What Is Past Is Prologue

Celebrating a century in business is more than just a milestone—it’s a testament to quality, community, innovation, dedication and faith. These values have defined Brakebush through four generations as a family-owned value-added chicken processor. Its story began in 1925 with two brothers buying a single truck to haul poultry and other ag products from Wisconsin’s rural farms to markets in Madison and Milwaukee. Today, it’s a leading player in the pre-cooked chicken segment, with facilities in five states and serving customers from coast to coast. Here, members of the Brakebush family offer bite-sized insights into their heritage and the road ahead.

Carl Brakebush
Retired 2nd generation; father of Jon Brakebush
Summers spent traveling with his father selling eggs, sugar and poultry (“My back still hurts from hauling 75-lb. boxes of chicken.”) launched a fulfilling career that began in sales and lasted until Carl’s retirement as Brakebush president. He believes that having family at the heart of the business sends a powerful message to customers, but concedes that as both the company and the founding family have grown, it’s challenging to bring everyone together with the same level of engagement. Initiatives like a Family Council help to improve communications between generations and serve to inspire younger members to carry the family legacy forward. Whatever the future holds, he’s confident that Brakebush’s core values will endure. “Honesty, treating people right—those values don’t change, and that’s what we’ve passed on.”

Chari Schieber
VP of Information Technologies; 3rd generation, mother of Alex Allen “My grandfather founded the company with the idea of providing jobs and support to his community, and he wanted to pass that commitment from one family member to another,” Chari says, pleased to play a part in that vision. Always wanting to join the business, her commitment to Brakebush began in high school and continues today as head of the IT department. From purchase of the first truck to her mother’s leadership in further processing to today’s scope of automation, the company has always been technology forward, Chari asserts. But there’s another legacy she finds deeply meaningful. “Watching my dad and grandfather inspired my own passion for being here. I have so much respect for how much they gave of themselves to make Brakebush what it is today, and I believe older and younger generations can learn a lot from one another, if we care to listen.”

Jon Brakebush
Senior VP of Operations; 3rd generation, son of Carl Brakebush “Customers trust us because they know there’s a family behind the company name—and that means something,” says Jon, explaining the fundamentals of Brakebush’s success: integrity, quality and doing what’s right—not just what’s profitable. He’s also quick to share credit: “It’s not just about our family; it’s about all the team members who have built this company and the communities that have supported us.” Balancing tradition with innovation will be key to ensuring Brakebush stays strong into its next century. To that end, he’s proud of the many experts that anchor every department in the company, allowing Brakebush to go beyond selling chicken. “We’re not just offering customers a product—we’re offering solutions. The future is about growing smart, taking care of our team and our communities. If we do that, everything else will fall into place.”

Alex Allen
Corporate Manager of HR Projects and Employee Outreach; 4th generation, daughter of Chari Schieber “I’m at the start of my career at Brakebush, but I’ve already been able to move through departments, gaining knowledge in different areas. As a fourth generation family member, I’m really excited about having a future here where there are so many opportunities,” says Alex, with genuine enthusiasm for both the chicken side of the business and its people-focused priorities. “We’re innovative about what we do for our employees and our communities. For example, we provide medical services through onsite health clinics. We also support local schools, shelters, emergency responders and other initiatives.” She attributes this work to the family’s religious faith, which is a Brakebush core value, driving a commitment to treat everyone—employees, their families, vendors and partners—with respect and dignity.

Visit brakebush.com to discover the good people behind great chicken.