Hormel Foods Honors 68 Suppliers with Spirit of Excellence Awards

Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL) recently awarded 68 suppliers with a 2014 Spirit of Excellence Award for their roles in the company’s continuous improvement process throughout the last year. These suppliers are from a variety of areas including contractors, pork procurement, provisions, ingredients, packaging and transportation.

“The Hormel Foods Spirit of Excellence Award program recognizes the suppliers that truly go above and beyond in helping us achieve our goals,” said Tyler L. Hulsebus, director of purchasing at Hormel Foods. “We’re honored to partner with these outstanding suppliers.”

Suppliers that qualified for the Spirit of Excellence Award maintained a minimum supplier rating index score of 92 throughout a 12-month period. This score is determined by a universal measurement system that began in 1990 to ensure each supplier is held to the same standards. Award criteria include meeting performance requirements, making on-time deliveries and providing high-level customer support.

In addition to the Spirit of Excellence Award, suppliers compete for the Hormel No. 1 Award every five years. Four years ago, the company announced the Hormel No. 1 Award recipients, who were honored for providing long-term consistent, superior performance during the five-year period from 2006-2010. One of the criteria for the award requires recipients to have received a Spirit of Excellence Award during four out of five years.

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 branded, value-added products to the global marketplace. The company is a member of the Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 Index, S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats for 2014, was named the 2013 Sustainable Supply Chain of the Year by Refrigerated & Frozen Foods magazine, and was again named one of “The 100 Best Corporate Citizens” by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for the sixth year in a row. Hormel Foods was also recognized as a 2015 Military Friendly Employer by G.I. Jobs magazine, and named one of the 2015 40 Best Companies for Leaders by Chief Executive magazine. 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.