Hickory Farms Gift Baskets

Hickory Farms Gift Baskets Buying Guide

What's Inside a Hickory Farms Gift Box

Most Hickory Farms gifts mix and match the same core items, scaled up or down by box size:

• Summer sausage: the Signature Beef version is 100% beef with hickory smoke, mustard seed and black pepper, while the Farmhouse style blends pork and beef.
• Cheese: smoked cheddar, farmhouse cheddar, jack and smoked gouda-style blends are common.
• Crackers and condiments: sweet hot mustard plus fruit-forward flavors such as honey pineapple and cranberry.
• Sweets: some boxes add chocolates or other treats alongside the savory items.

Shelf-stable or refrigerated?

Hickory Farms says most of its meats are shelf-stable until opened and should be refrigerated once cut. Cheese varies by product: some items don't need refrigeration at first, but chilling keeps them fresher longer. Let the recipient know what's inside so perishables don't sit forgotten under a pile of holiday gifts.

A quick history

Hickory Farms began in 1951, when Richard Ransom started selling cheese at fairs in Ohio. The beef stick that became the Signature Beef Summer Sausage followed in 1956, and the first retail store opened in Toledo in 1959. Today the privately held company is based in Chicago, where it moved its headquarters in 2017.

When to Order Hickory Farms for the Holidays

Hickory Farms is built around the holidays. The company says it generally opens retail shops only during the holiday season; those seasonal locations are usually pop-ups or mall kiosks, and its store locator lists where to find them. Online, it posts holiday shipping cutoffs each year, with standard shipping closing first and pricier expedited and express options a few days later.

• Thanksgiving hosts: order in early November so the box arrives before the busy travel week.
• Christmas gifts: aim for the first half of December for the widest choice of shipping speeds.
• Last-minute shoppers: Prime members in many metro areas can get eligible items same-day or next-day, but always check the delivery date Amazon shows for the recipient's ZIP code.

For more seasonal ideas, see our Christmas gift baskets.

Hickory Farms for Corporate and Bulk Gifting

Savory boxes are a dependable crowd-pleaser, which is why many companies send them to clients and teams. Hickory Farms has a business gifting team that can coordinate large orders shipped to one location or to many individual recipients, add a custom logo tag or card with your message, and talk through volume pricing.

A few tips before you order in bulk:

1. Collect recipient addresses early, and confirm that business addresses will be staffed on the delivery day.
2. Check dietary needs: the Signature Beef sausage is all beef, while some other sausages contain pork, so read each label.
3. Review client gift policies, since some organizations cap gift values or restrict food gifts.

Our corporate gift baskets guide covers more client-friendly options.

Similar Gifts to Hickory Farms

If you like the idea but want a different spin, these alternatives cover the same savory territory:

• More cheese, less sausage: Wisconsin cheese boxes with several blocks or curds.
• Heat-tolerant snacks: jerky baskets travel better than cheese in summer.
• Upscale charcuterie: cured meats, crackers and spreads in a wooden crate.
• A fruit-forward classic: compare Harry & David gift baskets for pears and towers.

Browse all meat and cheese gift baskets, our broader gourmet gift baskets or savory ideas in gift baskets for men.

Build a Hickory Farms-style basket yourself

Start with a party-size summer sausage, add two or three cheeses you know they like, a box of crackers and a jar of sweet hot mustard, then finish with something sweet such as chocolate or a pretzel tin. A small cutting board and cheese knife turn it into a ready-to-serve kit. Our guide to empty gift baskets and DIY supplies covers sturdy containers and filler.