Hickory Farms: Choosing a Gift Box, Storing Summer Sausage and Timing Holiday Delivery

Hickory Farms is an Ohio food gift company founded in 1951, known for its Signature Beef Summer Sausage, cheese, Sweet Hot Mustard and holiday gift boxes. It sells online all year and through seasonal holiday locations.

Most Hickory Farms orders are gifts, so success depends on choosing the right box for the recipient, timing the delivery and knowing how the food should be stored once it arrives.

Choosing a Hickory Farms gift box

Hickory Farms boxes range from small samplers with one sausage and a cheese to large towers and crates packed with meats, cheeses, crackers and sweets. The product page lists every item and its weight, so read it rather than judging by the photo.

Match the size to the household. A couple rarely finishes a big tower before the sausage is opened and the clock starts, while a family gathering or office can clear one quickly.

If the recipient prefers one type of food, Hickory Farms also sells meat-only, cheese-only and sweets-focused boxes. These are often better value than a mixed box full of items they will not eat.

Summer sausage, cheese and mustard

The Signature Beef Summer Sausage is the item most people associate with Hickory Farms, and most gift boxes include one. Other sausage varieties and smoked meats appear in larger boxes.

Hickory Farms lists many of its sausages and cheese blends as shelf-stable until opened, which is why they can be shipped and gifted. Check the storage note on each item, and refrigerate once opened.

The Sweet Hot Mustard is sold on its own as well as in boxes. It is a cheap add-on if the recipient already has a favorite pairing.

Allergens and dietary needs

Hickory Farms products commonly contain dairy, wheat and soy, and some sweets contain nuts. Ingredient and allergen details are on each product page.

For a recipient with allergies, choose a box with fewer mixed items. Sweets and crackers are the likeliest sources of unexpected allergens.

If the gift is for someone who avoids pork or follows a particular diet, check the meat type on every sausage in the box. Beef, pork and mixed varieties can sit in the same Hickory Farms assortment.

Timing holiday delivery

Demand for Hickory Farms peaks in November and December, and delivery dates fill up as the holidays approach. Order early and check the arrival estimate shown at checkout.

Hickory Farms usually publishes ship-by dates for holiday arrival. Treat those as the last safe day, not a target.

In warm months, chocolate and some sweets can be affected by heat in transit. Check the product page for any seasonal shipping notes before sending a sweets box in summer.

Sending to several addresses and business gifts

Hickory Farms lets you send one order to multiple recipients, which saves repeating checkout for each person. Enter each address carefully, since a food parcel cannot sit on a porch for long.

Businesses that send gifts to clients or staff can use Hickory Farms' corporate gifting service. It is built for larger orders with many addresses and custom messages.

Add a gift message for each recipient at checkout. Without one, a recipient may not know who sent the box.

Freshness, damage and returns

Food gifts are rarely returnable in the usual way. If a Hickory Farms box arrives damaged or spoiled, contact customer service promptly with photos.

Check the current Hickory Farms guarantee and how to make a claim before ordering. Keep the packing slip and note the delivery date.

Open the box soon after it arrives and check the contents against the listing. Missing items are easier to resolve early.

Where the Hickory Farms savings are

Try the 20% off code first on any Hickory Farms order. On a multi-box holiday order it is the largest saving listed here.

If that code is declined, the 15% off code is the backup. It is worth trying on larger orders to several addresses.

The $5 off code beats 20% only on a subtotal under $25, such as a single jar of mustard or a small sampler. Compare both on your actual basket.

For a large family or office order, put all the Hickory Farms boxes in one checkout so a percentage code covers everything. Splitting the gifts across several small orders means applying a code to each one separately.

Common questions

Does Hickory Farms summer sausage need refrigerating?

Many are labelled shelf-stable until opened. Refrigerate after opening and follow the label on your item.

Can I send a Hickory Farms order to several people?

Yes, checkout supports multiple addresses in one order. Add a message for each recipient.

How early should I order for Christmas?

Well before the published ship-by date. Popular Hickory Farms boxes can sell out in December.

Can I return a Hickory Farms gift?

Food returns are limited. Contact customer service about damaged or spoiled items.

Does Hickory Farms handle business gifts?

Yes. Its corporate gifting service is set up for larger orders to many addresses with custom messages.