Omaha Steaks presently serves 1.5 million active customers. The mail order business began in 1952 at the request of beef lovers who wanted to send Omaha Steaks as gifts to family, friends, and business associates across the country. Through mail order and catalog campaigns, Omaha Steaks has grown to become the nation's largest direct response marketer of steaks and other frozen gourmet foods. Furthermore, we have nurtured and developed many partnerships and alliances that give the buying public more ways to access our products and services.

In 1975 the Simons, striving to meet customer demand, made the decision to open an inbound call center. By having a toll-free number directly to Omaha Steaks, customers could make selections from the catalog, and have them delivered to their homes. This "ultimate in convenience" propelled continued growth of the mail order business.

Outbound telemarketing was added in 1978. In 1987 an automated order entry system was introduced, freeing up Omaha Steaks' steak experts to give full attention to customers. Because of our dedication to the customer, we added a toll-free customer service line in 1979. The Simon family was so concerned with every aspect of service that they wanted customers to have an easy, cost-free way to reach them. By installing the line, Omaha Steaks became one of the first companies in the country to offer "toll-free" customer service.

In 1965, the Incentive Division was opened and began to build a network of incentive representatives throughout the country. Today, Omaha Steaks is the largest gourmet food company supplying the premium and incentive marketplace. We help companies run successful motivation, promotion and reward programs by handling all program fulfillment and supplying program support.

Our Incentive Division features its own catalog, planning portfolio and Web site www.omahasteaks.com/incentive.

Seizing a new opportunity, the first Omaha Steaks Retail store opened in 1976 in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1985, the Retail Division expanded outside of Nebraska, beginning with a store in Houston, Texas. Today, the retail outlets are expanding aggressively and there are over 80 retail stores across the United States. Click on "Find A Store" to see the complete listing and address of each retail location.

Each retail location offers customers a chance to speak face-to-face with our "steak experts" as well as the convenience of drop-in shopping for any occasion.

In 1990, Omaha Steaks became one of the first companies to join the technological wave of electronic marketing. Customers who were connected to CompuServe could order food products via computer. In 1995, a Web site (www.omahasteaks.com) was developed, as well as a dedicated site on America Online, (key word: "steaks"). By simply logging on to the Web, customers can browse through the gourmet frozen food selections and fill out their own electronic order forms, paying by credit card on a security protected system. Our email feature affords customers quick responses to customer service questions, recipes or company information. As an added customer convenience, we offer electronic order information and order tracking online.

In 1998, Omaha Steaks became part of the Microsoft Network and in 1999 we added our Japanese Web site. Our online customers enjoy the convenience of receiving regular email promotions presenting exceptional, limited-time offers. With our affiliate marketing program, it's easy for interested persons to reach our Web site through links on other Web sites.

When our original company, Table Supply Meat Company, was founded in 1917, foodservice was one of our core businesses. It remains so today. Omaha Steaks FoodService markets a full line of branded red meat and other food products to end-user customers: restaurants, hotels and institutional foodservice operations.

Our foodservice business is composed of a network of distributors throughout the United States, supported and serviced by sales managers covering four principal regions: the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and Caribbean, Central Plains, and Western and Pacific.

Omaha Steaks FoodService extends its brand awareness and distribution to thirteen foreign countries. Additionally, our Web site provides easy information and service for customers worldwide at www.omahasteaks.com/foodservice.

It was also in 1990 that it became clear there was no more room at the plant. A building was bought in South Omaha and transformed into a distribution center. The huge consumer demand for Omaha Steaks compelled the company to open a new plant in Snyder, Nebraska in 1994.

To support sales growth, the company purchased a cold-storage facility in 1998 and another in 2000. These facilities, along with the improvements in our state-of-the-art automated steak-cutting machines and processes, provides great opportunities for continued and virtually unlimited growth.

Concern for food safety and plant sanitation pervades our manufacturing processes. We maintain testing frequency and standards that exceed the levels demanded by the United States Department of Agriculture.