Bethlehem Sausage Works

The History of Bethlehem Sausage Werke

Our background in the art of sausage-making actually stems from the Middle Ages and the trade guilds which still exist in Germany today. In Stuttgart, our ancestors learned and practiced this trade for generations. After honing his own skills, our father Paul Mayer set off for the United States. Before seeking the American dream of owning his own business, he was a successful partner in Forest Pork Store located in New York City.

In 1982, his dream was realized when he acquired Kocher’s Pork Store in Ridgefield, New Jersey. Located near the George Washington Bridge, this facility permitted ready access to New York City and surrounding areas. It wasn’t long before local shoppers, “foodies”, and high-end wholesalers recognized the vast array and quality of the gourmet specialty sausages and delicatessen products being produced.

The acquisition of Kocher’s has been a true family affair. When necessary, for example, we have even resorted to importing machinery directly from Germany in order to maintain our strict standards. The original store was enlarged seven times since its inception; a parking lot was constructed to accommodate the growing customer base, and a second story was added to increase production capacity and the working environment for our employees. As we increased capacity to serve growing demand, we never lost sight of the importance of providing our customers unrivaled products crafted with the finest ingredients, loyal to production secrets of the past.

Kenneth Mayer and Dr. Eric Mayer grew up in this business. Our father insisted on our mastery of all aspects of the operation and instilled the pride in producing a quality product. After schooling, Kenneth formally joined the business in 1994 and has since assumed production responsibilities. This period had seen a continued expansion of the wholesale business. In addition to our own products, Kocher’s became the manufacturer for several other brands utilizing their own recipes. As the American cultural landscape and taste palette continually changes, so have we. Along with our German line of products, Kocher’s produces various ethnic sausages and deli-items for Russian, Polish, Italian, and South American clientele. More recently, we have branched into organic and nitrite-free foods.

Due to our continued success, further expansion of production facilities became necessary. Bethlehem Sausage Works was created as a 20,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility located in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley with the singular vision of bringing our Old-World style, renowned customer service, and delicious gourmet products to the entire United States.

We invite you to order and delight in the highest quality multi-ethnic sausages, an exhaustive palette of deli items, salamis, a broad range of hams, and an array of hot dogs guaranteed to satisfy the most discerning tastes. Understanding how our painstaking ingredient selection process and traditional small-batch production methods differ from large manufacturers becomes crystal clear the minute one samples our products.

Still family-owned and operated, we continue to dedicate ourselves to ensuring that everything we produce is of the highest standard and made from only the finest ingredients. We never consider the use of artificial ingredients or fillers. Our smoked items are naturally hardwood-smoked. All of our products are made on the premises, from farm-to-table ingredients sourced locally utilizing humane livestock practices. Our factory and products are inspected daily by the USDA.

We thank you for your patronage and support and look forward to your next order.


With care and craftsmanship from our family to yours,
The Mayer Family
Artisans of Gourmet Sausage