View source for Company:Hormel

{{Short description|American food processing company}}

{{Infobox company
| name = Hormel Foods Corporation
| logo = Hormel_Foods_logo.svg
| logo_caption = 
| image = {{CSS image crop
|Image = Hormel Austin.jpg
|bSize = 300
|cWidth = 220
|cHeight = 190
|oTop = 25
|oLeft = 40
|Location =center 
|Description = 
}}
| image_size = 
| image_caption = Hormel Place in Austin, Minnesota
| type = [[Finance:Public company|Public]]
| traded_as = {{NYSE|HRL}}<br />S&P 500 Component
| industry = [[Engineering:Food processing|Food processing]]
| foundation = {{start date and age|1891}} (as George A. Hormel & Company)
| founder = George A. Hormel
| location_city = Austin, Minnesota
| location_country = U.S.
| areas_served = 80 countries
| brands = {{plainlist|  
*{{•}}Applegate
*{{•}}Arriba
*{{•}}Chi-Chi's
*{{•}}Columbus Craft Meats
*{{•}}Dinty Moore
*{{•}}Don Miguel
*{{•}}Dona Maria
*{{•}}El Torito
*{{•}}Evolve
*{{•}}Fontanini
*{{•}}Happy Little Plants
*{{•}}Herbox
*{{•}}Herdez
*{{•}}House of Tsang
*{{•}}Jennie-O
*{{•}}Justin's
*{{•}}La Victoria
*{{•}}Lloyd's
*{{•}}Mary Kitchen
*{{•}}Planters
*{{•}}Skippy
*{{•}}Spam
*{{•}}Stagg Chili
*{{•}}Wholly Guacamole}}
| locations = 40 Manufacturing & Distribution Facilities
| key_people = James Snee<ref name=simplywall>{{cite web |url=https://simplywall.st/stocks/us/food-beverage-tobacco/nyse-hrl/hormel-foods/news/heres-what-we-think-about-hormel-foods-corporations-nysehrl-ceo-pay/ |title=Here's What We Think About Hormel Foods Corporation's (NYSE:HRL) CEO Pay |last=Wall St |first=Simply |date=January 26, 2020 |website=Simply Wall Street |publisher=Simply Wall Street Pty Ltd |access-date=March 9, 2020 |quote=Jim Snee became the CEO of Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL) in 2016.}}</ref> (Chairman, President, CEO)
| products = Deli meat, ethnic foods, pantry foods, Spam
| revenue = {{decrease}}US$ 9.497 billion (2019)<ref name=fyn/>
| operating_income = {{decrease}} 1.2 billion (2019)<ref name=oi>{{cite press release |last1=Hormel Foods Corporation |title=Hormel Foods Reports Fourth Quarter And Fiscal 2019 Earnings; Provides Fiscal 2020 Outlook |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hormel-foods-reports-fourth-quarter-and-fiscal-2019-earnings-provides-fiscal-2020-outlook-300965055.html |website=www.prnewswire.com |language=en}}</ref>
| net_income = 
| assets = {{decrease}}US$ 8.10 billion (2019)<ref name=fyn>{{cite web |title=Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 |url=https://investor.hormelfoods.com/Cache/401460867.pdf |date=December 28, 2019}}</ref>
| equity = 
| num_employees = 20,000 (2019)<ref>{{cite web |title=How many people work for Hormel Foods? |url=https://www.hormelfoods.com/ask-and-answer/how-many-people-work-for-hormel-foods/ |website=Hormel Foods}}</ref>
| divisions = Grocery products<br>Refrigerated foods<br>Jennie-O turkey store<br>Specialty foods<br>International
| subsid = 
| homepage = {{URL|hormelfoods.com}}
| footnotes = 
| intl = 
| bodystyle = 
}}

'''Hormel Foods Corporation''' is an American company founded in 1891 in Austin, Minnesota, by George A. Hormel as George A. Hormel & Company. Originally focusing on the packaging and selling of ham, Spam, sausage and other pork, chicken, beef and lamb products to consumers; by the 1980s, Hormel began offering a wider range of packaged and refrigerated foods. The company changed its name to Hormel Foods in 1993. Hormel serves 80 countries with brands such as Applegate, Columbus Craft Meats, Dinty Moore, Jennie-O, and Skippy.

==History==
===1890{{ndash}}1920===
The company was founded as George A. Hormel & Company in Austin, Minnesota by George A. Hormel in 1891. It changed its name to Hormel Foods in 1993.

[[File:Old Hormel Building.jpg|thumb|The building in which George A. Hormel started his business. Preserved at the Mower County Fairgrounds in Austin|210px]]
[[File:HormelObelisk.jpg|thumb|The Hormel [[Engineering:Obelisk|obelisk]] in Austin's Oakwood Cemetery]]
<!--[[File:SpamMuseumAustinMN2006-05-20.JPG|thumb|right|The SPAM Museum in Austin, Minnesota]]-->
George A. Hormel (born 1860 in Buffalo, New York) worked in a {{wipe|Chicago}} slaughterhouse before becoming a traveling wool and hide buyer. His travels took him to Austin and he decided to settle there. He borrowed $500 and opened a meat business.<ref>{{cite news |title=George Hormel, 85, Packing Firm Founder, Dies|date=June 5, 1946|website=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> Hormel handled the production side of the business and his partner, Albert Friedrich, handled the retail. Their partnership dissolved in 1891 as Hormel started his own meat packing operation in northeast Austin in a creamery building on the Cedar River.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/171416688/?terms=albert%2Bfriedrich%2Bgeorge%2Bhormel | title=Friedrich & Hormel are Dissolved|date= October 7, 1891|website=Mower Country Transcript}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Doocy |first1=Sue |title=Mower County Historical Society Main Location |url=http://www.mowercountyhistory.org/mchs.html |website=Mower County Historical Society |publisher=MCHS |access-date=July 20, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Garrison1998">{{cite book|author=Webb Garrison|title=A Treasury of Minnesota Tales: Unusual, Interesting, and Little-Known Stories of Minnesota|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vtCqmx7U7bEC&pg=PT73|date=3 November 1998|publisher=Thomas Nelson|isbn=978-1-4185-3062-4|page=73}}</ref>

To make ends meet in those early days, Hormel continued to trade in hides, eggs, wool, and poultry. The name {{US trademark|71203817|Dairy Brand}} was first used in 1903.<ref name=dough/>{{rp|68}} In the first decade of the 20th century distribution centers were opened in St. Paul, Minneapolis, Duluth, San Antonio, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, and Birmingham.

In 1915, Hormel began selling dry sausages under the names of Cedar Cervelat, Holsteiner and Noxall Salami.<ref name=dough/>{{rp|79}} Hormel products began appearing in national magazines such as ''Good Housekeeping'' as early as 1916.<ref>{{cite book|title=Hormel Good Cheer ad|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lNY-AQAAMAAJ&pg=RA4-PA189|year=1916|publisher=International Magazine Company|location=Good Housekeeping|page=4}}</ref>

===1920{{ndash}}1950===
[[File:HormelPlantAustinMNpostcard.jpg|thumb|right|The Hormel plant circa 1920]]
In 1921, when George's son Jay Hormel returned from service in [[Social:World War I|the First World War]], he uncovered that assistant controller Cy Thomson had embezzled $1,187,000 from the company over the previous ten years.<ref name=levin>{{cite book|author=Frances Levinson|title=Hormel: The Spam Man |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XEgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA63|date=11 March 1946|publisher=Time LIFE Inc|page=63}}</ref> The embezzlement scandal provided George Hormel with additional incentive to professionalize his company. He did so by arranging for more reliable capital management, by dismissing unproductive employees, and by continuing to develop new products,<ref name=lund>{{cite book|last1=Lund|first1=Doniver|oclc=23458845|title=The Hormel Legacy: 100 Years of Quality|date=1990|publisher=Geo A. Hormel & Co.|location=Austin, Minnesota|asin=B0006EVC7K}}</ref>{{rp|90–103}} reportedly with the mantra “Originate, don't imitate."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Breining |first1=Greg |last2=Chesley |first2=Paul |title=Minnesota |date=2006 |publisher=Compass American Guides |isbn=1400014840 |page=[https://archive.org/details/minnesota0003brei/page/123 123] |oclc=1028325804 |url=https://archive.org/details/minnesota0003brei/page/123 }}</ref> In 1926, the company introduced Hormel Flavor-Sealed Ham, America's first [[Engineering:Canning|canned]] ham,<ref name="BusinessOfFood" /> and added a canned chicken product line in 1928.<ref name=levin/> Throughout the 1930s, Hormel ads were featured on the radio program ''The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show''.<ref name="AlmironCole2015">{{cite book|author1=Núria Almiron|author2=Matthew Cole|author3=Carrie P. Freeman|title=Critical Animal and Media Studies: Communication for Nonhuman Animal Advocacy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8oq9CgAAQBAJ&pg=PT103|date=14 October 2015|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-317-55268-0|page=103}}</ref>

Hormel Chili and Spam were introduced in 1936 and 1937 respectively.<ref name=pop/><ref name=levin/> In 1938, Jay C. Hormel introduced the "Joint Savings Plan" which allowed employees to share in the profits of the company.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.newspapers.com/image/178659155/?terms=joint%2Bsavings%2Bplan%2Bhormel|title=Joint Earnings Plan Tried Out In Meat Plant| author=<!--none-->|date= January 6, 1939|publisher=Minneapolis Star}}</ref> 

<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Strike at Hormel Packing Plant, Austin, 1933.jpg|thumb|Strikers and supporters in front of the plant, 1933.]] -->
In 1933, workers, led by itinerant butcher Frank Ellis, formed the Independent Union of All Workers and conducted one of the nation's first successful sit-down strikes; the union would later join the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO, later AFL-CIO).<ref name=MNSM>{{cite web |title=Ellis, Frank Alexander, 1888 - 1976 Oral History Interview, November 1974 – Southern Minnesota Historical Center – Physical Collections – Library Services – Minnesota State University, Mankato |url=http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc1258.html |website=lib.mnsu.edu |language=en}}</ref><ref name=Cornell85>{{cite web |last1=Ken |first1=Gagala |title=A Wobbly-Bred Campaign in Minnesota - Minnesota Public Radio (rebroadcast from 7 August 1997)|url=http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/lrr/vol1/iss7/4 |volume=1|issue=Number 7 Article 4|website=Labor Research Review |language=en |date=1985}}</ref><ref name=MPR85>{{cite web |title="The Strike is On" on Midday |url=http://archive.mprnews.org/stories/19970807/strike-midday |website=Minnesota Public Radio |date=1985}}</ref>

By 1942, George and Jay established The Hormel Foundation to act as trustees of the family trusts.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Holcombe |first1=Randall G. |title=Writing Off Ideas: Taxation, Philanthropy and America's Non-profit Foundations |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gSFWDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT85 |publisher=Routledge |language=en |date=April 17, 2018|isbn=9781351326940 }}</ref> The Foundation funded the [[Organization:Hormel Institute|Hormel Institute]] at the University of Minnesota, initially started with a study of the food value of soybeans.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/182936956/?terms=hormel%2Bfoundation|title=New President Chosen for Hormel Firm |author=Special to the Minneapolis Tribune|date=April 19, 1955|website=Star Tribune|publisher=Star Tribune |access-date=September 18, 2018}}{{subscription required|s}}</ref> The Institute's scope later grew towards studying nutrition, animal diseases and food technology. Hormel's production increased to aid in [[Social:World War II|World War II]] and 65% of its products were purchased by the U.S. government by 1945.<ref name=dough/>{{rp|77–78}}

===1950{{ndash}}2000===
In 1959, Hormel was the first meatpacker to receive the Seal of Approval of the American Humane Society for its practice of [[Medicine:Anesthesia|anesthetizing]] animals before slaughter.<ref>{{cite news |title=Hormel Wins Approval of Humane Practices |work=Honolulu Advertiser |date=April 17, 1959 |page=9}}</ref><ref name=dough>{{cite book|last1=Dougherty|first1=Richard|title=In Quest of Quality: Hormel's First 75 Years|date=1966|publisher=Geo A. Hormel & Company|location=Austin, Minnesota|oclc=988269|asin=B0006BOWUW}}</ref>{{rp|270}}

[[File:This Is Hormel (1964) hot dog segment.webm|thumb|This Is Hormel (1964) hot dog segment]]
Little Sizzlers sausages were introduced in 1961 and Cure 81 hams were introduced in 1963. Unfortunately Little Sizzler's sausage has been discontinued per 10/10/19 email from Hormel's Customer Service.<ref name=pop>{{cite book |last=Moore |first=Hank |date=April 5, 2016 |title=Pop Icons and Business Legends: History of Commerce and Heritage of Culture |location=New York |publisher=Morgan James Publishing |page=124 |isbn=978-1630478438 |oclc=928111859 }}</ref>

Not-So-Sloppy-Joe Sloppy Joe sauce made its debut in 1985.<ref>{{US trademark|1417607}}</ref> In 1986, Hormel Foods acquired Jennie-O Foods<ref name="BusinessOfFood">{{Cite book|last=Allen|first=Gary|title=The Business of Food: Encyclopedia of the Food and Drink Industries|url=https://archive.org/details/businessfoodency00alba|url-access=limited|last2=Albala|first2=Ken|publisher=Greenwood Press|year=2007|isbn=978-0-313-06917-8|location=Westport, CT|pages=[https://archive.org/details/businessfoodency00alba/page/n240 225], 307|oclc=192084169}}</ref> and also began an exclusive licensing arrangement to produce Chi-Chi's brand products.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lazarus|first1=George|title=Hormel Joins Forces With Mexican Salsa Maker|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1996-02-26/business/9602260027_1_hormel-foods-brand-sauce-and-salsa|website=Chicago Tribune|publisher=Chicago Tribune|access-date=September 28, 2015}}</ref> The following year, Hormel Foods introduced the Top Shelf line of microwavable non-frozen products. The company added to their poultry offerings by purchasing Chicken by George, created by former Miss America Phyllis George, in 1988.<ref name=prospers/> That same year, Hormel Foods also introduced microwave bacon.<ref>{{cite news |last=Puzo |first=Daniel |date=June 2, 1988 |title=Product-Introduction Rate Decline Reported After Marketing Setbacks |url=http://articles.latimes.com/1988-06-02/food/fo-5415_1_new-food-product-introductions |website=LA Times.com |access-date=October 25, 2018}}</ref> In 1984, Hormel introduced the Frank 'n Stuff brand of stuffed hot dogs.<ref name=lund/>

In August 1985, Hormel workers went on strike at the Hormel headquarters in Austin, Minnesota. In the early 1980s, recession impacted several meatpacking companies, decreasing demand and increasing competition which led smaller and less-efficient companies to go out of business. In an effort to keep plants from closing, many instituted wage cuts. Wilson Food Company declared bankruptcy in 1983, allowing them to cut wages from $10.69 to $6.50 and significantly reduce benefits. Hormel Foods had avoided such drastic action, but by 1985, pressure to stay competitive remained.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hage |first1=Dave |last2=Klauda |first2=Paul |title=No retreat, no surrender: labor's war at Hormel |date=1989 |publisher=W. Morrow |isbn=0688077455 |language=en |oclc=19325023 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780688077457 }}</ref>

Workers had already labored under a wage freeze and dangerous working conditions, leading to many cases of repetitive strain injury. When management demanded a 23% wage cut from the workers they decided to begin the strike.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rachleff |first=Peter |url=http://www.dollarsandsense.org/archives/2000/0900rachleff.html |title=They Say Give Back, We Say Fight Back |publisher=DollarsandSense.org  |access-date=January 3, 2013}}</ref> It became one of the longest strikes of the 1980s.

The local chapter of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local P-9, led the strike, but was not supported by their parent union. A commemorative mural painted by Mike Alewitz and P-9 workers during the strike was destroyed by the UFCW months after the strike ended.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/today-in-labor-history-hormel-meatpackers-launch-historic-1985-strike/|title=Today in labor history: Hormel meatpackers launch historic 1985 strike|last=World|first=Special to People’s|date=2015-08-17|website=People's World|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-11}}</ref> The strike gained national attention and led to a widely publicized [[Social:Boycott|consumer boycott]] of Hormel products. The strike ended in June 1986, after lasting 10 months.

===2000{{ndash}}2010===
The Spam Museum in Austin, Minnesota, was opened in 2001.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Baskas |first1=Harriet |title=Spam, the Edible Kind, Could Be a Boon for This Minnesota Town |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/spam-edible-kind-could-be-boon-minnesota-town-n546351 |website=NBC News |date=March 27, 2016}}</ref> That same year, Hormel Foods acquired The Turkey Store, the business was combined with Jennie-O Foods to form Jennie-O Turkey Store.<ref name=jenreut>{{cite news |last1=Reuters News Agency |title=Hormel Foods is Planning to Buy The Turkey Store |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/24/business/company-news-hormel-foods-is-planning-to-buy-the-turkey-store.html |access-date=July 14, 2018 |work=The New York Times |agency=Reuters |date=January 24, 2001 |language=en}}</ref>

According to Triple Pundit, Hormel Foods began CSR reporting in 2006.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Franco |first1=Nick |title=CSR Reporting's Greatest Hits in the Twin Cities |url=http://www.triplepundit.com/2012/05/csr-reporting-twin-cities/ |website=Triple Pundit |date=May 22, 2012}}</ref> The company has been included in ''Corporate Responsibility'' magazine's list of the "100 best corporate citizens" for 10 consecutive years.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.3blassociation.com/files/mi3na2/CRO100BestCorporateCitizensList2009.pdf|title= CRO's 100 Best Corporate Citizens 2009|website=Corporate Responsibility Magazine|publisher=3BL Media |page=2}}</ref>

In 2008 an article in the ''New York Times'', "SPAM Turns Serious and Hormel Turns Out More", detailed an overwhelming spike in the demand for SPAM, perhaps due to the flagging economy.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Andrew |title=Spam Turns Serious and Hormel Turns Out More |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/15/business/15spam.html?hp |work=The New York Times |date=November 14, 2008 |language=en}}</ref> In 2009 Hormel and Herdez del Fuerte created the joint venture MegaMex Foods to market and distribute Mexican food in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.preparedfoods.com/articles/hormel-herdez-del-fuerte-launch-megamex-foods |title=Hormel, Herdez Del Fuerte Launch MegaMex Foods |publisher=PreparedFoods.com |date=July 6, 2009 |access-date=January 3, 2013}}</ref> Brands included in the venture include Herdez, La Victoria, Chi Chi's, El Torito, Embasa, Wholly Guacamole, Del Fuerte, Dona Maria, Bufalo, and Don Miguel.<ref>{{cite press release |last1=Selcke |first1=Taylor |title=Hormel's MegaMex Foods sales up 150 percent |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2012/02/01/hormel-megamex-foods-sales-up.html |website=www.bizjournals.com |publisher=Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal |date=February 1, 2012}}</ref>

In September 2008, animal rights organization PETA released a video recorded over the course of three months showing workers at a pig factory farm in Iowa abusing pigs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mother Pigs and Piglets Abused by Hormel Supplier |url=http://investigations.peta.org/mother-pigs-piglets-abused-hormel-supplier/ |website=People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals |date=n.d.}}</ref> The factory farm was owned by Natural Pork Production II LLP of Iowa until August 18, 2008, at which point ownership had transferred to MowMar LLP.<ref>{{cite news |title=Graphic Abuse Of Pigs Caught On Tape |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/graphic-abuse-of-pigs-caught-on-tape/ |work=CBS News |agency=Associated Press |date=September 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181128015743/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/graphic-abuse-of-pigs-caught-on-tape/ |archive-date=November 28, 2018 |language=en}}</ref> Hormel spokeswoman Julie Henderson Craven, who responded to the PETA video, called the videotaped abuses "completely unacceptable."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.austindailyherald.com/2008/09/16/video-shows-workers-abusing-pigs-at-hormel-supplier/ |title=Video shows workers abusing pigs at Hormel supplier |work=Austin Daily Herald |date=September 16, 2008 |access-date=January 3, 2013}}</ref> In their 2007 Corporate Responsibility Report, Hormel Foods stated that all suppliers are expected to comply with several welfare programs to ensure that the hogs purchased are treated humanely. Because of the investigation, several employees of the farm were fired and six individuals faced charges due to the abuse.<ref>{{cite news| url= https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-10-24-467433543_x.htm | work=USA Today | first=Amy | last=Lorentzen | title=Charges filed against 6 in Iowa pig abuse case | date=October 24, 2008}}</ref>

===2010{{ndash}}present===
In 2011, Hormel Foods announced a two-for-one stock split.<ref name=secapril>{{cite web |title=Hormel Foods Corporation - Form 10Q: Consolidated Statements of Financial Position |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/48465/000004846518000033/hrl-20180429x10q.htm |website=www.sec.gov |publisher=Securities and Exchange Commission |date=April 29, 2018}}</ref> In 2013, Hormel Foods purchased Skippy—the best-selling brand of peanut butter in China and the second-best-selling brand in the world—from [[Company:Unilever|Unilever]] for $700 million; the sale included Skippy's American and Chinese factories.<ref name="cnnmoney">{{cite web| url= https://money.cnn.com/2013/01/03/news/companies/hormel-skippy/ | title= Spam maker buys Skippy peanut butter| first=Chris |last=Isidore |date=January 3, 2013 | publisher= CNN | work= CNN Money| access-date=January 3, 2013}}</ref>

In May 2015, Hormel revealed it would acquire meat processing firm Applegate Farms for around $775 million, expanding its range of meat products.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Editorial |first1=Reuters |title=Hormel Foods to buy organic meat company Applegate for $775 million |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hormel-foods-deal-applegate-idUSKBN0OB2H920150526 |work=Reuters |date=May 26, 2015}}</ref>

In 2015, the Hormel Health Labs division of Hormel Foods launched its Hormel Vital Cuisine line of packaged ready to eat meals, nutrition shakes and whey protein powders geared towards cancer patients and made available for home delivery. The line was developed in concert with three parties, as "Hormel brought food formulation, packaging and shelf stability knowledge, (chef de cuisine) Ron DeSantis brought taste and texture expertise, and the Cancer Nutrition Consortium offered the nutritional framework."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Painter|first1=Kristen Leigh|title=Hormel joins cancer specialists to develop line of ready-made foods for chemo patients|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-hormel-vital-cuisine-chemo-patients-20161128-story.html|work=Chicago Tribune|publisher=tronc, Inc.|date=November 28, 2016}}</ref>

In 2015, SPAMMY became available for purchase under Title I for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) feeding programs and Title II for U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) programs under the name fortified poultry-based spread (FPBS).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Thurow |first1=Roger |title=The First 1,000 Days: A Crucial Time for Mothers and ChildrenÑAnd the World |date=2016 |publisher=PublicAffairs |isbn=9781610395854 |page=187 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FPLQDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA187|language=en}}</ref> Four years earlier, the company had made an initial three-year commitment to deliver 1 million cans of this product to in-need families in Guatemala.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Hormel Foods Develops Innovative Protein Product to Address Childhood Malnutrition |url=http://www.hormelfoods.com/Newsroom/Press-Releases/2011/03/20110330 |website=Hormel Foods |date=March 30, 2011}}</ref>

Also in 2015, after an undercover investigation by a group known as Compassion Over Killing at an Austin, Minnesota processing plant, Hormel Foods announced it was "bringing humane handling officers to a Quality Pork Processors Incorporated facility to ensure compliance with its own animal welfare standards."<ref name=reut/> It has also told QPP to provide extra training, enhance compliance oversight and increase third-party auditing.<ref name=reut>{{cite news|last1=Na|first1=Danny|title=U.S. supplier to Hormel tightens controls after animal abuse video|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-livestock-abuse-idUSL1N13803G20151113|access-date=November 23, 2020|work=Reuters|publisher=Thomson Reuters|date=November 13, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hughlett |first1=Mike |title=USDA investigating Hormel supplier's treatment of pigs after video surfaces |url=http://www.startribune.com/usda-investigating-hormel-supplier-s-treatment-of-pigs/346275842/ |work=Star Tribune |date=November 11, 2015}}</ref> According to Reuters, "in one scene of the video, pigs covered in feces or pus-filled abscesses are sent down the plant’s conveyor belt. At one point, a knife is used to cut open abscesses on dead pigs."<ref name=reut/>

In 2016, Peak Rock Capital purchased the Diamond Crystal Brands Inc. unit, purchased by Hormel in 2002 for $155 million from Imperial Sugar.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://businessinsavannah.com/bis/2016-04-28/diamond-crystal-brands-changing-hands|title=Diamond Crystal Brands changing hands|last=Mayle|first=Mary Carr|work=businessinsavannah.com|date=April 28, 2016|access-date=June 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.startribune.com/hormel-sells-diamond-crystal-to-texas-private-equity-firm/377354731/|title=Hormel sells Diamond Crystal Brands to private equity firm in Texas|last=Hughlett|first=Mike|work=Star Tribune|date=April 29, 2016|access-date=June 15, 2017}}</ref> Also in 2016, Hormel acquired the nut butter producer Justin’s for 280 million.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/48465/000110465917074227/a17-26513_110k.htm |title=Annual Report on Form 10-k |publisher=SEC (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission)|access-date=November 26, 2019 }}</ref>

In 2016, 2017, and 2018, the company was named as one of the Human Rights Campaign's Best Places to Work for LGBT equality.<ref>Human Rights Campaign "Best Places to Work" 2016-2018<br> https://www.hrc.org/resources/best-places-to-work-2016<br> https://www.hrc.org/resources/best-places-to-work-2017 <br> https://www.hrc.org/resources/best-places-to-work-2018</ref> In 2019, Hormel was again named to one of the best places to work for LGBT equality, as the company obtained a 95 out of 100 score in the Human Rights Campaign's ''Corporate Equality Index''. The almost-perfect score was due to the area of "equivalency in same and different-sex domestic partner medical and soft benefits", where Hormel received half-credit for providing parity in some, but not all, benefits.<ref>{{cite report |last1=Human Rights Campaign |title=Corporate Equality Index|url=https://assets2.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/CEI-2019-FullReport.pdf?_ga=2.180780775.1198793162.1569275368-1767889406.1569275368 |publisher=Human Rights Campaign Foundation|date=2019|isbn=978-1-934765-44-9|page=101}}</ref>

In 2017, Hormel sold Clougherty Packing, owner of the Farmer John and Saag's brands, to Smithfield Foods.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/news_home/Business_News/2017/01/Smithfield_Foods_finalizes_acq.aspx?ID=%7B946B5F5F-928A-466E-A904-28D815501889%7D&cck=1 |title=Smithfield Foods finalizes acquisition of Clougherty Packing from Hormel Foods |publisher=Food Business News |date=January 4, 2017 |access-date=October 5, 2017}}</ref>

In October 2017, Hormel announced it would acquire deli meat company Columbus Manufacturing for $850 million.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-hormel-columbus-deal-20171031-story.html|title=Spam-maker Hormel to buy premium deli meat company Columbus for $850 million|last=Trotter|first=Greg|work=chicagotribune.com|access-date=October 31, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2017, Mercy For Animals released undercover video footage of pigs being abused at The Maschhoffs LLC., a Hormel pork supplier in Hinton, Oklahoma, with piglets being castrated and having their tails cut off without any anesthetic, piglets left to suffer from untreated illness or injuries, and mother pigs crammed into gestation crates unable to move.<ref name=leigh/> In response, Hormel temporarily suspended its buying from the supplier.<ref name=leigh>{{cite web |url=http://www.startribune.com/animal-rights-group-accuses-hormel-supplier-of-mistreating-pigs/412291983/|title=Animal rights group accuses Hormel supplier of mistreating pigs|author= Tom Meersman and Kristen Leigh Painter |date=January 31, 2017|website=Star Tribune|access-date= January 31, 2017}}</ref>

According to the Military Times, the company has been listed in the top 100 Best for Vets Employers category consistently since 2013.<ref>Military Times, Best For Vets 2013-2019<br> https://bestforvets.militarytimes.com/best-employers-for-veterans/2013/ <br> https://bestforvets.militarytimes.com/best-employers-for-veterans/2014 <br> https://bestforvets.militarytimes.com/best-employers-for-veterans/2015 <br> https://bestforvets.militarytimes.com/best-employers-for-veterans/2016 <br> https://bestforvets.militarytimes.com/best-employers-for-veterans/2017 <br> https://bestforvets.militarytimes.com/best-employers-for-veterans/2018<br> https://charts.militarytimes.com/chart/13</ref>

In April 2019, together with Harvard University Dining Services, the company hosted the Small Change Big Impact Food Summit at Harvard University.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Baskin |first1=Kara |title=Tackling tough topics at Small Change, Big Impact Food Summit at Harvard |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2019/04/08/tackling-tough-topics-small-change-big-impact-food-summit-harvard/BKOSKGwyhdOmqCaHPpDNmM/story.html |work=The Boston Globe |date=April 8, 2019}}</ref>

In September 2019, Hormel Foods announced that they had achieved their non-renewable energy use reduction goal a year ahead of schedule.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.globalmeatnews.com/Article/2019/09/30/Hormel-hits-energy-reduction-goal|title=Hormel hits energy reduction goal|last=globalmeatnews.com|website=globalmeatnews.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-10-01}}</ref>

Also in September 2019, the company launched a vegetarian meat alternative called Happy Little Plants for foodservice and retail customers.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Yaffe-Bellany|first1=David |title=The New Makers of Plant-Based Meat? Big Meat Companies |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/14/business/the-new-makers-of-plant-based-meat-big-meat-companies.html |website=New York Times |access-date=5 November 2019 |date=14 October 2019}}</ref>

In February 2021, Kraft Heinz announced it would be selling its Planters and its other nuts businesses to Hormel for $3.35 billion.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lucas|first=Amelia|date=2021-02-11|title=Kraft Heinz sells nuts business, including Planters, to Hormel for $3.35 billion|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/11/kraft-heinz-sells-nuts-business-including-planters-to-hormel-for-3point35-billion.html|access-date=2021-02-11|website=CNBC|language=en}}</ref>

===Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic===
On April 18, 2020, local health officials shut down a Hormel Foods plant in Rochelle, Illinois, that employed 800 people after at least 24 workers tested positive for coronavirus.<ref>{{cite news | author =  Staff| title =Rochelle Food Plant Shut Down by Ogle County Health Department After Covid-19 Outbreak | newspaper =ABC 7 Chicago | url =https://abc7chicago.com/hormel-foods-plant-shut-down-shutdown/6113103/ | access-date =April 21, 2020 }}</ref> On April 21, Hormel announced the closure of three meat processing plants, including its Alma Foods plant in Alma, Kansas. That plant employs about 100 workers and at least one worker tested positive for the coronavirus.<ref>{{cite news | last =Mannette | first =Alice | title =Hormel Foods in Alma halts production due to coronavirus | newspaper =Leavenworth Times | date =April 21, 2020 | url =https://www.leavenworthtimes.com/news/20200421/hormel-foods-in-alma-halts-production-due-to-coronavirus | access-date = April 21, 2020}}</ref> Hormel also closed its Don Miguel Foods factory in Dallas, Texas, which is a joint venture with a Mexico City company, Herdez Del Fuerte. The plant made pork, beef and chicken burritos and tacos, and employed about 700 workers.<ref>{{cite news | last =Hughlett  | first = Mike| title =Hormel Mexican food joint venture closes Texas plant because of COVID-19 | newspaper =Star Tribune | date =April 21, 2020 | url =https://www.startribune.com/hormel-mexican-food-joint-venture-closes-texas-plant-because-of-covid-19/569828452/ | access-date =April 22, 2020 }}</ref> On April 24, Hormel announced the closure of two plants in Willmar, Minnesota, after 14 workers tested positive for coronavirus. These Jennie-O turkey plants employed over 1,200 workers.<ref>{{cite news | last =Hughlett | first =Mike | title =Jennie-O closes two turkey plants in Willmar after 14 workers test positive for COVID-19 | newspaper =Minneapolis Star Tribune | date =April 24, 2020 | url =https://www.startribune.com/jennie-o-closes-two-turkey-plants-in-willmar-after-14-workers-test-positive-for-covid-19/569926532/ | access-date =April 25, 2020 }}</ref>

In October 2020, Hormel launched a bacon scented protective mask giveaway charity promotion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2020/10/15/bacon-mask-hormel-coronavirus-moos-pkg-vpx.cnn|title=This company is giving away bacon-scented face masks - CNN Video|via=www.cnn.com}}</ref>

===Leadership timeline===
{|
|-
|George A. Hormel<ref name=lund/>||1891{{ndash}}1926
|-
|Jay C. Hormel<ref name=lund/>||1926{{ndash}}1954
|-
|H.H. Corey<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.newspapers.com/image/182989318/?terms=jay%2Bhormel%2BCorey%2Bgray |title=New President Chosen for Hormel Firm
|date=April 19, 1955|website=Minneapolis Morning Tribune}}{{subscription required|s}}</ref>||1954{{ndash}}1965
|-
|R.F. Gray<ref>{{cite news |title=Corey Resigns; Gray Board Chairman and Thompson President |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/austin-daily-herald-jul-20-1965-p-1/ |work=Austin Daily Herald |issue=213 |volume=74|date=July 20, 1965 |location=Austin, Minnesota}}</ref>||1965{{ndash}}1968
|-
|M.B. Thompson<ref>{{cite news |last1=Coss |first1=Kevin |title=Former Hormel CEO Holton dies at 92 |url=https://www.austindailyherald.com/2012/04/former-ceo-holton-dies-at-92/ |work=Austin Daily Herald |date=April 12, 2012}}</ref>||1968{{ndash}}1972
|-
|I.J. Holton<ref name=lund/>{{rp|156–157}}||1972{{ndash}}1981
|-
|Richard Knowlton<ref>{{cite web |last1=S&P Global Market Intelligence |title=Executive Profile: Richard Lyle Knowlton |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=634043&privcapId=4245180&previousCapId=4314828&previousTitle=Alvarado%20Construction%20Inc |website=Healthcare Providers and Services Company Overview of Eisenhower Medical Center, Inc. |publisher=Bloomberg |access-date=July 13, 2018 |format=Employee Information Portal provided by Bloomberg.com}}</ref>||1981{{ndash}}1993
|-
|Joel Johnson<ref name=prospers>{{cite web |last1=Press |first1=Associated |title=Hormel Prospers by Getting Into Processed Food Lines : Keyword: Its profit has tripled since 1980, as it has reduced its emphasis on fresh meat products. |url=http://articles.latimes.com/1992-12-07/business/fi-1382_1_fresh-meat-products |website=Los Angeles Times |date=December 7, 1992}}</ref>||1993{{ndash}}2006
|-
|Jeff Ettinger<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/224859446/?terms=jeff%2Bettinger%2Bjoel%2Bjohnson%2Bhormel |title=New Hormel chief ready to dig in to challenges, former Jennie-O official to take over as president, COO |author=No author|date=July 10, 2004|website=St. Cloud Times|publisher=St. Cloud Times}} </ref>||2006{{ndash}}2016
|-
|James Snee<ref name=simplywall />||2016{{ndash}}
|}

==See also==
* List of food companies
* Philip Danforth Armour
* Gustavus Franklin Swift
* Hormel Historic Home
* Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the meat industry in the United States

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last2=Beyma|first2=Ron |first1=Richard L. |last1=Knowlton |title=Points of Difference: Transforming Hormel |date=2010 |publisher=Morgan James|location=Garden City, NY |isbn=9781614481126 |edition= 1st|oclc=826657964 }}
* {{Cite book| publisher = Socialist Action| last = Cooper| first = Jake| title = Lessons of the P-9 Strike|location = San Francisco, CA| date = 1988| oclc = 40950771}}
* {{Cite book| isbn = 9780062288752| last = Genoways| first = Ted| title = The Chain: Farm, Factory, and the Fate of our Food| date = 2014| oclc = 926727755}}
* {{cite book |last1=White |first1=John H. |title=The Great Yellow Fleet: A History of American Railroad Refrigerator Cars |date=1986 |publisher=Golden West Books |location=San Marino, Calif. |isbn=9780870950919|oclc=907747754 }}

==External links==
* [http://www.hormelfoods.com/ Hormel Foods Corporation website]
* [http://www.hormel.com/ Hormel brand website]
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[[Category:Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange]]

{{Sourceattribution|Hormel|1}}