot dogs), Chitterlings/Chitlins (cooked pork chitterlings), Hocks and Sidemeat (ham hocks, turkey necks, pig tails), and newer products including Bacon and Ground Country Pork Sausage. The company also sells branded merchandise (Stevens Hats). Products are available for online ordering (whole hams, slices, ham bits, sidemeat) and at local grocery stores throughout eastern North Carolina.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Stevens Country Hams Traditional country-cured hams produced using a three-phase curing process (curing, equalization, and aging) that takes several months. Available as whole hams, bone-in slices, centers and ends, and ham bits for home cooks and gift buyers.
- Stevens Breakfast Sausage Pork breakfast sausage products including country link sausage, sausage patties, and semi-dry sausage varieties, traditionally served with eggs, biscuits, and gravy.
- Stevens Smoked Sausage Smoked pork sausage available in original or red varieties and different link sizes, including products like Red Smoke Sausage.
- Stevens Hot Dogs Standard hot dogs in 12 oz packs or 2 lb bags featuring the distinctive red color associated with Carolina-style hot dogs, including spicier Red Hots variety.
- Stevens Chitterlings (Chitlins) Cooked pork chitterlings - a traditional Southern delicacy made from pig small intestines.
- Stevens Hocks and Sidemeat Pork by-products including ham hocks, turkey necks, side meat, and pig tails used for seasoning Southern dishes or served as standalone sides.
- Stevens Sliced and Thick Cut Bacon Recently launched bacon products including sliced bacon and thick cut bacon varieties, available at local grocery stores.
- Stevens Ground Country Pork Sausage Ground country pork sausage - a newly introduced product available at local grocery stores.
- Stevens Branded Hats Stevens Sausage branded apparel including Mossy Oak camo hats, navy blue hats, and royal blue hats available for online purchase.
Companies that use Stevens Sausage
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Stevens Sausage technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Stevens Sausage partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Ham & Yam Festival (Smithfield, NC)coreStevens Sausage has sponsored the Ham & Yam Festival since its inception and served as major lead sponsor for 7+ years. Company has a Stevens Sausage Amphitheater at the festival and serves products during the event.
- Alliance Auto GasminorPropane fuel provider for Stevens Sausage's delivery fleet. In 2014, Stevens Sausage switched to eco-friendly propane tanks on all delivery trucks and branded sales/support vehicles powered by Alliance Auto Gas.
- National Country Ham OrganizationminorIndustry organization supporting the country ham industry. Stevens Sausage maintains membership and support for this organization as part of the broader country ham community.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Stevens Sausage competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Smithfield Foods: Headquartered in the same Smithfield, NC region, Smithfield Foods is the largest U.S. pork processor and a broad incumbent in processed meats including sausage, hot dogs, and ham — comparable as a fellow pork-products manufacturer operating out of the same geographic market.
- Johnsonville Sausage: The largest U.S. sausage-focused brand, offering fresh and smoked sausages across grocery and foodservice. Comparable to Stevens as a branded sausage manufacturer with multi-channel retail distribution, though at significantly greater national scale.
- Hatfield Quality Meats: Pennsylvania-based pork processor offering sausage, bacon, ham, and hot dogs across U.S. retail. Comparable to Stevens as a multi-SKU pork products manufacturer, though serving a national rather than regional customer base.
- Gwaltney (Smithfield subsidiary): Virginia-based heritage brand specializing in hams, hot dogs, bacon, and chitterlings — overlapping directly with Stevens' product portfolio including the distinctive regional chitterlings and red hot dog categories.
Emerging players
- Scottie's Famous Foods: North Carolina-based producer of chitterlings and traditional Southern pork products. Direct regional overlap with Stevens on chitterlings category and Carolina-style pork products.
Direct peers
- Edwards Virginia Smokehouse: Family-owned Virginia producer of country hams and traditional Southern cured pork products. Closely comparable to Stevens on product category (country ham, bacon, sausage), traditional curing methods, and family-owned regional brand character.
- Burgers' Smokehouse: Missouri-based heritage producer of country hams, bacon, and Southern specialty meats. Comparable to Stevens on traditional country ham production and gift-oriented DTC distribution, though operating at a larger scale.
- Clifty Farm Country Meats: Tennessee-based producer of country hams, sausage, and traditional cured pork products. Comparable to Stevens in heritage-driven country ham production, family ownership, and direct-to-consumer gift sales focus.
- Broadbent's B-B-Q & Country Ham: Kentucky-based family producer specializing in country hams, smoked products, and Southern specialty meats. Direct comparable to Stevens on product mix (country ham, sausage, smoked pork) and gift/DTC distribution model.
Regional players
- Murry's Steaks: Specialty meat producer offering sausages, hams, and prepared meats across multiple channels. Comparable to Stevens as a multi-line specialty meat producer with a regional and DTC distribution focus.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Stevens Sausage financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Stevens Sausage leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Stevens Sausage funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Stevens Sausage M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Stevens Sausage
What does Stevens Sausage do?
Stevens Sausage Company is a family-owned pork processor founded in 1948 that produces and sells traditional Southern pork products, including country-cured hams (whole, sliced, ham bits, centers/ends, sidemeat), breakfast and smoked sausage, Carolina-style red hot dogs, chitterlings, hocks, and a newer bacon and ground pork sausage line. The company sells directly to consumers via its own e-commerce site, toll-free phone ordering, and retail grocery stores in eastern North Carolina, with nationwide shipping for selected items from its Smithfield, NC plant.
Is Stevens Sausage a public or private company?
Stevens Sausage is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Stevens Sausage founded?
Stevens Sausage was founded in 1948. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Stevens Sausage based?
Stevens Sausage is headquartered in Smithfield, United States, in the North America region.
How does Stevens Sausage make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are E-commerce and Phone Orders and retail Distribution.
Who are Stevens Sausage's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Smithfield Foods, Johnsonville Sausage, Hatfield Quality Meats and Gwaltney (Smithfield subsidiary). Scottie's Famous Foods is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Edwards Virginia Smokehouse, Burgers' Smokehouse, Clifty Farm Country Meats and Broadbent's B-B-Q & Country Ham. Murry's Steaks is listed as a regional player.
Does Stevens Sausage have an API?
No public API is recorded for Stevens Sausage.
What industry is Stevens Sausage in?
Stevens Sausage's product category is Cured Pork Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFANAEAC, Sausage Manufacturing (Fresh, Cooked, Fermented, Emulsified), with a secondary code of AFANABAE, Pork Further Processing (Cured, Smoked, Ham, Bacon). Its NAICS code is 3116 and its SIC code is 2013.