Madison Family Continues Legacy of Odom's Tennessee Pride Sausage

The Odom family reflects on their grandparents' humble beginnings and the growth of their iconic sausage brand in Nashville.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 8:20pm

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A photorealistic studio still-life photograph featuring a polished, chrome sausage link resting on a clean white background, with dramatic studio lighting casting deep shadows to symbolize the enduring legacy and premium quality of the Odom's Tennessee Pride Sausage brand.A premium sausage link from Odom's Tennessee Pride evokes the family's 80-year legacy of quality craftsmanship and local pride.Today in Nashville

The Odom family, descendants of the founders of Odom's Tennessee Pride Sausage, share the story of how their grandparents Doug and Louise Odom started the business in a chicken coop in Madison, Tennessee in 1943. The business grew over the generations, becoming a beloved local brand known for its iconic farm boy mascot. After selling the company in 2012, the family is now working to continue the legacy and instill the same sense of community pride in their grandchildren.

Why it matters

The Odom family's story highlights the resilience and entrepreneurial spirit of a local business that became an integral part of the Nashville community over multiple generations. As large corporations continue to dominate the food industry, the Odoms' commitment to their family's values and traditions serves as an inspiring example of how small, community-driven businesses can thrive.

The details

In 1943, Doug and Louise Odom started Odom's Tennessee Pride Sausage in a repurposed chicken coop behind their home in Madison, Tennessee. Louise even sewed the cloth packaging bags for the sausages by hand. The business began by selling pancake breakfasts and sausage biscuits at local fairs, eventually expanding to multiple production plants as the brand grew. The iconic farm boy mascot, drawn by the Odoms' aunt, became the face of the company. The business remained a three-generation family operation until it was sold in 2012.

  • Odom's Tennessee Pride Sausage was founded in 1943 in Madison, Tennessee.
  • The business expanded to multiple plants as it grew over the generations.
  • The company was sold in 2012 after being a family-run operation for decades.

The players

Doug Odom

The co-founder of Odom's Tennessee Pride Sausage, who started the business with his wife Louise in a chicken coop in 1943.

Louise Odom

The co-founder of Odom's Tennessee Pride Sausage, who sewed the cloth packaging bags for the sausages by hand in the early days of the business.

Larry Odom

The grandson of Doug and Louise Odom, who is now working to continue the family's legacy and instill the same sense of community pride in his own grandchildren.

Debbie Massey

The granddaughter of Doug and Louise Odom, who is also working to carry on the family's legacy after the business was sold in 2012.

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What they’re saying

“The picture of my granddad in that truck, it's a 1918 truck... Us kids loved to ride in that truck through the parade. That's something we did.”

— Larry Odom

“He grew up in a family of meatheads. I mean, they were butchers; they were all butchers...So just naturally the meat business was in his blood.”

— Larry Odom

“It's kinda like Mickey Mouse fingers if you will.”

— Debbie Massey

“This community was always family.”

— Larry Odom

“And that's how you learned about our community, and you learned about what they went through to get there, and we want our grandchildren to learn what they did to get them here.”

— Debbie Massey

What’s next

The Odom family plans to continue sharing their grandparents' story and legacy with their own grandchildren, ensuring the community-driven values that built the Tennessee Pride Sausage brand are passed down to future generations.

The takeaway

The Odom family's multi-generational journey with their iconic sausage brand exemplifies the power of family-owned businesses to become beloved community institutions. Even after selling the company, the Odoms remain committed to honoring their grandparents' entrepreneurial spirit and instilling that same sense of local pride in their own descendants.