Lone Star Consolidated Foods was founded by S.M.”Merrell” Burdine in Dallas, Texas in 1950. It began as a simple donut shop which quickly grew to several locations under the name “Lone Star Donuts”. In 1953 C.E. “Gene” Burdine, Merrell’s son, started his own business, “Sunset Donuts”, and in 1960 father and son joined forces merging the two companies.

While the appeal of the excellent quality, fresh-made product brought the Burdine family much success locally, Gene Burdine had larger ambitions beyond Dallas.

In the mid-1980s, Lone Star expanded its operations producing freeze-and-thaw baked goods and began manufacturing frozen hushpuppies for restaurants and food service companies.