Hickory Farms

{{short description|American food gift retailer}}

{{Advert|date=December 2022}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Hickory Farms, LLC

| type = Private

| industry = Foods

| foundation = 1951

| founder = Richard Ransom

| location_city = Chicago, Illinois. Began in Toledo, Ohio

| locations =

| area_served = United States, Canada, Puerto Rico

| key_people = {{Unbulleted list|CEO - Judy Ransford}}

| products = Summer sausages, cheeses, gift baskets

| services =

| owner =

| num_employees = 500

| location_country = United States

| homepage = [http://www.hickoryfarms.com/ hickoryfarms.com]

}}

Hickory Farms, LLC is an American food gift retailer with headquarters in Chicago.{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20170301/CRED03/170229876/hickory-farms-hq-moving-to-chicago| title=Hickory Farms HQ moving to Chicago| last=Ori| first=Ryan| date=February 28, 2017| newspaper=Crain's Chicago Business| language=en| access-date=2019-12-31}} Richard Ransom established the company in 1951 when he began selling handcrafted cheese at local fairs. By 1959, the company added summer sausage and opened its first retail store in Maumee, Ohio. By 1981, it operated over 1,000 Hickory Farms stores and seasonal kiosks open in the United States and Canada.{{cite web|url=https://www.hickoryfarms.com/about-us/| title=About Us| website=Hickory Farms| access-date=2019-01-16}}

In 2000, the company shifted away from year-round mall-based locations to focus on Internet and catalog sales. As a result, the company closed its remaining year-round mall stores. However, the company still operates pop-up stores and kiosks in malls during the holiday season.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-feb-09-fi-62519-story.html| title=Hickory Farms to Close Last 18 Mall Stores| date=February 9, 2000| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| agency=Associated Press| language=en-US| access-date=2019-08-10}}

In 2017, the company relocated to Chicago, Illinois, from Toledo, Ohio. Its owner, Modjule LLC, is also headquartered in Chicago.

In 2021, Wicked Good Cupcakes was acquired by Hickory Farms. Wicked Good Cupcakes gained popularity in 2013.{{Cite press release|url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/06/24/2252865/0/en/Hickory-Farms-Acquires-Wicked-Good-Cupcakes.html|title = Hickory Farms Acquires Wicked Good Cupcakes|date = 24 June 2021}}

In 2022, Hickory Farms appointed Judy Ransford to be the company's CEO. Ransford has served as the company's Chief Marketing Officer and head of e-commerce since 2016. Ransford played a huge role in moving the company to a more modern and digital brand.{{Cite press release |last=Farms |first=Hickory |date=2022-03-08 |title=Food Gift Retailer Hickory Farms Names New CEO & CFO |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2022/03/08/2399136/0/en/Food-Gift-Retailer-Hickory-Farms-Names-New-CEO-CFO.html |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=GlobeNewswire News Room |language=en}}

Today, Hickory Farms specializes in gift boxes and baskets, wine gifts, chocolates, and charcuterie gifts.{{cite web|url=https://www.hickoryfarms.com/| title=Hickory Farms: Gift Baskets & Specialty Gourmet Products| website=Hickory Farms| access-date=2019-01-16}} Its foods are found in more than 500 pop-up shops and kiosks in retail shopping centers during the holiday season.{{cite press release|url=http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/01/16/1696672/0/en/America-s-Iconic-Specialty-Foods-Company-Hickory-Farms-Shakes-Up-the-Food-Gifting-Space-with-Complete-Rebrand.html| title=America's Iconic Specialty Foods Company, Hickory Farms, Shakes Up the Food Gifting Space with Complete Rebrand| publisher=Hickory Farms| date=January 16, 2019| via=GlobeNewswire| access-date=2019-01-16}} The company also does multichannel marketing, offering products year-round in different outlets.