Omaha Steaks International, Inc., known as Omaha Steaks, is an American food company that manufactures, markets, and distributes steaks, meat, seafood, and some prepared foods. The company is named after Omaha, Nebraska, the city in which it was founded and is still headquartered.
History
thumb|Omaha Steaks Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignon
In 1850, Lazar Shames founded a packing house and meat market in Riga (then in the Livonian Governorate of the Russian Empire, today in Latvia). In 1898 his son J.J. and his family fled religious persecution in Latvia and came to the United States as part of the third wave of Jewish immigration to the country. They passed through Ellis Island, chose Simon as their American name, and eventually arrived in Omaha, which was experiencing a population surge due in part to the development of the meat packing industry. The business was located in downtown Omaha in the current location of the First National Center.
In 1924, the Simons moved the business to a new location in what is now Omaha's Old Market neighborhood and began selling their cuts of beef to local supermarkets and national chain grocery stores, hotel restaurants, and institutional customers. In the early 1960s innovations in shipping like insulated-foam coolers, vacuum packaging, and direct parcel shipping helped Omaha Steaks transform itself into a direct marketer. Catalogs were mailed to customers for the first time in 1963, In 1985 the company expanded its retail operations beyond Nebraska, opening a store in Houston,
Omaha Steaks was an early adopter of digital marketing. The company placed its first online ad on CompuServ in 1991, and by 1995 it had a robust presence on America Online and a fully functional website. Through these platforms, the company was receiving around 20,000 responses a month. along with appetizers, sides, and desserts. The company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, Omaha Steaks employs 1,500 workers. During the holidays, the company hires more than 3,000 temporary workers to meet increased consumer demand. In addition to its corporate and marketing office, its facilities include three manufacturing plants, two distribution centers, and a freezer warehouse. During peak season, the company can ship as many as 100,000 packages a day. and Nate Rempe serves as the company's president and chief executive officer. The company was an early pioneer in direct-to-consumer sales,
In 1958, Omaha Steaks ran its first ad for mail-order steaks in The New Yorker, and has since become the longest-running advertiser in that publication. The suit was settled for $2 million in 2016.
Chef James Beard served as a spokesperson for the company in the 1970s and cookbook author Merle Ellis served as a spokesperson in the 1980s. In 2010, Omaha Steaks was granted a trademark for the phrase "The Official Sponsor of Tailgating." In October 2020, Omaha Steaks announced that chef David Rose would serve as the company's executive chef and spokesperson, and also consult on product development.
Cookbooks
In 1997, Frederick J. Simon, the great-grandson of Omaha Steaks founder J.J. Simon, wrote The Steaklover's Companion, a cookbook created in collaboration with American celebrity chefs. The book was intended to be the first in a series, and another, Beef For All Seasons, was published the following year. Since then Omaha Steaks has published numerous cookbooks, including The Great Gathering Guide and Cookbook, Omaha Steaks: Let's Grill and Omaha Steaks: Meat.
Philanthropy
Omaha Steaks supports local and national charities and arts organizations, as well as education scholarships. Organizations supported by the company and family have included Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Film Streams, Santa Fe Opera. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. The company also works with the disaster relief organization Mercy Chefs, Feeding America, and Food Bank for the Heartland.
Works or publications
Television
- Omaha Steaks on CNBC The Big Idea (12/5/06)
- Omaha Steaks on Hell's Kitchen (December 10, 2014)
Cookbooks
- Harrisson, John, and Frederick J. Simon. Omaha Steaks: Let's Grill. New York: Clarkson Potter, 2001.
- Harrisson, John, and Frederick J. Simon. Omaha Steaks Meat. New York, N.Y: C. Potter, 2001.
- Simon, Frederick J, John Harrisson, and Mark Kiffin. The Steaklover's Companion: 170 Savory Recipes from America's Greatest Chefs. New York: HarperCollins, 1997. Adapts dishes from recipes developed by James Beard, who had been an Omaha Steaks consultant for many years.
- Simon, Frederick J, and John Harrisson. A year of beef recipes : beef for all seasons. New York: HarperCollins, 1999.
- The Great American Grilling Book. New York: Time, Inc. Home Entertainment, 2008.
- Omaha Steaks International good life guide and cookbook, a yearly volume
- Great Gathering Guide & Cookbook, a free cookbook and cooking guide with coupons
See also
- Direct marketing
- Gourmet foods