Hormel Foods Named R&D Team of the Year by Food Processing Magazine

AUSTIN, Minn.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL) today announced that its Research and Development (R&D) team was recognized as the aR&D Team of the Yeara by Food Processing magazine in the large company category (annual sales of $750 million or more). The publication received nominations for dozens of companies for this honor, and nearly 1,350 votes were cast online to determine the winners.

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aWe are grateful to be recognized as the R&D Team of Year, and are especially honored to have been chosen for this award by individuals from competitor and peer companies that participated in the voting process,a said Phillip L. Minerich, vice president of R&D at Hormel Foods. aOur team has a long history of creating innovative, high quality products that offer a nutritious and flavorful option to consumers. We are proud of our teama�s success and are confident Hormel Foods will continue to be an industry leader in this area moving forward.a

The R&D team at Hormel Foods is made up of approximately 110 employees, including scientists and support technicians. The team works on a wide variety of projects, including product development and enhancement, food safety interventions, cost reductions, exploratory science and new technology applications.

Guided by the pursuit of continuous improvement and rooted by the pillars of quality and innovation, the R&D team at Hormel Foods is always looking to bring flavorful, healthful and satisfying products to consumers. Recent successful products that the team has helped bring to market include snacking varieties for the popular Hormel^�pepperoni line, such as Hormel^� pepperoni stix and Hormel^�turkey pepperoni minis. The team also recently developed new flavors for the popular Hormel^� Black Label^� bacon line and for the Hormel^� Natural Choice^� line of deli meats.

You can read more about the R&D team at Hormel Foods in the July issue of Food Processing magazine or at [ http://www.foodprocessing.com ].

About Hormel Foods
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer-branded food and meat products, many of which are among the best known and trusted in the food industry. The company leverages its extensive expertise, innovation and high competencies in pork and turkey processing and marketing to bring quality, value-added brands to the global marketplace. The company is a member of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. Hormel Foods was named one of aThe 400 Best Big Companies in Americaa by Forbes magazine for 10 consecutive years. The company enjoys a strong reputation among consumers, retail grocers, foodservice and industrial customers for products highly regarded for quality, taste, nutrition, convenience and value. For more information, visit [ http://www.hormelfoods.com ].

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Hormel Foods Named R&D Team of the Year by Food Processing Magazine