Talk:Hormel Foods/Archive 6

request edit
Hello, I would like to consolidate and shorten the wording as an effort to shorten the article by at least 500 words. Then I will have a temple similar to what Campbells uses on its WP page. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: George A. Hormel (born 1860 in Buffalo, New York) worked in a Chicago slaughterhouse before becoming a traveling wool and hide buyer. His travels took him to Austin and he decided to settle there, borrow $500, and open a meat business.

Add: George A. Hormel (born 1860 in Buffalo, New York) worked in a Chicago slaughterhouse and as a traveling wool and hide buyer. In Austin, he borrowed $500 to open a meat business.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 23:55, 6 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   11:29, 10 November 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit November 6, #2

Hello, I would like to consolidate and shorten. Thank you. Suggested new info: Delete: To make ends meet in those early days, Hormel continued to trade in hides, eggs, wool, and poultry.

Add: Hormel traded hides, eggs, wool, and poultry.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 00:03, 7 November 2018 (UTC)  Spintendo   11:29, 10 November 2018 (UTC)


 * '''request edit November 6, #3

Hello, this info is offered twice, once in the intro and then in the first para of the history section. Can we delete one of the mentions possibly? Thank you.

Suggested new info:

Delete: It changed its name to Hormel Foods in 1993. Hello-Mary-H (talk) 01:03, 7 November 2018 (UTC)

This is by design to have elements in the lead repeated in the main section. Spintendo   11:29, 10 November 2018 (UTC)


 * Request edit November 7, #1

Hello, looking to shorten and remove duplicate info. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: The company was founded as George A. Hormel & Company in Austin by George A. Hormel in 1891.

Add: George A. Hormel founded his namesake company in 1891.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 16:12, 7 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   11:29, 10 November 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit November 7, #2

Hello, looking to shorten this article. Thank you.

Suggested new info:

Delete: Benjamin F. Hormel, brother of George A., retired in 1941 after completing 50 years of service.[23] .

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 16:28, 7 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   11:29, 10 November 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit November 7, #3

Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: In 1901, the plant was expanded and the business was incorporated.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 16:36, 7 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   11:29, 10 November 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit November 7, #4

Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: In 1929 the plant was expanded again to include eight new structures and the main office was tripled in size.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 16:41, 7 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   11:29, 10 November 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit November 7, #5

Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: By the end of 1891 Hormel employed six men and had slaughtered and sold 610 head of livestock.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 16:45, 7 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   11:29, 10 November 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit November 7, #6

Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: In 1962, Hormel constructed a 75,000-square-foot (7,000 m2) sausage manufacturing building in Austin and discontinued the slaughter of calves and lambs.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 17:11, 7 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   11:29, 10 November 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit November 7, #7

Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: The first directors were A.L. Eberhart and the four Hormel brothers: George, Herman, John and Ben.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 19:38, 7 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   11:29, 10 November 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit November 7, #8

Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info: Delete: The remaining members of the Hormel family moved to Austin in 1895 and joined the growing business.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 19:40, 7 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   11:29, 10 November 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit November 7, #9

Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: George turned to full-time management in 1899, and focused on increasing production.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 20:23, 7 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   11:29, 10 November 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit November 7, #10

Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: George Hormel visited England in 1905 and started exporting products soon after.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 20:36, 7 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   11:29, 10 November 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit November 7, #11

Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: The SPAM Museum in Austin, Minnesota, was opened in 2001.

Add: The SPAM Museum opened in Austin in 2001.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 23:49, 7 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   11:29, 10 November 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit November 8, #1

Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: Hormel products began appearing in national magazines such as Good Housekeeping as early as 1916.

Add: By 1916, Hormel products appeared in magazines such as Good Housekeeping.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 00:58, 9 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   11:29, 10 November 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit November 8, #2

Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: In 1921, when Jay Hormel returned from service in WWI, he uncovered that assistant controller Cy Thomson had embezzled $1,187,000 from the company over the previous ten years.

Add: Jay Hormel returned from WWI service in 1921 and uncovered that assistant controller Cy Thomson had embezzled $1,187,000.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 01:12, 9 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   11:29, 10 November 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit November 9, #1

Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: In May 2015, Hormel revealed it would acquire meat processing firm Applegate Farms for around $775 million, expanding its range of meat products.

Add: Hormel acquired the organic meat producer Applegate Farms in 2015.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 16:39, 9 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   11:29, 10 November 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit November 9, #2

Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete:  Little Sizzlers sausages were introduced in 1961 and Cure 81 hams were introduced in 1963.

Add:  Little Sizzlers sausages and Cure 81 hams were introduced in 1961 and 1963, respectively.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 16:57, 9 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   11:29, 10 November 2018 (UTC)

Thank you, I will be sure to consolidate into one template moving forward. Hello-Mary-H (talk) 16:34, 12 November 2018 (UTC)

request edit November 12, #1
Hello, do you have any suggestions on ways to remedy this notice: This section may be too long and excessively detailed. Please consider summarizing the material while citing sources as needed. (May 2018) Thank you. Hello-Mary-H (talk) 16:37, 12 November 2018 (UTC)


 * I have added subsections to the History section in an attempt to break up the text, making it more readable. Another way to lighten this load would be to omit information which is not as important, keeping in mind that Wikipedia articles ought to be a summary of accepted knowledge regarding its subject, and that WP:NOTEVERYTHING needs to be included.  Spintendo   09:40, 13 November 2018 (UTC)

I have found info that may not be as important and batched them together as one edit request. If there are other sentences that you think could be omitted, please advise. Thank you! Hello-Mary-H (talk) 16:31, 13 November 2018 (UTC)

request edit November 13, #1
Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: Joining George in November 1891 was his youngest brother, Benjamin, age 14.

Delete: Two additional Hormel brothers, Herman and John, joined the business that same year, and together they processed 1,532 hogs.

Delete: That same year the company developed a procedure to recycle its waste water by daily evaporating up to 9,000 gallons of water, leaving a syrupy liquid which was dried to produce a commercial fertilizer.

Delete: By 1893, the increased use of refrigerator cars and greater efficiency had forced smaller businesses to collapse.

Delete: In 1903 George Hormel added a three-story hog-kill, a two-story beef-kill, annex, engine room, machine shop and a casing production department.

Delete: Hormel acquired the Fremont Packing Company in 1947.

Delete: In 2004, Jennie-O Turkey Store launched its Jennie-O Turkey Store Oven Ready turkey.

Delete: Hormel Foods also acquired Fresherized Foods, makers of Wholly Guacamole, as part of their MegaMex joint venture.[citation needed]

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 16:26, 13 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   19:22, 13 November 2018 (UTC)

request edit November 13, #2
Hello, looking to shorten the article. Since this info is also mentioned in the sidebar, can we delete it from the intro opening paragraph? Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: In 2018, the company reported annual revenues of 4.6 billion dollars. Hello-Mary-H (talk) 21:50, 13 November 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit November 13, #3

Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: That same year Hormel bought Alderson's Mill and began selling Hormel Peerless Minnesota flour nationwide.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 22:06, 13 November 2018 (UTC)

✅  Spintendo   23:19, 13 November 2018 (UTC)

request edit November 14, #1
Hello, do you think there are ways to shorten the animal cruelty section? Or any other spots? Thank you. Hello-Mary-H (talk) 16:00, 14 November 2018 (UTC)


 * I'm afraid that's not an actionable request. Please propose specific actionable edit requests when using the template.  Spintendo   18:35, 14 November 2018 (UTC)

request edit November 14, #2
Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: In 2008, animal rights organization PETA sent members to work undercover at a pig factory farm in Iowa to investigate allegations of animal rights abuses, then released a video record showing workers treating the pigs cruelly and without regard for animal rights. The factory farm was owned by Natural Pork Production II LLP of Iowa until 18 August 2008, at which point ownership had transferred to MowMar LLP. Prior to this the farm was not a supplier to Hormel Foods. Hormel spokeswoman Julie Henderson Craven, who responded to the PETA video, called the videotaped abuses "completely unacceptable." 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.

Add: In 2008, PETA released an undercover video from an Iowa pig farm showing workers treating the pigs cruelly. The factory farm was owned by Natural Pork Production until August 2008, when ownership was transferred to MowMar. Prior to this the farm was not a supplier to Hormel Foods. Hormel spokeswoman Julie Henderson Craven called the videotaped abuses "completely unacceptable."

In its 2007 Corporate Responsibility Report, Hormel Foods stated that all suppliers are expected to comply with several welfare programs to ensure that purchased hogs are treated humanely. Because of the investigation, several farm employees were fired and six individuals faced animal abuse charges.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 01:07, 15 November 2018 (UTC)

✅ The text in that paragraph was modified.  Spintendo   01:26, 15 November 2018 (UTC)

request edit November 15, #1
Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: In 1917, George's son Jay C. served time in the military during World War I, reaching the rank of lieutenant by 1918.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 18:52, 15 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   19:52, 15 November 2018 (UTC)

request edit November 15, #2
Hello, one update that will tell readers who, exactly, Jay C. is. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: In 1921, when Jay Hormel returned from service in WWI, he uncovered that assistant controller Cy Thomson had embezzled $1,187,000 from the company over the previous ten years.

Add: In 1921, George’s son Jay Hormel returned from service in WWI, and uncovered that assistant controller Cy Thomson had embezzled $1,187,000 from the company over the previous ten years.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 20:02, 15 November 2018 (UTC)

request edit November 16, #1
Hello, looking to shorten the article – this video and incident is already mentioned in the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: A previous video released in 2015 by Compassion Over Killing featured footage filmed undercover of hogs being beaten by employees at a Quality Pork Processors plant in Austin, Texas, who are exclusive suppliers to Hormel.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 23:00, 16 November 2018 (UTC)

 Spintendo   23:12, 16 November 2018 (UTC)

request edit November 16, #2
Hello, is it possible to add a few more images to the page? Please advise best practices. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Add: Headquarters

Spam:

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 23:41, 16 November 2018 (UTC)

Photos should be uploaded through either Wikipedia's wizard or the Commons wizard.  Spintendo   01:19, 17 November 2018 (UTC)

request edit November 30, #1
Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: In 2017, Mercy For Animals released undercover video footage of pigs being abused at a Hormel pork supplier, with piglets having their testicles ripped out and 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. In response, Hormel temporarily suspended its buying from the supplier.

Add:  In 2017, a Mercy For Animals undercover video taken at the Maschoffs supplier showed piglets having their testicles ripped out and tails cut off without any anesthetic, and mother pigs crammed into gestation crates. In response, Hormel temporarily suspended its buying from the Maschoffs. In the animal welfare section of a 2017 corporate responsibility report, Hormel announced that it conducted 2,000 audits throughout its supply chain.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 21:21, 30 November 2018 (UTC)

Reply 30-NOV-2018
Regards,  Spintendo   00:39, 1 December 2018 (UTC)
 * 1) ✅ I've added the name of the pork supplier, the Maschoffs, to the section discussing them, as per the referenced source.
 * 2) ❌ I've not added the claim regarding Hormel's 2,000 audits as mentioned in their 2017 corporate responsibility report, as it's not clear from the report that their implementation was as a response to the incident at the Maschhoffs.

request edit November 27, #1
Hello, looking to shorten the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete:  In 2008, animal rights organization PETA released a video record showing workers at a pig factory farm in Iowa abusing pigs. The factory farm was owned by Natural Pork Production II LLP of Iowa until 18 August 2008, at which point ownership had transferred to MowMar LLP.

Add: A 2008 video by animal rights organization PETA showed workers at a Natural Pork Production II LLP owned pig factory farm in Iowa abusing pigs. In August 2008, the factory farm ownership transferred to MowMar LLP. Hello-Mary-H (talk) 01:01, 28 November 2018 (UTC)

Reply 27-NOV-2018
 Spintendo   02:17, 28 November 2018 (UTC)
 * Moving the name of the owners of the factory to the first sentence instead of the second sentence may increase the metaphorical distance between the supplier and the buyer, but it does nothing to shorten the actual passage, whose length remains the same at two sentences.

OK. Wondering if 18 August 2008 can instead just read August 2008, since that format for dates is not used anywhere else in the article. Thank you. Hello-Mary-H (talk) 22:06, 28 November 2018 (UTC)
 * ✅ I've clarified in the article that the video was recorded over the course of 3 months, that the video was released to the media in September of 2008, and that the transfer of ownership occurred on 18 August 2008.  Spintendo   00:49, 1 December 2018 (UTC)

Excessive in animal violations
Is it undue to include all the allegations of one of their pork suppliers? Considering the company itself wasn't abusing animals in 2017, seems excessive. Thoughts? ModerateMike729 (talk) 13:52, 1 December 2018 (UTC)
 * Your measure of this article's WP:DUEWEIGHT has not been calibrated to the correct type of business relationship discussed in this article. When business relationships involve livestock, certain requirements come into play. The relationship of these companies to Hormel is as contracted providers. Under the terms of those contracts, all parties are obligated to ensure the health and well-being of the livestock being transported within the system. Problems at a supplier automatically become Hormel's problems because that is the nature of food supply and production. More information about these contracts and the obligations that Hormel and their suppliers are under may be found at Hormel's website here.  Spintendo   19:14, 3 December 2018 (UTC)

Struck comments from confirmed sockpuppet /. See. —  Newslinger  talk   13:47, 28 August 2019 (UTC)

request edit December 3, #1
Hello, looking at the animal welfare section after considering the comment from. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: In 2017, Mercy For Animals released undercover video footage of pigs being abused at the Maschhoffs, a Hormel pork supplier, with piglets having their testicles ripped out and 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. In response, Hormel temporarily suspended its buying from the supplier. Hello-Mary-H (talk) 17:29, 3 December 2018 (UTC)
 * Support. Seems like guilt by association and probably undue to include laundry list of supplier issues, since Hormel itself isn't abuser. I support this deletion. ModerateMike729 (talk) 17:49, 3 December 2018 (UTC)

Mike is mistaken. These incidents did not occur at one pork supplier. They occurred at three pork suppliers to Hormel. The information is relevant to the article and well sourced.  Spintendo   18:13, 3 December 2018 (UTC)


 * OK and . Is it possible to then include for the Maschoffs paragraph something to the effect of: "In addition to launching its own investigation, Hormel in 2017 instituted more than 2,000 supply chain audits as a commitment to animal welfare accountability." Hello-Mary-H (talk) 18:20, 3 December 2018 (UTC)
 * As I mentioned earlier, those audits are not specified as being instituted as a direct result of the case in Hinton, Oklahoma. Placing the info there implies that it is directly correlated.  Spintendo   18:35, 3 December 2018 (UTC)


 * The audits are mentioned in the article, so it is linked: "Hormel said it has also dispatched certified third-party auditors to the Oklahoma farms and to additional Maschhoffs sites “to verify our animal care requirements are being adhered to.” Can we mention the auditors and/or maybe do a new separate line that is not with the Maschoffs paragraph with something like, "in Hormel in 2017 instituted more than 2,000 supply chain audits as a commitment to animal welfare accountability." These audits are efforts at accountability. Hello-Mary-H (talk) 18:59, 3 December 2018 (UTC)


 * the statement that the "piglets left to suffer from untreated illness or injuries" is from the animal rights group, but is not shown in the video. "Mercy For Animals on Tuesday presented an undercover video that showed workers castrating piglets and slicing off their tails, which the group said was done without any pain relief and caused injuries and illnesses that were not treated." -- Can we possibly delete that line, since it is not documented? Hello-Mary-H (talk) 19:18, 3 December 2018 (UTC)
 * If the audits are already mentioned in the article, then that is where the information should stay. If anything, the animal abuse section should be integrated into the History section of the article and not the other way around, per WP:CSECTION.  Spintendo   19:20, 3 December 2018 (UTC)
 * The articles discussing the videos are the sources used here, not the videos themselves. "It's not documented by the video" is not relevant, because the source is not the video itself; rather, its what others have reported about the videos, and in any event, the entire video may not have been posted on these sites, perhaps only a segment of the video is what is shown.  Spintendo   19:28, 3 December 2018 (UTC)


 * Sure, it makes sense to have the animal abuse section integrated into the History section. I can request that today. Hello-Mary-H (talk) 19:36, 3 December 2018 (UTC)

request edit December 3, #2

Hello, looking to incorporate the animal welfare section into the history section article. Not sure what error I made to have this info be with the rest of the above conversation. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: Hormel Foods Corporation is an American food products company founded 1891 in Austin, Minnesota by George A. Hormel. 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 food brands. The company changed its name to Hormel Foods in 1993.[3] Hormel serves 80 countries with brands such as Applegate, Columbus Craft Meats, Dinty Moore, Jennie-O and Skippy.

History[edit] 1890 – 1920[edit] The company was founded as George A. Hormel & Company in Austin by George A. Hormel in 1891. It changed its name to Hormel Foods in 1993.

George A. Hormel (born 1860 in Buffalo, New York) worked in a Chicago slaughterhouse before becoming a traveling wool and hide buyer. His travels took him to Austin and he decided to settle there, borrow $500, and open a meat business.[4] Hormel handled the production side of the business and his partner, Albert Friedrich, handled the retail side. Their partnership dissolved in 1891 as Hormel started his own meat packing operation in northeast Austin in a creamery building on the Cedar River.[5][6][7] To make ends meet in those early days, Hormel continued to trade in hides, eggs, wool, and poultry. The name Dairy Brand was first used in 1903.[8]: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.[8]:79 Hormel products began appearing in national magazines such as Good Housekeeping as early as 1916.[9]

1920 – 1950[edit]

In 1921, when George's son Jay Hormel returned from service in WWI, he uncovered that assistant controller Cy Thomson had embezzled $1,187,000 from the company over the previous ten years.[10] The embezzlement scandal provided George Hormel with additional incentive to fortify his company. He did so by arranging for more reliable capital management, by dismissing unproductive employees, and by continuing to develop new products,[11]:90–103reportedly with the mantra “Originate, don't imitate."[12] In 1926, the company introduced Hormel Flavor-Sealed Ham, America's first canned ham,[13] and added a canned chicken product line in 1928.[10]

Hormel Chili and Spam were introduced in 1936 and 1937 respectively.[14][10] In 1938, Jay C. Hormel introduced the "Joint Savings Plan" which allowed employees to share in the proceeds of the company.[15] 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).[16][17][18] By 1942, George and Jay established The Hormel Foundation to act as trustees of the family trusts.[19] The Foundation funded the Hormel Institute at the University of Minnesota, initially started with a study of the food value of soybeans.[20] The Institute's scope later grew towards studying nutrition, animal diseases and food technology. Hormel's production increased to aid in World War II and 65% of its products were purchased by the U.S. government by 1945.[8]:77–78

1950 – 2000[edit] In 1959, Hormel was the first meatpacker to receive the Seal of Approval of the American Humane Society for its practice of anesthetizing animals before slaughter.[21][8]:270

Little Sizzlers sausages were introduced in 1961 and Cure 81 hams were introduced in 1963.[14]

Not-So-Sloppy-Joe Sloppy Joe sauce made its debut in 1985.[22] In 1986, Hormel Foods acquired Jennie-O Foods[23] and also began an exclusive licensing arrangement to produce Chi-Chi's brand products.[24] 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.[25] That same year, Hormel Foods also introduced microwave bacon.[26] In 1984 Hormel introduced the Frank 'n Stuff brand of stuffed hot dogs.[11]

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.[27] 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.[28] 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. The strike gained national attention and led to a widely publicized boycott of Hormel products. The strike ended in June 1986, after lasting 10 months.

2000 – present[edit] The SPAM Museum in Austin, Minnesota, was opened in 2001.[29] That same year, Hormel Foods acquired The Turkey Store, the business was combined with Jennie-O Foods to form Jennie-O Turkey Store.[23]

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.[30] In 2009 Hormel and Herdez del Fuerte created the joint venture MegaMex Foods to market and distribute Mexican food in the United States.[31] 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.[32]

In 2011, Hormel Foods announced a 2 for 1 stock split.[2] In 2013, Hormel Foods purchased Skippy—the best-selling brand of peanut butterin China and the second-best-selling brand in the world—from Unilever for $700 million; the sale included Skippy's USA and China factories.[33]

In May 2015, Hormel revealed it would acquire meat processing firm Applegate Farms for around $775 million, expanding its range of meat products.[34]

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."[35]

Also in 2016, Peak Rock Capital purchased the Diamond Crystal Brands Inc. unit, purchased by Hormel in 2002 for $155 million from Imperial Sugar.[36][37]

In 2017, Hormel sold Clougherty Packing, owner of the Farmer John and Saag's brands, to Smithfield Foods.[38]

In October 2017, Hormel announced it would acquire deli meat company Columbus Manufacturing for $850 million.[39] Corporate responsibility[edit]

According to Triple Pundit, Hormel Foods began CSR reporting in 2006.[40] The company has been included in Corporate Responsibilitymagazine's list of the "100 best corporate citizens" for 10 consecutive years.[41]

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).[42] 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.[43]

In 2016, 2017 and 2018, the company was named to the Human Rights Campaign's Best Places to Work for LGBT equality.[44][45][46]

Leadership timeline[edit] George A. Hormel[11] 1891–1926 Jay C. Hormel[11] 1926–1954 H.H. Corey[47] 1954–1965 R.F. Gray[48] 1965–1968 M.B. Thompson[49] 1968–1972 I.J. Holton[11]:156–157 1972–1981 Richard Knowlton[50] 1981–1993 Joel Johnson[25] 1993–2006 Jeff Ettinger[51] 2006–2016 James Snee[1] 2016–

Allegations of animal abuse[edit] In September 2008, animal rights organization PETA released a video recorded over the course of 3 months showing workers at a pig factory farm in Iowa abusing pigs.[52] The factory farm was owned by Natural Pork Production II LLP of Iowa until 18 August 2008, at which point ownership had transferred to MowMar LLP.[53] Hormel spokeswoman Julie Henderson Craven, who responded to the PETA video, called the videotaped abuses "completely unacceptable."[54] 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.[55]

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."[56] It has also told QPP to provide extra training, enhance compliance oversight and increase third-party auditing. 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."[56] In response to this QPP announced plans to strengthen its video monitoring system and improve animal handling equipment.[56][57]

In 2017, Mercy For Animals released undercover video footage of pigs being abused at the Maschhoffs, a Hormel pork supplier, with piglets having their testicles ripped out and 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.[58] In response, Hormel temporarily suspended its buying from the supplier.[58]

Add:  Hormel Foods Corporation is an American food products company founded 1891 in Austin, Minnesota by George A. Hormel. 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 food brands. The company changed its name to Hormel Foods in 1993.[3] Hormel serves 80 countries with brands such as Applegate, Columbus Craft Meats, Dinty Moore, Jennie-O and Skippy.

History[edit] 1890 – 1920[edit] The company was founded as George A. Hormel & Company in Austin by George A. Hormel in 1891. It changed its name to Hormel Foods in 1993.

George A. Hormel (born 1860 in Buffalo, New York) worked in a Chicago slaughterhouse before becoming a traveling wool and hide buyer. His travels took him to Austin and he decided to settle there, borrow $500, and open a meat business.[4] Hormel handled the production side of the business and his partner, Albert Friedrich, handled the retail side. Their partnership dissolved in 1891 as Hormel started his own meat packing operation in northeast Austin in a creamery building on the Cedar River.[5][6][7]

To make ends meet in those early days, Hormel continued to trade in hides, eggs, wool, and poultry. The name Dairy Brand was first used in 1903.[8]: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.[8]:79 Hormel products began appearing in national magazines such as Good Housekeeping as early as 1916.[9]

1920 – 1950[edit] In 1921, when George's son Jay Hormel returned from service in WWI, he uncovered that assistant controller Cy Thomson had embezzled $1,187,000 from the company over the previous ten years.[10] The embezzlement scandal provided George Hormel with additional incentive to fortify his company. He did so by arranging for more reliable capital management, by dismissing unproductive employees, and by continuing to develop new products,[11]:90–103reportedly with the mantra “Originate, don't imitate."[12] In 1926, the company introduced Hormel Flavor-Sealed Ham, America's first canned ham,[13] and added a canned chicken product line in 1928.[10]

Hormel Chili and Spam were introduced in 1936 and 1937 respectively.[14][10] In 1938, Jay C. Hormel introduced the "Joint Savings Plan" which allowed employees to share in the proceeds of the company.[15]

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).[16][17][18] By 1942, George and Jay established The Hormel Foundation to act as trustees of the family trusts.[19] The Foundation funded the Hormel Institute at the University of Minnesota, initially started with a study of the food value of soybeans.[20] The Institute's scope later grew towards studying nutrition, animal diseases and food technology. Hormel's production increased to aid in World War II and 65% of its products were purchased by the U.S. government by 1945.[8]:77–78

1950 – 2000[edit] In 1959, Hormel was the first meatpacker to receive the Seal of Approval of the American Humane Society for its practice of anesthetizing animals before slaughter.[21][8]:270

Little Sizzlers sausages were introduced in 1961 and Cure 81 hams were introduced in 1963.[14]

Not-So-Sloppy-Joe Sloppy Joe sauce made its debut in 1985.[22] In 1986, Hormel Foods acquired Jennie-O Foods[23] and also began an exclusive licensing arrangement to produce Chi-Chi's brand products.[24] 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.[25] That same year, Hormel Foods also introduced microwave bacon.[26] In 1984 Hormel introduced the Frank 'n Stuff brand of stuffed hot dogs.[11]

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.[27] 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.[28] 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. The strike gained national attention and led to a widely publicized boycott of Hormel products. The strike ended in June 1986, after lasting 10 months.

2000 – present[edit] The SPAM Museum in Austin, Minnesota, was opened in 2001.[29] That same year, Hormel Foods acquired The Turkey Store, the business was combined with Jennie-O Foods to form Jennie-O Turkey Store.[23]

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.[30] In 2009 Hormel and Herdez del Fuerte created the joint venture MegaMex Foods to market and distribute Mexican food in the United States.[31] 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.[32]

In September 2008, animal rights organization PETA released a video recorded over the course of 3 months showing workers at a pig factory farm in Iowa abusing pigs.[52] The factory farm was owned by Natural Pork Production II LLP of Iowa until 18 August 2008, at which point ownership had transferred to MowMar LLP.[53] Hormel spokeswoman Julie Henderson Craven, who responded to the PETA video, called the videotaped abuses "completely unacceptable."[54] 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.[55]

In 2011, Hormel Foods announced a 2 for 1 stock split.[2] In 2013, Hormel Foods purchased Skippy—the best-selling brand of peanut butterin China and the second-best-selling brand in the world—from Unilever for $700 million; the sale included Skippy's USA and China factories.[33] In May 2015, Hormel revealed it would acquire meat processing firm Applegate Farms for around $775 million, expanding its range of meat products.[34]

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."[56] It has also told QPP to provide extra training, enhance compliance oversight and increase third-party auditing. 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."[56] In response to this QPP announced plans to strengthen its video monitoring system and improve animal handling equipment.[56][57]

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."[35]

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).[42] 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.[43]

In 2016, Peak Rock Capital purchased the Diamond Crystal Brands Inc. unit, purchased by Hormel in 2002 for $155 million from Imperial Sugar.[36][37]

In 2017, Hormel sold Clougherty Packing, owner of the Farmer John and Saag's brands, to Smithfield Foods.[38] In October 2017, Hormel announced it would acquire deli meat company Columbus Manufacturing for $850 million.[39] Corporate responsibility[edit]

According to Triple Pundit, Hormel Foods began CSR reporting in 2006.[40] The company has been included in Corporate Responsibility magazine's list of the "100 best corporate citizens" for 10 consecutive years.[41]

In 2017, Mercy For Animals released undercover video footage of pigs being abused at the Maschhoffs, a Hormel pork supplier, with piglets having their testicles ripped out and 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.[58] In response, Hormel temporarily suspended its buying from the supplier.[58]

In 2016, 2017 and 2018, the company was named to the Human Rights Campaign's Best Places to Work for LGBT equality.[44][45][46]

Leadership timeline[edit] George A. Hormel[11] 1891–1926 Jay C. Hormel[11] 1926–1954 H.H. Corey[47] 1954–1965 R.F. Gray[48] 1965–1968 M.B. Thompson[49] 1968–1972 I.J. Holton[11]:156–157 1972–1981 Richard Knowlton[50] 1981–1993 Joel Johnson[25] 1993–2006 Jeff Ettinger[51] 2006–2016 James Snee[1] 2016–

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 19:46, 3 December 2018 (UTC)

request edit December 3, #2
Hello, looking to incorporate the animal welfare section into the history section article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: Hormel Foods Corporation is an American food products company founded 1891 in Austin, Minnesota by George A. Hormel. 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 food brands. The company changed its name to Hormel Foods in 1993.[3] Hormel serves 80 countries with brands such as Applegate, Columbus Craft Meats, Dinty Moore, Jennie-O and Skippy.

History[edit] 1890 – 1920[edit] The company was founded as George A. Hormel & Company in Austin by George A. Hormel in 1891. It changed its name to Hormel Foods in 1993.

George A. Hormel (born 1860 in Buffalo, New York) worked in a Chicago slaughterhouse before becoming a traveling wool and hide buyer. His travels took him to Austin and he decided to settle there, borrow $500, and open a meat business.[4] Hormel handled the production side of the business and his partner, Albert Friedrich, handled the retail side. Their partnership dissolved in 1891 as Hormel started his own meat packing operation in northeast Austin in a creamery building on the Cedar River.[5][6][7] To make ends meet in those early days, Hormel continued to trade in hides, eggs, wool, and poultry. The name Dairy Brand was first used in 1903.[8]: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.[8]:79 Hormel products began appearing in national magazines such as Good Housekeeping as early as 1916.[9]

1920 – 1950[edit]

In 1921, when George's son Jay Hormel returned from service in WWI, he uncovered that assistant controller Cy Thomson had embezzled $1,187,000 from the company over the previous ten years.[10] The embezzlement scandal provided George Hormel with additional incentive to fortify his company. He did so by arranging for more reliable capital management, by dismissing unproductive employees, and by continuing to develop new products,[11]:90–103reportedly with the mantra “Originate, don't imitate."[12] In 1926, the company introduced Hormel Flavor-Sealed Ham, America's first canned ham,[13] and added a canned chicken product line in 1928.[10]

Hormel Chili and Spam were introduced in 1936 and 1937 respectively.[14][10] In 1938, Jay C. Hormel introduced the "Joint Savings Plan" which allowed employees to share in the proceeds of the company.[15] 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).[16][17][18] By 1942, George and Jay established The Hormel Foundation to act as trustees of the family trusts.[19] The Foundation funded the Hormel Institute at the University of Minnesota, initially started with a study of the food value of soybeans.[20] The Institute's scope later grew towards studying nutrition, animal diseases and food technology. Hormel's production increased to aid in World War II and 65% of its products were purchased by the U.S. government by 1945.[8]:77–78

1950 – 2000[edit] In 1959, Hormel was the first meatpacker to receive the Seal of Approval of the American Humane Society for its practice of anesthetizing animals before slaughter.[21][8]:270

Little Sizzlers sausages were introduced in 1961 and Cure 81 hams were introduced in 1963.[14]

Not-So-Sloppy-Joe Sloppy Joe sauce made its debut in 1985.[22] In 1986, Hormel Foods acquired Jennie-O Foods[23] and also began an exclusive licensing arrangement to produce Chi-Chi's brand products.[24] 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.[25] That same year, Hormel Foods also introduced microwave bacon.[26] In 1984 Hormel introduced the Frank 'n Stuff brand of stuffed hot dogs.[11]

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.[27] 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.[28] 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. The strike gained national attention and led to a widely publicized boycott of Hormel products. The strike ended in June 1986, after lasting 10 months.

2000 – present[edit] The SPAM Museum in Austin, Minnesota, was opened in 2001.[29] That same year, Hormel Foods acquired The Turkey Store, the business was combined with Jennie-O Foods to form Jennie-O Turkey Store.[23]

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.[30] In 2009 Hormel and Herdez del Fuerte created the joint venture MegaMex Foods to market and distribute Mexican food in the United States.[31] 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.[32]

In 2011, Hormel Foods announced a 2 for 1 stock split.[2] In 2013, Hormel Foods purchased Skippy—the best-selling brand of peanut butterin China and the second-best-selling brand in the world—from Unilever for $700 million; the sale included Skippy's USA and China factories.[33]

In May 2015, Hormel revealed it would acquire meat processing firm Applegate Farms for around $775 million, expanding its range of meat products.[34]

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."[35]

Also in 2016, Peak Rock Capital purchased the Diamond Crystal Brands Inc. unit, purchased by Hormel in 2002 for $155 million from Imperial Sugar.[36][37]

In 2017, Hormel sold Clougherty Packing, owner of the Farmer John and Saag's brands, to Smithfield Foods.[38]

In October 2017, Hormel announced it would acquire deli meat company Columbus Manufacturing for $850 million.[39] Corporate responsibility[edit]

According to Triple Pundit, Hormel Foods began CSR reporting in 2006.[40] The company has been included in Corporate Responsibilitymagazine's list of the "100 best corporate citizens" for 10 consecutive years.[41]

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).[42] 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.[43]

In 2016, 2017 and 2018, the company was named to the Human Rights Campaign's Best Places to Work for LGBT equality.[44][45][46]

Leadership timeline[edit] George A. Hormel[11] 1891–1926 Jay C. Hormel[11] 1926–1954 H.H. Corey[47] 1954–1965 R.F. Gray[48] 1965–1968 M.B. Thompson[49] 1968–1972 I.J. Holton[11]:156–157 1972–1981 Richard Knowlton[50] 1981–1993 Joel Johnson[25] 1993–2006 Jeff Ettinger[51] 2006–2016 James Snee[1] 2016–

Allegations of animal abuse[edit] In September 2008, animal rights organization PETA released a video recorded over the course of 3 months showing workers at a pig factory farm in Iowa abusing pigs.[52] The factory farm was owned by Natural Pork Production II LLP of Iowa until 18 August 2008, at which point ownership had transferred to MowMar LLP.[53] Hormel spokeswoman Julie Henderson Craven, who responded to the PETA video, called the videotaped abuses "completely unacceptable."[54] 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.[55]

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."[56] It has also told QPP to provide extra training, enhance compliance oversight and increase third-party auditing. 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."[56] In response to this QPP announced plans to strengthen its video monitoring system and improve animal handling equipment.[56][57]

In 2017, Mercy For Animals released undercover video footage of pigs being abused at the Maschhoffs, a Hormel pork supplier, with piglets having their testicles ripped out and 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.[58] In response, Hormel temporarily suspended its buying from the supplier.[58]

Add:  Hormel Foods Corporation is an American food products company founded 1891 in Austin, Minnesota by George A. Hormel. 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 food brands. The company changed its name to Hormel Foods in 1993.[3] Hormel serves 80 countries with brands such as Applegate, Columbus Craft Meats, Dinty Moore, Jennie-O and Skippy.

History[edit] 1890 – 1920[edit] The company was founded as George A. Hormel & Company in Austin by George A. Hormel in 1891. It changed its name to Hormel Foods in 1993.

George A. Hormel (born 1860 in Buffalo, New York) worked in a Chicago slaughterhouse before becoming a traveling wool and hide buyer. His travels took him to Austin and he decided to settle there, borrow $500, and open a meat business.[4] Hormel handled the production side of the business and his partner, Albert Friedrich, handled the retail side. Their partnership dissolved in 1891 as Hormel started his own meat packing operation in northeast Austin in a creamery building on the Cedar River.[5][6][7]

To make ends meet in those early days, Hormel continued to trade in hides, eggs, wool, and poultry. The name Dairy Brand was first used in 1903.[8]: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.[8]:79 Hormel products began appearing in national magazines such as Good Housekeeping as early as 1916.[9]

1920 – 1950[edit] In 1921, when George's son Jay Hormel returned from service in WWI, he uncovered that assistant controller Cy Thomson had embezzled $1,187,000 from the company over the previous ten years.[10] The embezzlement scandal provided George Hormel with additional incentive to fortify his company. He did so by arranging for more reliable capital management, by dismissing unproductive employees, and by continuing to develop new products,[11]:90–103reportedly with the mantra “Originate, don't imitate."[12] In 1926, the company introduced Hormel Flavor-Sealed Ham, America's first canned ham,[13] and added a canned chicken product line in 1928.[10]

Hormel Chili and Spam were introduced in 1936 and 1937 respectively.[14][10] In 1938, Jay C. Hormel introduced the "Joint Savings Plan" which allowed employees to share in the proceeds of the company.[15]

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).[16][17][18] By 1942, George and Jay established The Hormel Foundation to act as trustees of the family trusts.[19] The Foundation funded the Hormel Institute at the University of Minnesota, initially started with a study of the food value of soybeans.[20] The Institute's scope later grew towards studying nutrition, animal diseases and food technology. Hormel's production increased to aid in World War II and 65% of its products were purchased by the U.S. government by 1945.[8]:77–78

1950 – 2000[edit] In 1959, Hormel was the first meatpacker to receive the Seal of Approval of the American Humane Society for its practice of anesthetizing animals before slaughter.[21][8]:270

Little Sizzlers sausages were introduced in 1961 and Cure 81 hams were introduced in 1963.[14]

Not-So-Sloppy-Joe Sloppy Joe sauce made its debut in 1985.[22] In 1986, Hormel Foods acquired Jennie-O Foods[23] and also began an exclusive licensing arrangement to produce Chi-Chi's brand products.[24] 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.[25] That same year, Hormel Foods also introduced microwave bacon.[26] In 1984 Hormel introduced the Frank 'n Stuff brand of stuffed hot dogs.[11]

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.[27] 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.[28] 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. The strike gained national attention and led to a widely publicized boycott of Hormel products. The strike ended in June 1986, after lasting 10 months.

2000 – present[edit] The SPAM Museum in Austin, Minnesota, was opened in 2001.[29] That same year, Hormel Foods acquired The Turkey Store, the business was combined with Jennie-O Foods to form Jennie-O Turkey Store.[23]

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.[30] In 2009 Hormel and Herdez del Fuerte created the joint venture MegaMex Foods to market and distribute Mexican food in the United States.[31] 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.[32]

In September 2008, animal rights organization PETA released a video recorded over the course of 3 months showing workers at a pig factory farm in Iowa abusing pigs.[52] The factory farm was owned by Natural Pork Production II LLP of Iowa until 18 August 2008, at which point ownership had transferred to MowMar LLP.[53] Hormel spokeswoman Julie Henderson Craven, who responded to the PETA video, called the videotaped abuses "completely unacceptable."[54] 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.[55]

In 2011, Hormel Foods announced a 2 for 1 stock split.[2] In 2013, Hormel Foods purchased Skippy—the best-selling brand of peanut butterin China and the second-best-selling brand in the world—from Unilever for $700 million; the sale included Skippy's USA and China factories.[33] In May 2015, Hormel revealed it would acquire meat processing firm Applegate Farms for around $775 million, expanding its range of meat products.[34]

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."[56] It has also told QPP to provide extra training, enhance compliance oversight and increase third-party auditing. 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."[56] In response to this QPP announced plans to strengthen its video monitoring system and improve animal handling equipment.[56][57]

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."[35]

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).[42] 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.[43]

In 2016, Peak Rock Capital purchased the Diamond Crystal Brands Inc. unit, purchased by Hormel in 2002 for $155 million from Imperial Sugar.[36][37]

In 2017, Hormel sold Clougherty Packing, owner of the Farmer John and Saag's brands, to Smithfield Foods.[38] In October 2017, Hormel announced it would acquire deli meat company Columbus Manufacturing for $850 million.[39] Corporate responsibility[edit]

According to Triple Pundit, Hormel Foods began CSR reporting in 2006.[40] The company has been included in Corporate Responsibility magazine's list of the "100 best corporate citizens" for 10 consecutive years.[41]

In 2017, Mercy For Animals released undercover video footage of pigs being abused at the Maschhoffs, a Hormel pork supplier, with piglets having their testicles ripped out and 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.[58] In response, Hormel temporarily suspended its buying from the supplier.[58]

In 2016, 2017 and 2018, the company was named to the Human Rights Campaign's Best Places to Work for LGBT equality.[44][45][46]

Leadership timeline[edit] George A. Hormel[11] 1891–1926 Jay C. Hormel[11] 1926–1954 H.H. Corey[47] 1954–1965 R.F. Gray[48] 1965–1968 M.B. Thompson[49] 1968–1972 I.J. Holton[11]:156–157 1972–1981 Richard Knowlton[50] 1981–1993 Joel Johnson[25] 1993–2006 Jeff Ettinger[51] 2006–2016 James Snee[1] 2016–

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 21:53, 3 December 2018 (UTC)

request edit December 3, #3
Hello, not sure how this info made it into the article on October 27. One option is if it's going to stay, then perhaps we can also include Temple Grandin's take from the article, as well? Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: 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."[56] In response to this QPP announced plans to strengthen its video monitoring system and improve animal handling equipment.[56][57]

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 23:02, 3 December 2018 (UTC)

Reply 03-DEC-2018

 * See the archives (search for Temple Grandin) for the reasoning behind this decline, which I've previously given on three other occassions.  Spintendo   23:14, 3 December 2018 (UTC)

OK, makes sense. But is it customary for new sentences to be added to an article without any discussion in Talk? It looks like another editor did that, so I was just looking for more info. Thanks. Hello-Mary-H (talk) 23:35, 3 December 2018 (UTC)

request edit December 14, #1
Hello, wondering if we can add this info into the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: In 1926, the company introduced Hormel Flavor-Sealed Ham, America's first canned ham,[12] and added a canned chicken product line in 1928.[9] Hormel Chili and Spam were introduced in 1936 and 1937 respectively.[13][9] In 1938, Jay C. Hormel introduced the "Joint Savings Plan" which allowed employees to share in the proceeds of the company.[14]

Add: In 1926, the company introduced Hormel Flavor-Sealed Ham, America's first canned ham,[12] and added a canned chicken product line in 1928.[9] Throughout the 1930s, Hormel ads were featured on the radio program The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. Hormel Chili and Spam were introduced in 1936 and 1937 respectively.[13][9] In 1938, Jay C. Hormel introduced the "Joint Savings Plan" which allowed employees to share in the proceeds of the company.[14]

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 21:23, 14 December 2018 (UTC)

request edit December 18, #1
Hello, wondering if we can a new section with this info. Used the Campbell’s Soup Company page as a guide. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: In the first decade of the 20th century distribution centers were opened in St. Paul, Minneapolis, Duluth, San Antonio, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, and Birmingham.

Add: Plants

USA Atlanta, Georgia

Austin, Minnesota - World Headquarters

Birmingham, Alabama

Chicago, Illinois

Dallas, Texas

Minneapolis, Minnesota

San Antonio, Texas

International:

Melbourne, Australia

Shanghai, China

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Vinhedo, Brazil

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 21:44, 18 December 2018 (UTC)

I would love your insight on what is needed to reformat and add more Hormel for the plant information. Thank you Hello-Mary-H (talk) 16:33, 19 December 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit December 18, #2

Many of Hormel's brand lines are listed below.

Hello, wondering if we can update the info box in the article with current financial info. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: Total assets US$ 7.830 billion (2018)[2]

Add: Total assets US$ 8.142 billion (2018)

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 22:34, 18 December 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit December 18, #3

Hello, wondering if we can update the info box in the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: Operating income US$ 443.3 million (2018)[2]

Add: Operating income US$ 459 million (2018)

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 01:27, 19 December 2018 (UTC)


 * request edit December 18, #4

Hello, wondering if we can update the info box in the article. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Delete: Net income US$ 4.661 billion (2018)[2]

Add: Net sales US$ 9.55 billion (2018)

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 01:48, 19 December 2018 (UTC)

request edit December 19, #1
Hello, wondering if we can update the article with this info. Thank you. Suggested new info:

Add: According to the Military Times, the company has been listed in the Best for Vets Employers Top 100 consecutively since 2013.

Hello-Mary-H (talk) 18:48, 19 December 2018 (UTC)

I was able to find mention of the list on two other pages. Perhaps that works?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Data

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_DRS Thanks. Hello-Mary-H (talk) 18:33, 21 December 2018 (UTC)