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Pilgrim's Pride Corporation

Poultry and Prepared FoodsFounded 1946
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026

Founders

Who Founded Pilgrim's Pride?

Lonnie 'Bo' Pilgrim, Aubrey Pilgrim · Founded 1946 · HQ today: Greeley, Colorado

Who founded Pilgrim's Pride?

Pilgrim's Pride was founded by Lonnie 'Bo' Pilgrim, Aubrey Pilgrim in 1946. It is now led by Fabio Sandri.

Founders
Lonnie 'Bo' Pilgrim, Aubrey Pilgrim
Founded
1946
Headquarters
Greeley, Colorado
Number of founders
2
Current CEO
Fabio Sandri (since 2020)
Where was Pilgrim's Pride founded?
Pilgrim's Pride was founded in Pittsburg, Texas, United States in 1946.
When was Pilgrim's Pride founded?
Pilgrim's Pride was founded in 1946.
Who started Pilgrim's Pride?
Pilgrim's Pride was founded by Lonnie 'Bo' Pilgrim and Aubrey Pilgrim.
How old is Pilgrim's Pride?
Pilgrim's Pride is 80 years old as of 2026.

Founding Story

In 1946 Aubrey Pilgrim and his younger brother Lonnie 'Bo' Pilgrim bought a farm feed store in Pittsburg, Texas. To build demand for feed they supplied chicks to local farmers and bought back the grown birds, an early form of the vertical integration the company still uses. Aubrey died in 1966 and Bo led the company for decades, becoming known for TV ads in a pilgrim hat.

Lonnie 'Bo' Pilgrim

Co-founder 1946

Background

Bo Pilgrim grew up in rural East Texas and co-founded the feed store business with his older brother Aubrey in 1946.

Role at Pilgrim's Pride Corporation

Lonnie 'Bo' Pilgrim (1928-2017) co-founded Pilgrim's Pride with his brother Aubrey in Pittsburg, Texas, and led it after Aubrey's death in 1966. He took the company public in 1986, became known nationally for TV ads in a pilgrim hat, and oversaw large acquisitions including Gold Kist before the 2008 bankruptcy and the 2009 JBS investment ended his family's control. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).

Aubrey Pilgrim

Co-founder 1946

Background

Aubrey Pilgrim ran the original Pittsburg, Texas feed store with his brother Bo.

Role at Pilgrim's Pride Corporation

Aubrey Pilgrim co-founded the business in 1946 and led its early growth from feed sales into raising and selling chickens, the model that became Pilgrim's vertically integrated system. He died in 1966, after which Bo Pilgrim took over leadership. Aubrey Pilgrim was born in 1920.

Pilgrim's Pride Corporation: CEO & Leadership History

Full timeline →

Fabio Sandri

President and Chief Executive Officer

2020 – Present

Sandri led Pilgrim's through the post-2020 recovery to record profits of $1.09 billion in 2024 and $1.08 billion in 2025, and steered investment toward prepared foods, Just Bare and key-customer capacity. In 2026 he is managing a commodity downturn that cut Q2 GAAP net income to $13.2 million.

Jayson Penn

Chief Executive Officer

2019 – 2020

Serving as CEO from 2019 to 2020, he oversaw the company's aggressive international expansion before stepping down amid federal criminal antitrust charges regarding the manipulation of chicken prices.

Keep researching Pilgrim's Pride

Who Founded Pilgrim's Pride? FAQ

Who founded Pilgrim's Pride?

Brothers Aubrey Pilgrim and Lonnie 'Bo' Pilgrim founded the business in 1946 when they bought a feed store in Pittsburg, Texas.

How did the Pilgrim brothers start in chicken?

They supplied chicks to local farmers to build feed sales and bought back the grown birds, an early form of the vertically integrated model the company still uses.

What happened to Aubrey Pilgrim?

Aubrey Pilgrim died in 1966, after which Bo Pilgrim led the company.

Why was Bo Pilgrim famous?

Bo Pilgrim appeared in TV ads wearing a pilgrim hat, helping turn Pilgrim's into a recognised chicken brand. He took the company public in 1986 and died in 2017.

Does the Pilgrim family still control the company?

No. Family control ended when JBS bought a majority stake in 2009 as the company left bankruptcy.

Why did co-founder Bo Pilgrim famously wear a black pilgrim hat in television commercials?

Lonnie "Bo" Pilgrim was a master marketer who starred in the company's commercials wearing a traditional 17th-century black pilgrim hat and buckle, carrying a live chicken named "Henrietta" and declaring "It's a mindboggling thing!" The flamboyant persona made Pilgrim's Pride a beloved national household brand.

What was the famous $10,000 campaign donation controversy involving Bo Pilgrim in 1989?

In 1989, Bo Pilgrim caused a major political scandal in Texas when he handed $10,000 political contribution checks directly to state senators on the floor of the Texas Capitol while a workers' compensation reform bill was being debated, prompting Texas to reform legislative ethics laws.

When did the Pilgrim family relinquish executive leadership of the company?

Following the devastating 2008 Chapter 11 bankruptcy and JBS acquisition in 2009, Bo Pilgrim stepped down as Chairman. Bo Pilgrim passed away in 2017 at age 89, ending the founding family's seven-decade leadership era.

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Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.