Hormel Foods
Global meat products processor and distributor
Communications Manager - Corporate Reputation
+ Bonus + Profit sharing
Four days per week in the office; relocation support to Austin is available if required.
About the job
- A bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, public relations, English, or a related field.
- At least 5 years of experience in communications, public relations, or a related field.
- Proven experience managing media relations, external storytelling, and reputation or issues management programs.
- Ability to craft clear, compelling messages for a variety of audiences.
- Strong judgment and problem-solving skills, including the ability to anticipate needs, navigate sensitive topics, and recommend thoughtful solutions.
- Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with media, agency partners, and internal stakeholders.
- Strong project management, organizational, and attention-to-detail skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality work independently.
- Strong writing and editing skills with expertise in Associated Press Style.
- Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States for any employer.
- Applicants must not now, or at any time in the future, require employer sponsorship for a work visa.
- Support the development and execution of external communications strategies that enhance and protect the company’s corporate reputation.
- Manage day-to-day corporate media relations, including proactive story development, pitching, and responding to media inquiries on corporate topics.
- Monitor media coverage and industry trends, flag emerging issues, and identify opportunities for proactive engagement.
- Contribute to crisis and issues communications planning and response in collaboration with cross-functional teams to ensure consistent, coordinated messaging.
- Draft and edit external materials, including press releases, media statements, questions and answers, talking points, and briefing documents.
- Support executive visibility efforts, including preparation for interviews, speaking engagements, and media briefings.
- Develop digital and social media strategies that strengthen leadership presence.
- Partner with internal stakeholders to align messaging across corporate announcements.
- Maintain media lists, track coverage metrics, and prepare regular reports on communications outcomes.
- Build and maintain relationships with key journalists, industry contacts, and influencers relevant to the company’s corporate reputation.
- Collaborate with public relations agency partners to coordinate outreach, ensure alignment, and manage deliverables.
- Serve as a resource to internal partners on external communications best practices.
- Corporate or agency experience.
About the company
Hormel Foods processes and distributes a variety of meat and prepared food products, including bacon, deli meats, and shelf-stable meals under brands like Spam, Jennie-O, and Applegate. The company operates by selling both branded and unbranded goods through retail stores, foodservice providers like restaurants, and international markets in over 80 countries. Unlike many competitors focused on a single niche, Hormel maintains a diverse portfolio that balances premium branded items with high-volume unbranded products across global channels. Its goal is to leverage this broad distribution network and brand variety to provide consistent food options to consumers and institutions worldwide.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Austin, Minnesota
Founded
1891
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Q3 2026 adjusted EPS rose 6% while adjusted operating margin reached 9.0%.
- Foodservice posted its twelfth straight quarter of organic net sales growth on September 21, 2026.
- SPAM Hot Honey and Win Son Bakery broaden brand relevance and retail distribution.
What critics are saying
- August 27, 2026 sales guidance fell to $12.1-$12.2 billion on weak demand.
- Retail sales dropped 4.3% and international sales fell 4.7% in Q3 2026.
- August 2026 antitrust settlement, Brazil divestiture loss, and Indonesia impairment reveal execution strain.
What makes Hormel Foods unique
- September 2026 Foodservice generated one-third of sales and half of profits.
- Flash 180 delivers breaded chicken in 180 seconds, winning operator time savings.
- SPAM, SKIPPY, and APPLEGATE give Hormel durable brand reach across channels.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
Unlimited Paid Time Off
Paid Vacation
Paid Sick Leave
Paid Holidays
Relocation Assistance
401(k) Retirement Plan
401(k) Company Match
Stock Options
Company Equity
Professional Development Budget
Company News
Hormel Foods' US production facilities donated $332,000 to more than 40 hunger-relief organisations across the country during Hunger Action Month. Each facility received $10,000 from the Hormel Foods Charitable Trust to support local communities where the company operates. Recipients include food pantries, community meal programmes, and hunger-relief nonprofits in over 40 communities, such as Second Harvest Food Pantry of Beloit and Channel One Regional Food Bank. The Charitable Trust has provided this funding to production facilities for more than a decade. Since 2020, Hormel Foods has contributed over $53.6 million in combined cash and product donations to support food security efforts nationwide.
Hormel Foods stock has fallen 14.5% over the past three months, underperforming the State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF's 1.5% decline. The Minnesota-based company, with a market cap of $11.5 billion, owns brands including Planters, Skippy, and SPAM. Shares tumbled 10.3% on 27 August after Hormel cut its fiscal 2026 sales forecast to $12.1 billion–$12.2 billion, citing weak consumer demand. Third quarter revenue fell 2.4% to $2.96 billion, missing estimates due to weaker retail and international demand. Despite raising its full-year adjusted EPS outlook to $1.45–$1.51, the stock has declined 12.8% year-to-date. Analysts maintain a "Hold" rating with a mean price target of $25.75, suggesting 24.8% upside from current levels.
Foodservice becoming more important to Hormel Foods. Sep 21, 2026 BOSTON - Hormel Foods Corp.'s Foodservice business unit accounts for approximately one-third of company-wide sales and half of its profits. The ascension of the business unit within the organization reflects the pressures foodservice operators are under to better manage costs and streamline operations. "I think if you step back and look at our Foodservice performance over time, we have proven the business model we have to be very unique and durable to grow even in down markets when industry challenges persist," said John Ghingo, president of the company, during a Sept. 9 presentation at the Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference. During the third quarter of fiscal 2026, ended July 26, Hormel's Foodservice business segment profit rose 3% to $144.5 million from $141 million the year before. Quarterly sales rose 2% to $1 billion from $987 million the year before. Ghingo identified three attributes of the business unit he sees fueling additional growth. "One is our value-added portfolio and the innovation we continue to bring to that portfolio," he said. "We need to continue to create more value." Second is the company's direct sales team that works with operators to communicate the strengths of the Foodservice unit to operators. "Our direct sales force is truly a unique engine of culture, talent, capability, and the work they do with our operator partners is critical," Ghingo said. "They're gathering insights. They're building relationships. They're being creative and solving problems in the kitchen with the operator partners and then bringing back solutions. "And, so, when you're doing that even in a challenged environment, you can grow the top line because those operators will gravitate to the partner who's solving the problems they're dealing with." Hormel Foods' Flash 180 chicken platform is an example of how the Foodservice business unit is serving its customers. | Photo: (C) EXQUISINE - STOCK.ADOBE.COM Finally, Ghingo said Hormel's diversified foodservice customer base is an opportunity for the company. "So, whether you're talking commercial, noncommercial, independence chains, geographic diversity, channel diversity," he said. "So, that gives us the opportunity to play different channels where we see pockets of growth and pockets of opportunity to keep the growth engine going." An effective foodservice solution identified by Ghingo is Hormel's Flash 180 chicken platform. "If you look at the demand space in foodservice around breaded chicken, it's one of the fastest-growing areas," he said. "Consumers, diners want more breaded chicken, whether it be chicken tenders, whether it be fried chicken sandwiches, but if you're an operator... (and) you want to sell more chicken, it gets difficult. "You're bringing raw chicken (and) it takes time; you have to handle it; you have to batter/bread in the fryer, 10 to 12 minutes. So, we're bringing through our Flash 180 chicken platform. One-hundred and eighty seconds from package to plate, pre-prepped. So, it's super simple to execute (that) saves time... So, that's an example of a solution." Get better food industry search results. Adding us tells Google to prioritize Food Business News stories.
Hormel Foods has made SPAM Hot Honey a permanent flavour and partnered with Brooklyn's Win Son Bakery on limited-time menu items, co-branded merchandise, and expanded US retail distribution. The collaboration aims to refresh the SPAM brand through flavour innovation and foodservice partnerships that extend beyond traditional retail. However, the launch does not materially change Hormel's near-term investment case, which centres on restoring margins amid cost pressures. The company has lowered its 2026 guidance following weaker profitability. Hormel recently appointed Paul Kuehneman as chief accounting officer. Investors are focused on whether management can execute cost control and pricing discipline rather than product launches alone. Persistent commodity inflation and delayed pricing responses remain key risks for the company's earnings recovery.
Hormel Foods reported third-quarter sales of $2.96 billion, down 2.4%, with volume declining 7.4%. Despite the drop, adjusted operating margin expanded to 9.0% from 8.4%, whilst adjusted diluted earnings per share rose to $0.37 from $0.35. Cash flow from operations increased 54% to $241 million. However, GAAP operating margin fell to 3.7% from 7.9%. The company lowered its fiscal 2026 sales guidance to $12.1 billion to $12.2 billion from $12.2 billion to $12.5 billion. Organic net sales growth guidance narrowed to 1% to 2% from 1% to 4%. Foodservice remained the strongest segment, recording its 12th consecutive quarter of organic net sales growth. Retail volume dropped 9%, whilst international volume declined 11%.