Hormel Foods

What Hormel Foods does

Hormel Foods Corporation is a publicly traded (NYSE: HRL) protein-focused food manufacturer founded in 1891 and headquartered in Austin, Minnesota. The company produces and markets a diversified portfolio of branded meat, poultry, and specialty food products across its core HORMEL® brand (Black Label Bacon, Pepperoni, Chili, Natural Choice deli meats, Compleats microwavable meals, Gatherings party trays, marinated meats, and cured meats) and a family of acquired and licensed brands including Jennie-O Turkey Store, Applegate, Wholly Guacamole, Herdez salsa, Planters, Lloyd's Barbeque, Valley Fresh, and HERB-OX.

The business operates on a conventional CPG model: revenue is generated through one-time purchase transactions at retail — both brick-and-mortar grocery and online channels across the United States — and through B2B foodservice distribution to restaurants, institutions, and hospitality operators. The company reports segment-level performance across retail, foodservice, and international channels, with FY 2026 net sales guided at $12.2–$12.5 billion and Q1 fiscal 2026 reporting $3.03 billion in net sales (2% organic growth, 7% foodservice, 8% international).

Hormel is currently mid-portfolio-restructuring: in late 2025 and early 2026 it spun out a 51% stake in Justin's to Forward Consumer Partners and agreed to divest its whole-bird turkey business to Life-Science Innovations, while retaining value-added Jennie-O operations. Leadership has been refreshed, with Jeff Ettinger serving as Interim CEO, John Ghingo as President, Jason Levine joining as a newly created enterprise-wide CMO, Donald Monk appointed CTO, and a new Controller; the CFO departed in late 2025 amid disclosed price pressures, bird flu impact, and a production facility fire that triggered a 9.1% one-day stock decline.

Name

Hormel Foods

Legal name

Hormel Foods, LLC

Website

https://hormel.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1891

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Hormel Foods is a publicly traded, protein-focused food company founded in 1891 and headquartered in Austin, Minnesota. It manufactures and markets branded meat, poultry, and specialty food products through U.S. retail grocery, B2B foodservice, and international distribution channels, generating approximately $12 billion in annual revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Packaged Protein Foods

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311), Meat and Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers (42447), Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers (42442), Snack Food Manufacturing (31191)

SIC

Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Refrigerated Meat & Seafood (Processed/Packaged) (CRADACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Shelf-Stable Processed Meats (Canned, Retort Pouches, Jerky/Meat Snacks) (AFANAEAJ), Specialty & Functional Packaged Foods (Gluten-Free, Keto, Organic, Medical/Allergen-Friendly) (CRADAAAI), Frozen prepared meals & entrées manufacturing (AFAKAHAA)

Keywords

• Packaged meat products
• Protein food manufacturing
• Consumer branded foods
• Foodservice protein supply
• Shelf-stable foods

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consumer Packaged Goods Sales: Sale of branded food products including pepperoni, bacon, chili, and prepared meat items through retail grocery and foodservice channels. Revenue is generated through one-time product purchases at retail locations.
2. Foodservice: B2B sales to foodservice operators, restaurants, and institutional customers. Reported 7% segment growth in Q1 fiscal 2026.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Hormel Foods manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of branded and unbranded protein and packaged food products — including refrigerated and shelf-stable meats, turkey, bacon, pepperoni, deli meats, refrigerated entrées, peanut butter, salsas, guacamole, and snack nuts — sold to consumers through retail grocery and to operators through foodservice channels. In addition to branded retail products, it supplies proteins, ingredients, and prepared foods to restaurant chains, schools, healthcare, convenience, and industrial customers in the U.S. and international markets.

Product overview

Hormel Foods is a diversified food company offering a broad portfolio of meat, poultry, and specialty food products. The core HORMEL® brand encompasses bacon (Black Label), pepperoni, chili, canned meats, microwavable meals (Compleats), and party trays (Gatherings). Supporting brands include WHOLLY® Guacamole, HERDEZ® Salsa, HERB-OX® Bouillon, VALLEY FRESH® Chicken, Lloyd's Barbecue, and PLANTERS® Nuts. The company operates as a focused protein company following strategic divestitures including the whole-bird turkey business and Justin's nut butter brand. Products range from premium fresh bacon and pepperoni to natural deli meats, marinated pork, fully cooked chicken, and authentic Mexican salsas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HORMEL® BLACK LABEL® Bacon: Premium bacon products including thick cut, flavored, and fully cooked varieties
• HORMEL® Pepperoni
• HORMEL® Chili
• HORMEL GATHERINGS®
• HORMEL® Natural Choice®
• HORMEL® COMPLEATS®
• Valley Fresh®
• HERB-OX®
• Lloyd's® Barbeque
• Dinty Moore®
• Mary Kitchen®
• Cure 81®
• Applegate®
• WHOLLY® Guacamole
• HERDEZ®
• PLANTERS®

Products and services

• Black Label Bacon Premium sliced and slab bacon sold at retail; targeted at household consumers and foodservice operators for breakfast and recipe use.
• Pepperoni (Hormel original pepperoni and Pizza Toppings) Sliced, stick, and cup pepperoni for home pizza, sandwiches, and snacking; foodservice Pizza Toppings formats for pizza chains and institutions.
• Chili (Hormel chili with beans / chili with no beans / chili singles) Ready-to-eat canned, microwave cup, and singles chili formats sold at retail for household quick meals.
• Compleats Microwavable Meals Shelf-stable microwavable entrée meals (pasta, rice bowls, chicken dishes) targeted at retail consumers seeking convenient lunch and dinner options.
• Gatherings Party Trays Refrigerated deli party trays with assorted meats and cheeses for retail entertaining occasions.
• Natural Choice Meats Refrigerated lunchmeats, bacon, and fully cooked proteins with no artificial ingredients; targeted at retail consumers seeking cleaner-label products.
• Lloyd's Barbecue Pulled pork, ribs, and barbecue entrées sold refrigerated or frozen at retail.
• Spam Classic and Spam varieties Shelf-stable canned cooked pork and chicken products (Spam Classic, Spam Less Sodium, Spam Teriyaki, Spam Tocino, etc.) sold globally at retail and foodservice.
• Applegate Farms (organic and natural meats) Organic and natural-raised deli meats, bacon, sausage, and chicken sold at natural/retail grocery; targeted at wellness-oriented consumers.
• Jennie-O Turkey Store Whole turkeys, turkey breast cuts, ground turkey, turkey burgers, deli turkey, and Jennie-O lean-branded products sold at retail and to foodservice operators.
• Justin\u2019s Nut Butter and Snack Nuts Premium almond and peanut butters, nut-butter squeeze packs, and snack nuts aimed at better-for-you snacking consumers.
• Skippy Peanut Butter Peanut butter (creamy, crunchy, reduced fat, and squeeze formats) sold at retail.
• Planters Peanuts and Nut Snacks Peanuts, mixed nuts, trail mixes, and nut-based snacks sold at retail; licensed for foodservice nut inclusion.
• Wholly Guacamole and Herdez Salsas Refrigerated guacamole cups and diced/whole jar salsas sold at retail across grocery and club channels.
• HERB-OX Bouillon Dry bouillon cubes, granulated bouillon, and liquid broth used by retail consumers and foodservice kitchens for seasoning.
• Valley Fresh and Stagg Chili Brands Shelf-stable and refrigerated chili, stew, and chicken-and-pasta products sold to retail and foodservice.
• Justin's, Skippy, and Hormel branded refrigerated deli meats and sliced meats Packaged and deli-counter sliced ham, turkey, chicken, roast beef, and specialty deli meats for retail and foodservice delis.
• Foodservice protein and ingredient supply Bulk and portioned raw and further-processed proteins, ingredients, and prepared foods (pepperoni, ham, bacon, turkey, sausage, beef, chicken) supplied to restaurant chains, broadline distributors, schools, healthcare, convenience, and industrial customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5 consecutive quarters of net sales growth
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Life-Science Innovations (LSI)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 February 2026Life-Science Innovations acquired Hormel's whole-bird turkey business including the Melrose, Minnesota production facility, Swan Mill feed mill, and associated transportation assets. The transaction excludes Jennie-O brand and value-added turkey operations. Deal expected to close in Q2 fiscal 2026.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• JBS USA: JBS USA is a global protein processor and prepared foods producer with comparable beef, pork, chicken, and value-added branded offerings that directly overlap Hormel's processing and foodservice channels.
• Tyson Foods: Tyson Foods is the largest US protein and prepared foods company, with directly overlapping beef, pork, chicken, and prepared foods categories that compete head-to-head with Hormel's branded protein portfolio in retail grocery and foodservice.
• Smithfield Foods: Smithfield is the largest US pork processor with branded prepared meats and bacon — directly comparable to Hormel's pepperoni, bacon, deli meats, and refrigerated meat operations across retail and foodservice.
• Campbell Soup Company: Campbell is a comparable shelf-stable and convenience foods peer with overlapping meals, broth/bouillon (Swanson vs. HERB-OX), and refrigerated prepared foods competing on the same grocery shelves.
• Conagra Brands: Conagra is a major frozen and shelf-stable food manufacturer with overlapping categories including frozen meals, chili, and refrigerated proteins, sharing Hormel's retail grocery distribution model and frozen meal shelf space.
• Pilgrim's Pride: Pilgrim's Pride is a leading US poultry producer competing with Hormel's Jennie-O turkey and Valley Fresh chicken in foodservice and retail — a direct adjacent protein peer in the same supply channels.
• Post Holdings: Post Holdings is a diversified branded CPG food company with comparable refrigerated, frozen, and shelf-stable food categories that compete directly with Hormel across grocery and foodservice channels.
• Maple Leaf Foods: Maple Leaf Foods is a Canadian protein and prepared foods producer with comparable brand portfolio (including Schneiders, Lilydale) competing in sustainable/raised-without-antibiotics premium protein — analogous to Hormel's Applegate positioning.
• Kraft Heinz: Kraft Heinz is a comparable large-scale branded CPG food company with overlapping prepared meats, condiments, and refrigerated categories competing for the same shelf space and foodservice contracts.
• Perdue Farms: Perdue Farms is a major poultry producer with strong natural/organic positioning (similar to Applegate) competing directly with Hormel's Jennie-O and Valley Fresh brands in retail and foodservice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hormelfoods

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hormel Foods