The Turkey Store Company story started 78 years ago in 1922 with an enterprising 13-year-old boy, 14 turkey eggs, and two broody chicken hens. Although those 14 eggs hatched just one tom turkey, the boy's idea grew into one of the nation's largest, fully-integrated turkey operations-meaning that the company controls all stages of turkey production-from breeding and hatching to feeding and growing to processing and marketing turkey products. The Turkey Store company now includes two processing facilities, one hatchery, three feed mills, over 60 breeder and grow out farms, support facilities, and more than 2,000 employees.

The boy was Wallace Jerome, and his interest in turkeys continued after his initial success. The next year, with the help of his parents, he acquired two hen turkeys. From these turkeys, Wallace raised five turkeys in 1923. The following year Wallace raised 21 turkeys, and in 1925 he hatched 90 poults.

In 1929, Wallace purchased a purebred bourbon red tom and four bourbon red hens. From these birds, he hatched 250 poults and raised a flock of 200 turkeys. With the purchase of the purebred turkeys, Wallace had definite plans to be in the turkey business. From 1929 and on, Wallace began raising turkeys as his career and his business.

Wallace knew, however, that in order to be successful in the turkey business, he would need to further his education. He attended the Wisconsin Agriculture Short Course, took a Civil Service examination, and became an Inspector of Poultry and Eggs for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. This part-time employment during the winter months worked well with growing turkeys during the warmer part of the year. It also helped Wallace expand his knowledge of the turkey business.

A few years later, he entered the University of Minnesota, attending the fall and winter quarters while he devoted summers to his thriving business. Wallace completed his education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Poultry Industry.

While attending school, Wallace also operated a hatchery and feed mill in partnership with his twin brother Willis. This involvement in other phases of turkey production was the start of Wallace's commitment to a fully-integrated operation.

A Fully-Integrated Operation

In 1941, Wallace purchased the Barron County Farm and Old People's Home in order to expand his turkey operation. In the early days, most turkeys were sold directly to household consumers, butchers, or commission merchants in Chicago.

Wallace's business continued to grow, and by 1950, the growing and processing operation had expanded so much that larger facilities were needed. A pea canning company in Barron, called J.B. Inderreiden Canning Company, had gone out of business. Wallace bought this property-which is where the present Barron processing plant is located-and converted it into a turkey processing plant.

The Move to Oven-Ready Processing

In 1952, the new plant was equipped and operations were transferred to the facility. At this time, the company became the first federally inspected, oven-ready turkey processing plant in Wisconsin.

In the meantime, the company was operating its own hatchery in order to supply turkeys for processing.

In 1953, Peter Fox Sons, a local competitor, decided to abandon its turkey business to avoid making the substantial investment necessary to convert their plant to oven-ready processing. Wallace purchased the plant-located at the present Barron hatchery site-and converted it into a hatchery to ensure an adequate supply of breeders for his growing operation. After Fox closed, Jerome's began processing and marketing turkeys for most of the growers who had formerly supplied the Fox plant.

Support Facilities for an Expanding Operation

As the processing plant and hatchery expanded, additional support facilities were needed. From his earliest days in the turkey business, Wallace manufactured his own feed. His mother used to make cottage cheese which, along with hard-boiled eggs, was fed to the young poults. Wallace continued to manufacture his own feed at the Home Farm and then at the hatchery until the mid-1950s, when it became necessary to increase the feed production capacity in order to support the rapid expansion of the grow out operation. On October 27, 1955, ground breaking was held for a modern feed mill and grain elevator designed by Mel Jensen and Wallace Jerome.

In 1954, Barron Supply Company was formed to provide poultry equipment, supplies, and medication for company farms and for other turkey growers in the area. Originally located in a three-story barn near the processing plant, Barron Supply moved to a new building on the east side of Barron in late 1972.

Another support facility was added in 1959 with the purchase of the Ford garage on Third Street in Barron. Barron Sales and Service was formed to supply and service company vehicles. Its activities were expanded to include retail automotive sales and service through the purchase of a Ford franchise in 1962. In 1973, Barron Sales and Service moved to the barn vacated by Barron Supply where it stayed until the present facility was completed in 1974.

Continued Growth Through Expansion and Acquisitions

The Barron processing plant continued to grow in order to expand its product line and processing capabilities. In 1978, the plant was expanded to provide processing for approximately 23,000 turkeys per day during the peak processing season from May to December.

The Turkey Store Company was not only expanding its facilities in the Barron area-it was also growing out of state. On March 1, 1979, the company purchased the New Richmond Farms division of Domain Industries in Faribault, Minnesota. At the same time the company was expanding into Minnesota, it was planning to further expand operations and to have a distribution center on the East Coast. In July 1979, Norwestern Products, Inc., based in Philadelphia, was purchased.

Norwestern, like The Turkey Store Company, began as the idea of an enterprising young man. The young man, named Emil Gontowski, had an idea that turkey could be sold year-round in the form of a turkey roll.

As The Turkey Store Company continued to grow, year-round processing began in Barron in 1981. In 1982, expansion of the Faribault processing plant was completed. Through this expansion, new live hang, kill, tank, and whole bird pack areas were added, and the evisceration area was remodeled.

Further expansion in Barron occurred in 1983-84 as the plant was expanded again to allow for the production of value-added The Turkey Store® products. With the introduction of The Turkey Store fresh traypack products in 1984, the last whole bird was packed in Barron. All whole birds were then packed at the Faribault plant until 1993. In 1985, basic processing in Barron began working two shifts after adding a continuous chill system. The Ground/Sausage Department was also added. In 1986, the Barron employee services and office addition was completed. A 42,000-square-foot cooler/warehouse and receiving addition was completed in January 1991.

From 1979 to 1986, the Philadelphia plant made Deli products while the Barron plant made Foodservice products. In 1986, in order for joint utilization of the Barron and Philadelphia plants, they both began making Deli and Foodservice products. In December of 1995, the Philadelphia plant was closed because of excess capacity available at the Barron plant. Consolidating the Philadelphia volume into the Barron plant allowed for better capacity utilization and lower costs.

As part of the company's commitment to being fully integrated, The Turkey Store Company assumed full responsibility for ingredient purchasing, feed formulation, and feed manufacturing in 1986 after 17 years of leasing the Barron feed mill to Ralston Purina. A feed mill was added in Minnesota in 1988 in conjunction with the Minnesota farm expansion in order to supply feed. This farm expansion included the start of the Contract-Finish Turkey Production Program in 1988 where private farmers raise turkeys for The Turkey Store Company under a long-term contract.

Other Key Changes

Wallace Jerome served as President and Chairman of the Board from the company's inception until 1980, when Jerry Jerome assumed the role of President. Jerry became a member of The Turkey Store Team in 1974, serving as Executive Vice President until 1980 when he assumed the position of President and Chief Executive Officer. In March 1999, Jerry also became Chairman of the Board. Wallace continues to serve as a member of the Board of Directors.

The Customer Service and Sales reorganization, along with The Turkey Store marketing emphasis, were major activities in The Turkey Store Company's objective to be a market-driven company. This was a change from being a commodity business where the company sold as many turkeys as it could raise, as compared to raising as many turkeys as the customer or market demands.

Another key change made in 1988 was the introduction of a fully-cooked process which greatly increased the products' shelf life. The Turkey Store packaging change was introduced in 1991. This process, called MAP (Modified Atmospheric Packaging), increased each package's shelf life to 18 days. These new products and processes support The Turkey Store Company's objectives of market differentiation and expansion in the turkey industry.

The Turkey Store Company reorganized into business units in 1993. This organization put each employee in a specific business directly responsible for customer satisfaction and profits. In 1994, the company implemented a Total Customer Satisfaction (TCS) process which focuses on continuous improvement and meeting external and internal customer expectations 100% of the time.

Jerome Foods Becomes The Turkey Store Company

Jerome Foods changed its name to The Turkey Store Company on March 1, 1998. This change was made to help achieve the vision of The Turkey Store® brand as the number-one brand of meat and poultry products in the world.

Together Everyone Achieves More

The Turkey Store Company believes that by working as a team, "Together Everyone Achieves More." An Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) was introduced in 1988. With the ESOP, Turkey Store Company Team members share in the ownership of the company and enjoy the rewards of the company's success. Team members can say that they "own a piece of the flock."

From the beginning, Wallace saw the value of an integrated company. Over 78 years later, that company, which began with one tom turkey in 1922, has grown into one of the largest, fully-integrated turkey companies in the nation.

For additional information, refer to www.turkeystore.com