Rancher's Premium Smokehouse Continues Rapid Retail Expansion in the Carolinas

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 16, 2026--

More shoppers across North and South Carolina can now bring authentic smokehouse flavor home. Rancher's Premium Smokehouse, the fastest-growing national smoked sausage brand in the United States, has expanded into Hills Food Stores, introducing shoppers to its lineup of bold, barbecue-inspired smoked sausages crafted with premium protein and fresh ingredients.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260716969909/en/

By putting a fresh spin on classic barbecue flavors, Rancher's Premium Smokehouse is redefining the traditional smoked sausage category.

Now available at Hills Food Stores, shoppers can enjoy three signature varieties:

Each 12-ounce package contains four hearty 3-ounce pre-cooked smoked sausage links and is sealed fresh in the refrigerated meat department.

The expansion builds on Rancher's growing momentum across the Southeast, where recent retail launches have fueled strong consumer demand in the region. As consumers continue to seek proteins that deliver both convenience and bold flavor, Rancher's has more than tripled sales year over year while continuing to expand distribution with retailers nationwide.

Known for serving families across the Carolinas for generations, Hills Food Stores continues to offer customers quality products and exceptional value. The addition of Rancher's Premium Smokehouse gives shoppers products that deliver bold flavor, real ingredients, and the convenience today's consumers are looking for.

Rancher's Premium Smokehouse products are now available at Hills Food Stores locations throughout North and South Carolina. For more information on where to find Rancher's Premium Smokehouse products, visit your local grocer's website.

About Rancher’s Premium

Launched in the spring of 2024, Rancher’s Premium Smokehouse Sausage has quickly established itself as a top choice for those seeking authentic, high-quality smoked meats. Crafted using traditional methods, our sausages offer a rich, smoky flavor that pays homage to the time-honored art of sausage making. Made from the finest cuts of meat and seasoned with a carefully curated blend of spices, Rancher’s Premium provides an unparalleled craft BBQ taste experience. However you serve them—grilled, pan-fried, or in your favorite recipes—our sausages deliver handcrafted flavor that turns any meal into comfort food.

About Hills Food Stores

Founded in 1930 in Whiteville, North Carolina, Hills Food Stores is a family-owned supermarket chain that has proudly served communities across southeastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina for generations. Built on the values established by founder Dewey Hill, Hills has earned a reputation for providing fresh, high-quality products, exceptional customer service, and a commitment to supporting the local communities it serves. Today, Hills Food Stores continues to offer customers a neighborhood shopping experience with expertly cut meats, fresh produce, everyday value, and the friendly service that has defined the company for more than 95 years.

Rancher's Premium Smokehouse Sausage Now Available at Hills

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Two of the eight men indicted in an alleged drone and sniper plot to attack President Donald Trump's UFC cage-fighting show on the White House lawn pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal conspiracy charges.

Clothed in jail garb and shackled, Tycen Proper, 19, of Danville, Ohio, and Chandler Scaggs, 21, of Chapmanville, West Virginia, entered the pleas before U.S. District Court Judge Edmund Sargus Jr. in Ohio, where the case has been consolidated. They and the other six defendants are each charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to commit murder on federal government territory and to murder a federal government official.

Sargus scheduled their trial to begin Sept. 14.

“What would have happened or could have happened, that's never going to be clear, because, thank God, there was an intervention here and this thing was disrupted,” U.S. Attorney Dominick Gerace II told reporters last week as he detailed the group's July 9 indictments. “But, in my view, when I look at what's been alleged there, it seems pretty likely that someone or multiple people were driving to Washington, D.C., to do something.”

Attorneys for Proper and Scaggs declined to comment after the hearing.

According to the indictment, the plot began in May. Members of the group — citing grievances about government corruption, water-guzzling data centers and the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein files — began amassing money, firearms, ammunition, body armor, explosives, drones, medical equipment, communications equipment and other items.

The attack was planned to take place at the cage-fighting show dubbed UFC Freedom 250, which was held on the South Lawn of the White House to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary. Law enforcement officials said they learned of the possible threat four days before the event was scheduled to take place.

One of the defendants told investigators that they planned to fly explosive-laden drones into the event and then shoot panicked crowd members as they fled, according to a federal affidavit.

The Justice Department announced charges against seven people from across the country, including from Ohio, Missouri, Washington, Nebraska and California. Officials said the suspects harbored fringe conspiracy theories and hoped the attack would destabilize the government.

Four alleged conspirators charged in Missouri, Nebraska and California the weekend of the event and two more charged about a week later in Washington and Missouri are still in the process of being moved to Ohio to face charges. They are likely to be tried as a group.

Scaggs was arrested last, but was brought to Ohio ahead of the other out-of-state defendants.

A sign marks the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio Thursday, July 16, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos)

Cars sit parked in front of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio Thursday, July 16, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos)