In 1922, Felix Schlosser, the founder of Morrilton Packing Company, immigrated to Little Rock, Arkansas from Germany. While living in Little Rock, Felix worked for Little Rock Packing Company and for Becker Packing Company. He then moved to Conway, Arkansas for a short time where he was employed by Erbacher Packing Company. In 1926, Felix finally settled in Morrilton, Arkansas where has widowed cousin, Mary Ruff, was living, and where he opened a retail meat market in partnership with Ellis Bentley.

In 1928, Ellis sold his share of the business to Felix. On July 7, 1928, after they rebuilt the market following a fire, the business reopened under the name of Morrilton Meat Market and Sausage Factory. At this time, Edward and Lonnie Ruff, sons of Mary Ruff, entered the business, delivering meat to homes on bicycles after school and on weekends. Ed was twelve years old and Lonnie was ten at the time. Ed later became a full-time employee in 1930 and Lonnie likewise in 1932.

The name Morrilton packing Company came about in 1930 when a wholesale business was added. Soon after, in the early 1930's, the Petit Jean brand was adopted. The company maintained both a wholesale operation and a retail market until 1943 when they remodeled the plant and they discontinued the retail market.

Morrilton packing Company was one of many which in 1934 and 1935 butchered cattle for the Emergency Relief Administration. The government purchased starving cattle from drought-stricken Western states and shipped them to various slaughter houses by rail. Morrilton Packing Company was paid $1 per head plus the hide and offal to butcher these cattle and chill the carcasses. The government operated a boning and canning facility next to the packing plant where they canned the meat for distribution to needy families through the welfare system. Morrilton Packing Company processed a total of 15,000 head of cattle during this time.

On April 29, 1946, the plant was completely destroyed by a fire which began in a smokehouse. Rebuilding was completed in seven months and the company reopened for business the day after Thanksgiving in 1946.

During the 1940's and into the 1950's, the company began development of its processed meat products. The most popular of these is a line of smoked ham products, bone-in and boneless smoked and smoked, peppered hams. Two and one-half million pounds of these products are sold annually. Smoked and smoked, peppered bacon is the second most popular line of products with annual sales of one million pounds. Other smoked products included shoulder picnics, hocks, jowls, and bacon skins. Currently a full line of cooked sausage items is produced including bologna, wieners, salami, summer sausage, luncheon loaves, and several different smoked sausages. Four varieties of fresh port sausage are also produced.

In 1968 the company ceased slaughtering beef cattle and selling dressed beef. In 1995 the hog slaughter operation was discontinued. Fresh pork cuts, trimmed to Morrilton Packing's specifications, are purchased from major packers.

The majority of Morrilton Packing Company's sales are within a one hundred-mile radius of Morrilton, although some Petit Jean products can be found in various locations in the northwestern one half of the state. Products are distributed both by company owned vehicles and through a number of jobbers. The company also sells processed items by mail throughout the country.

As the company grew and progressed through the 1950's and 1960's, Ed and Lonnie became involved in the management of the business. After Felix's death in 1968, the two Ruff brothers managed the company together until Lonnie died in 1979. Ed Ruff then assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer of the company. Ed's son, David Ruff, joined the company as Plan Manager in 1984 and managed the business under the guidance of his semi-retired father. David Ruff became CEO & President when Ed Ruff died in 1990.

In January 1986, construction was begun on a new, modern manufacturing plant for Morrilton Packing Company. The building was completed in April 1987. By using up-to-date building materials and construction methods, the new facility has reduced the cost of building maintenance and sanitation. In addition, improved refrigeration and further protects and extends the shelf life of the finished products.

The new plan, covering 48,000 square feet, provided an increase of seventy-five percent in operational area. This has allowed expansion into sliced, and vacuum-packed luncheon meats and other consumer ready type products in consumer size packages. Employment increased to sixty with the addition of this new operation.

Morrilton Packing Company will continue its philosophy of offering products of superior quality in trim, texture and content plus distinct flavors in its processed meats.