Hormel Foods Achieves Nonrenewable Energy Use Reduction Goal and Has Record Year of Giving

AUSTIN, Minn., Sept. 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL) today announced it has achieved its nonrenewable energy use reduction goal and had a record year of giving in its latest annual corporate responsibility report. The report is available online at https://csr.hormelfoods.com/ and includes information about the company's progress toward its goals.

"We are making the world a better place by investing in our people and partners, improving communities around the world and creating products that improve the lives of others," said Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Hormel Foods. "I am extremely proud of our accomplishments as a leading corporate citizen and of all of our team members, partners and suppliers who are part of our efforts. Together we are making meaningful progress on Our Food Journey(TM) and will continue to do so."

Other highlights of the company's progress include:

    --  After previously surpassing its goal to reduce solid waste sent to
        landfills and water use by 10 percent by 2020, the company continued to
        implement projects to achieve additional reductions and remains on track
        to achieve its goal to reduce project packaging by 25 million pounds by
        2020. The company expects to meet its greenhouse gas emissions reduction
        goal in 2020 as it works with partners to bring a 74 MW renewable wind
        field online.
    --  As a further commitment of its sustainable agriculture efforts, Hormel
        Foods helped launch the Cedar River Watershed Partnership - a
        public-private partnership aimed at improving water quality in this
        watershed in its supply chain. The partnership held several events for
        farmers in 2018 and helps farmers in the watershed in southern Minnesota
        become certified through the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality
        Certification Program.
    --  To ensure the accountability of its animal care standards throughout its
        supply chain, more than 2,000 audits were conducted. In addition, Hormel
        Foods along with other food companies, retailers, livestock producers
        and trade and professional associations announced a comprehensive
        framework to strengthen stewardship of antibiotic use in food animals in
        calendar year 2018. The framework was part of a two-year dialog with
        stakeholders, moderated by the Farm Foundation and Pew Charitable
        Trusts, to ensure that antibiotics are used judiciously throughout
        production to protect animal health and public health.
    --  Hormel Foods launched over 600 new retail and foodservice items, with
        many targeted toward its sodium reduction and clean-label initiative
        efforts.
    --  The company continued its focus on inclusion and diversity, provided
        approximately 488,000 total hours on training (or around 26 hours of
        training per team member) and completed more than 1,000 safety
        assessments each month companywide to help ensure the safety of its team
        members.
    --  The company donated more than $15 million in cash and products, which
        included $7.2 million in hunger donations, its donation of 2.5 million
        cans of SPAMMY(®) (a shelf-stable poultry product to help prevent
        childhood malnutrition in Guatemala), and more than $967,000 in
        education donations.

The 2018 Hormel Foods Corporate Responsibility Report follows the Global Reporting Initiative's standards and is developed in accordance to the core option. The report is designed to allow stakeholders to easily view top-line highlights. A downloadable PDF will be available in the near future.

In 2018, Hormel Foods was named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by Corporate Responsibility Magazine, one of the World's Best Employers by Forbes, a Best for Vets Employer by Military Times and also received a Global Impact Award from Convoy of Hope for its in-kind donations. To view the entire report, please visit https://csr.hormelfoods.com/.

ABOUT HORMEL FOODS -- Inspired People. Inspired Food.(TM)
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenues across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY(®), SPAM(®), Hormel(®) Natural Choice(®), Applegate(®), Justin's(®), Wholly(®), Hormel(®) Black Label(®), Columbus(®) and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of "The 100 Best Corporate Citizens" by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for the 11(th) year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. In 2016, the company celebrated its 125(th) anniversary and announced its new vision for the future -- Inspired People. Inspired Food.(TM) -- focusing on its legacy of innovation. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://csr.hormelfoods.com/.

Contact:
Kelly Braaten
507-434-6352
media@hormel.com

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SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation