A Brief History of McCall Farms

1954

Canning Operation Acquired

James Woodrow Swink, son-in-law of Henry Buck McCall, diversifies into vegetables, after warning labels begin appearing on cigarettes. He acquires a canning facility under the Lord Chesterfield brand and begins canning 10 weeks of the year. Lord Chesterfield remains in distribution today as the second oldest continuous running label in the South.

1975

Vegetable Canning Production Grows

Canning production increases to 6 months per year to keep up with ever-growing sales demand.

1980

Boiled Peanuts Introduced

McCall Farms begins canning boiled peanuts under the label Cedar Creek, a brand purchased from the Harrell Brothers.

1985

Margaret Holmes Acquired

David Holmes sells his canning operation in Georgia along with the brand, Margaret Holmes (named after his mother), to McCall Farms. McCall Farms moves the operation to Effingham and begins canning a wide variety of Southern-style vegetables under the Margaret Holmes label.

1994

Canning Fruit Line Established

McCall Farms acquires the Greer brand, adding peaches and apple sauce to the Margaret Holmes product line. Greer Peaches had a great run at McCall Farms but are not longer in production today.

2002

Peanut Patch Boiled Peanuts Acquired

McCall Farms acquires the Peanut Patch Boiled Peanut brand from Roddenberry and begins canning products year-round.

2004

Plant Expansion

The McCall Farms facility undergoes significant expansion with the installation of additional canning lines, a freezer facility, new warehouses and a new office building.

2010

Glory Foods Acquired

After co-packing Glory Foods on and off for over 20 years, McCall Farms acquires the Ohio-based company and carries on its commitment to “Southern Cooking with a Soulful Heritage”.

2013

Bruce's Yams Acquired

Bruce Foods sells the Bruce’s® Yams brand, along with its sweet potato canning operations in New Iberia, LA and Wilson, NC, to McCall Farms.

2017

Sager Creek Vegetable Company Acquired

As part of their long-term growth initiative, McCall Farms acquired the brands of Sager Creek Vegetable Company from Del Monte. The nationally-distributed retail and food service brands include Allens, Veg-all, Popeye, Princella and Freshlike.

Just as we started in 1954, we are a family business located right here on our farm in Effingham, South Carolina. Many of the vegetables we prepare are grown locally and delivered to us fresh. We are committed to our customers and to making products that taste good, and that are good for you. We welcome any and all comments and we invite you to contact us.