Meat&Poultry - June 2012 - 21

‘Our Way’ guides Hormel
At Hormel Foods, ‘Our Way’ represents a vision for the future as the company continuously strives to grow its heritage of bringing more to the table for its employees, consumers, investors and the communities in which Hormel Foods operates. The ‘Our Way’ mission is: As a leading branded food company with a focus on profitable growth and inspired by founder George A. Hormel’s charge to “Originate, don’t imitate,” the company markets a balanced portfolio of highly differentiated quality products. It engages its employees by working to create an environThe massive Austin, Minn., facility is six plants under one roof.

ment where careers are fostered, people make a difference and integrity is absolute. Our Way principles have helped Hormel Foods grow and succeed and guide its daily actions to support four key areas – the company’s people, processes, products and performance. Our Way principles include: Heritage – As stewards of the future, Hormel Foods identifies and strives to implement practices that protect natural resources and the environment. Integrity – Hormel Foods team members take the high road, follow through on commitments and act in an ethical, honest and responsible manner. Innovation – Hormel Foods “originates, doesn’t imitate” – but with the discipline to focus its practical curiosity on delivering real benefits for consumers, customers and the company. Philanthropy – Hormel Foods is a community within its plant communities and has a heritage of giving back as a company and individually. The company’s Charitable Trust giving focuses are: hunger, education and plant communities. ■

“Hormel’s long-term future demanded a plant that could support the necessary advanced technologies,” Knowlton wrote.

Farm Operations. (See retirement side bar on Page 26). “This plant was built for large volumes and tonnage with products that are big movers, such as SPAM, pepperoni, hams and other established products,” says Tim Fritz, Austin plant manager and 28-year company veteran who reported to Schweitzer. Products made at the Austin plant represent approximately one-eighth of the annual product volume produced by Hormel Foods. “We run 1.3 billion lbs. of processed product through this facility every year,” Fritz says. Each year the Austin facility produces more than 60 million lbs. of dry sausage, primarily pepperoni, which is one of the biggest-selling products produced at the Austin plant. Grocery Products (canning) makes 110 million lbs. of SPAM products, canned hams and ham patties per year – 75 million lbs. of which are SPAM products. The fi rst can of SPAM luncheon meat was produced in 1937 at the

Technological showplace
Hormel Foods’ Austin facility meets this need – and much more. The structure is six plants under one roof – dry sausage, meat products, grocery products (canning), shipping warehouse, harvest and fabrication plus a large refi nery operation – all connected by common passageways, explains recently retired, 38-year company veteran Bruce Schweit zer, v ice pr e s id e nt of
Knowlton

operations,

Refrigerated Foods. Schweitzer had oversight of 14 Hormel Foods refrigerated food plants, including Austin, and was also president of PFFJ LLC –

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