Who Owns Jennie-O?
Jennie-O is owned by Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), a publicly traded American food company headquartered in Austin, Minnesota. Hormel acquired the Willmar, Minnesota turkey processor in 1986 and merged it with The Turkey Store in 2001 to form Jennie-O Turkey Store, now one of the largest turkey producers in the United States.
Jennie-O Timeline
Who Owns Jennie-O?
- Parent Company: Hormel Foods
- Ownership Type: Brand division
- Acquisition Year: 1986
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: NYSE: HRL
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jennie-O | Hormel Foods | Brand division |
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History of Jennie-O
- Founded: 1940
- Founders: Earl B. Olson
- Acquired by Hormel Foods: 1986
Earl B. Olson founded the business in 1940 in Willmar, Minnesota, as the Farmers Produce Company, a small poultry and egg operation. He renamed the company Jennie-O in 1953, blending the names of his daughters, and built it into one of the first fully integrated turkey producers, controlling breeding, hatching, feed, and processing.
Through the 1960s and 1970s Jennie-O pioneered retail turkey products that shifted the bird from a holiday commodity to a year-round protein, including boneless turkey roasts and ground turkey. The company went public before Hormel acquired it in 1986.
Hormel consolidated its turkey holdings in 2001, merging Jennie-O Foods with The Turkey Store, a Wisconsin processor it had also acquired, to create Jennie-O Turkey Store. The combined business became one of the two largest turkey processors in the country.
The brand has spent the last decade converting commodity volume into value-added product. Ground turkey, turkey burgers, deli meats, and seasoned products now carry more of the mix than whole birds. Highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks, severe in 2015 and again through 2023 and 2024, periodically cut flock supply and pressured results across the turkey industry, Jennie-O included.
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About Hormel Foods
Is Hormel Foods publicly traded?
Yes, Hormel Foods trades on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker HRL and is included in the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats. The company is widely held by institutional and individual investors.
Who is the CEO of Hormel Foods?
John Ghingo was named CEO effective October 26, 2026, succeeding interim CEO Jeff Ettinger. Ghingo previously served as president of Hormel Foods since July 2025. Jim Snee, who had been CEO since 2016, stepped down in 2025. Ettinger, a former Hormel CEO from 2005 to 2016, returned as interim CEO in July 2025.
Who founded Hormel Foods?
Hormel Foods was founded in 1891 by George A. Hormel in Austin, Minnesota. The company became publicly traded in 1928.
What is Hormel's annual revenue?
For fiscal year 2025 (ended October 26, 2025), Hormel reported net sales of $12.1 billion, up 2% year-over-year with organic growth of 2%. Adjusted operating income was $1.02 billion and adjusted diluted EPS was $1.37. For fiscal 2026, the company expects net sales of $12.2 to $12.5 billion.
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Does Hormel own SPAM?
Yes, SPAM is Hormel's most iconic product. The canned pork product was introduced in 1937 and remains popular globally, particularly in Hawaii, Guam, South Korea, and other Pacific regions. SPAM is one of the company's key growth drivers internationally.
What brands does Hormel own?
Hormel owns more than 40 brands including SPAM, Skippy peanut butter, Jennie-O turkey products, Planters nuts, Applegate natural and organic meats, Columbus Craft Meats, Wholly guacamole, Fontanini Italian meats, Hormel Black Label bacon, Dinty Moore stew, and Hormel Chili. The Justin's brand was placed into a joint venture in 2025.
Does Hormel pay dividends?
Yes, Hormel has increased its dividend for 60 consecutive years, making it a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats. The annualized dividend rate is $1.17 per share. In FY2025, the company returned a record $633 million to shareholders in dividends.
- Founded: 1891
- Headquarters: Austin, Minnesota, USA
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: NYSE: HRL
- Revenue: $12.1 billion (FY2025, ended October 26, 2025)
- Employees: Approximately 20,000
Where Is Jennie-O Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Willmar, Minnesota, USA
- Manufacturing / Operations: United States
Jennie-O Categories & Tags
Jennie-O Sustainability & Ethics
Jennie-O's sustainability profile is governed by Hormel's corporate programs, which cover animal welfare standards, antibiotic stewardship, and environmental targets across the live production chain. The company has publicly committed to humane handling practices across its turkey operations.
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The brand holds no independent sustainability certification on its core line. Hormel has invested in biosecurity and animal welfare auditing in response to both avian influenza pressure and consumer scrutiny of poultry production.
Jennie-O Recalls & Controversies
The brand's most significant safety event was a November 2018 recall of approximately 147,000 pounds of raw ground turkey linked to a salmonella outbreak, classified by the USDA and resolved after expanded testing and process changes.
Avian influenza is the recurring structural controversy. Outbreaks in 2015 and again in 2023 and 2024 forced the destruction of millions of turkeys across the industry, drawing criticism of dense live-production systems and periodically cutting Jennie-O's supply. The company reports biosecurity investments in response.
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Brands Owned by Hormel Foods
Food BeverageApplegate
Owned by Hormel Foods
Natural and organic deli meat brand founded in 1987, a pioneer of antibiotic-free and humanely raised meat, owned by Hormel Foods since 2015.
natural-foodsorganicdeli-meat
Food Service RestaurantsChi-Chi's
Owned by Hormel Foods
Mexican food brand owned by Hormel Foods (grocery products) with a revived restaurant chain led by founder's son Michael McDermott, opening its first location in October 2025 in Minnesota.
mexican-foodrestaurantgrocery-brand
Food BeverageColumbus Craft Meats
Owned by Hormel Foods
Premium salami and deli meat brand founded in San Francisco in 1917, owned by Hormel Foods since its approximately $850 million acquisition in 2017.
deli-meatsalamicharcuterie
Food BeverageDinty Moore
Owned by Hormel Foods
Canned beef stew brand introduced by Hormel Foods in 1935, a pantry staple that remains the leading canned stew in the United States nine decades later.
canned-foodstewgrocery-brand
Food BeverageHerdez
Owned by Hormel Foods
Mexico's leading salsa and Mexican food brand, marketed in the United States through MegaMex Foods, the joint venture between Hormel Foods and Herdez del Fuerte.
mexican-foodsalsaguacamole
Food BeverageHormel
Owned by Hormel Foods
Master grocery brand of Hormel Foods covering chili, pepperoni, bacon, Compleats meals, and Natural Choice, rooted in the company's 1891 founding in Austin, Minnesota.
grocery-brandmeatchili
Jennie-O Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +One of the two largest US turkey processors with national distribution
- +Vertically integrated live production gives supply and quality control
- +Leading position in ground turkey, a growing protein category
- +Backed by a stable, investment-grade parent
- +Strong foodservice relationships alongside retail
Considerations
- -Exposed to avian influenza outbreaks that periodically destroy flocks
- -Commodity turkey pricing drives earnings volatility
- -Concentrated production geography in the upper Midwest
- -Whole-bird business is seasonal and declining
- -Animal welfare scrutiny applies to the entire live-production model
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Frequently Asked Questions About Jennie-O
Sources & Further Reading
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Competitors to Jennie-O
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyson Foods | USA | 1935 | Mass market | United states | All-ages | |
| Hormel Foods | USA | 1987 | Premium | United states | All Genders | |
| Hormel Foods | USA | 1891 | Mass market | United states | All Genders |
Learn More About Competitors
Food BeverageTyson
Owned by Tyson Foods, Inc.
Tyson is the flagship protein brand of Tyson Foods, the largest U.S. meat company, covering chicken, beef, and pork products in retail and foodservice.
chickenmeatprotein
Food BeverageApplegate
Owned by Hormel Foods
Natural and organic deli meat brand founded in 1987, a pioneer of antibiotic-free and humanely raised meat, owned by Hormel Foods since 2015.
natural-foodsorganicdeli-meat
Food BeverageHormel
Owned by Hormel Foods
Master grocery brand of Hormel Foods covering chili, pepperoni, bacon, Compleats meals, and Natural Choice, rooted in the company's 1891 founding in Austin, Minnesota.
grocery-brandmeatchili
Competitive Analysis
Market Positioning: Jennie-O competes with 3 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
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Food BeverageFroot Loops
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Food BeverageFrosted Flakes
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Hormel Foods Stock Information
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