A History of Quality and Service

With a legacy some 90 years in the making, Coast Packing Company’s ties with its customers, partners and suppliers are both broad and deep. Coast Packing was founded as a Southern California livestock and meat‐packing business in 1922 and expanded over the years into a regional food‐industry powerhouse.

The three founding partners set out to build a livestock and abattoir business, and retained that focus for more than 40 years, slaughtering hogs brought by railroad from the Midwest and processing meat into various cuts to supply Southern California butcher shops. During those four decades, Coast Packing produced a full line of pork and beef processed and smoked products, including its popular 1950s favorite brand, Ol’ Smokey.

While change was in the wind, the consensus was to remain in some facet of the food manufacturing industry, which was growing in tandem with Southern California itself. Given the company’s extensive ties to the meat industry, the processing of animal and animal‐vegetable shortening products became a natural choice.

By specializing in a broad selection of animal and animal‐vegetable shortenings and related products, Coast expanded along with the region’s burgeoning restaurant, baking and food industries. Coast Packing’s recipe for success was basic and unwavering: create the highest quality shortening products at the most reasonable prices ‐‐ and include unstinting customer service with every offering.

Coast Packing’s customer base is diverse, extending to jobbers, distributors and commercial operations throughout the industry, and with suppliers across the nation. Treating each customer as valued ‐‐ with an identical level of care, respect and appreciation, regardless of size ‐‐ has become a Coast Packing tradition. The company is old school, in the very best sense. The company’s growth has not fundamentally changed its status as a family business that continues to live by the handshake.

At a time when customers frequently find themselves dancing to the supplier’s tune, Coast is committed to providing product when and where customers want it—no waiting. Depending on the time of year and raw material constraints, it’s not uncommon for a Coast Packing customer to call and pick up a truckload the same day.

Coast Packing’s longevity is a reflection of its culture, which places equal value on product quality and respect for customers. At Coast, past truly is prologue.