Our Legacy

South Chicago Packing is a 5th generation family-owned business with a rich heritage that began in the Chicago Stockyards over 120 years ago. We take pride in our commitment to excellence, dedication to customers, and passion for innovation and all things culinary. Our mission is to maintain this 120 year-old tradition which is why our specialty fats are sourced from only the best.

South Chicago Packing began as a meat packing operation, but gradually transitioned into high-end specialty fats, custom oil blends and food-grade specialty products. Though we no longer pack meat, we appreciate our company’s rich, historic past which is reflected in our name, South Chicago Packing.

As we expand our products and our geographic reach, we continue to reinvest in our neighborhood and employees — creating jobs, and contributing to the future of Chicago.

South Chicago Packing is part of The Miniat Family of Companies. With a legacy that stretches back over a century, our family of companies has evolved in many ways since the earliest days in the Chicago Stockyards.

1896 – 1940s

We evolved from our founder, Michael Miniat’s first horse-drawn meat peddling cart to running multiple sales routes in refrigerated trucks.

1950s – 1960s

As the meat business changed in the 1950s and 1960s we adapted with it, to provide expert butchery and meatpacking services.

1972

The Miniat family acquired South Chicago Packing, solidifying our ties to the neighborhood, and continuing Chicago’s long tradition of family-owned businesses, domestic manufacturing and community.

1980s

In the early 1980s our company made a critical shift that is still reflected in The Miniat Family of Companies today, by pioneering the cutting edge sous-vide cooking method.

TODAY

The Miniat Family of Companies is comprised of Ed Miniat, a sous-vide custom-crafted protein company and South Chicago Packing, a high-end cooking fats and oils company. South Chicago Packing also produces natural products to replace petroleum waxes for use in non-food applications.

LEGACYDriventoServe

Embracing Our Founders’ Ideals

During the early years, our founders’ business model was simple: offer quality products and back them up with unparalleled service. Now, more than a century later, our team of culinary experts, food scientists, food safety, operations, supply chain, administration, sales, and customer service professionals embrace our founders’ ideals of Driven to Serve™ as the very core of who we are today.

  • At South Chicago Packing, we are always looking for new and better opportunities to serve all our stakeholders.
  • We do this through listening, exploring, innovation and formulating solutions together.
  • We are driven to support our employees, provide consumers with high-end products, make our customers more successful, and our communities stronger.
  • We are committed to working together in service to each other.