Nueske’s was founded in 1933 – the heart of The Great Depression – by R.C. Nueske.  Times were hard for everyone and R.C. hoped that he could begin selling some of his family’s goods to ease their hardships and keep the family farm afloat.  The Nueske family had always hand-made traditional smoked meats created with Old World recipes that the Nueske family had used since before they immigrated to this country in the 1880s. These are the recipes that the family still uses, today. 

R.C. loaded up the back of his automobile with the Nueske family’s freshly smoked hams, sausages, and bacon and traveled through Wisconsin’s Northwoods, stopping at the many resorts in the area to see if people would  sample his wares.  Money was tight but people knew a good thing when they tasted it. Word of R.C. Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats traveled far and fast.   
 
Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Specialties are well-known for their signature sweet, rich smokiness and consistently high quality – something which can be acquired only through the time and patience taken to slowly smoke meat over glowing embers of sweet applewood.  

Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Bacon has proven a winner in taste tests time after time and has received numerous award.  Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Bacon has been mentioned in almost 100 books and cookbooks in the past decade. 

Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats remains located in our hometown of Wittenberg, Wisconsin, and continues to be operated by the Nueske family, now in the third generation of business.  Tanya Nueske is the company’s CEO and the granddaughter of R.C. Nueske.  

The Nueske family continues to create a wide variety of smoked specialty items, ranging from fine bacon to sausage, ham, poultry, chops, and more, and continues to focus on unmatched flavor and consistency.  Our products have distribution throughout the nation and can be found at specialty grocers and excellent restaurants across the country.

Agriculture & Farming

Food & Beverage

Manufacturing

Retail

Nueske's Applewood Smoked Meats

Tanya Nueske

Todd Loepfe

Mark Renfro

Juan Martinez

Dan MacKe

Carl Rambo

Kerry Rocole Sphr, Cec

Jenni Beyer

The Leadership Team at Nueske's Applewood Smoked Meats is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the company, ensuring the preservation of its rich heritage while driving growth and innovation. Comprising the CEO, Chief Sales Officer, Chief People Officer, and Chief Operating Officer, the team focuses on maintaining high product quality, expanding market reach, enhancing employee engagement, and fostering a culture that honors the family legacy and commitment to exceptional smoked meats.

Leadership Team

Sales Team

Engineering and Technical Support

Operations and Logistics

Leadership Team

About

Team members

Other teams at Nueske's Applewood Smoked Meats

Sales Team

Engineering and Technical Support

Operations and Logistics