Who Owns Justin's?
Justin's is owned by Hormel Foods Corporation, the publicly traded food company headquartered in Austin, Minnesota. Hormel acquired Justin's in 2016 for approximately $286 million. Justin Gold founded the brand in 2004 in Boulder, Colorado, selling almond butter and peanut butter squeeze packs through natural food channels before expanding nationally.
Justin's Timeline
Who Owns Justin's?
- Parent Company: Hormel Foods
- Ownership Type: Wholly owned
- Acquisition Year: 2016
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: NYSE: HRL
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Justin's | Hormel Foods | Wholly owned |
Where to Buy
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History of Justin's
- Founded: 2004
- Founders: Justin Gold
- Acquired by Hormel Foods: 2016
Justin Gold started grinding nuts in his home kitchen in Boulder in the early 2000s, inspired by the area's natural foods culture and the popularity of endurance sports. He founded the company in 2004, initially selling nut butter in single-serve squeeze packs, a format innovation that let cyclists and runners carry protein on rides.
The squeeze pack built the brand's early following in the outdoor and natural channels. Justin's expanded into jars, then into nut butter cups positioned as a better-for-you Reese's alternative, which became its biggest growth driver. By the mid-2010s Justin's was among the fastest-growing brands in the natural nut butter segment, challenging category leader Justin's rival brands and pushing mainstream retailers to stock premium nut butters.
Hormel acquired the company in 2016 for approximately $286 million as part of a diversification strategy away from commodity meat processing toward branded natural foods, joining Applegate in the company's better-for-you stable. The deal was followed in 2021 by Hormel's $3.35 billion purchase of Planters, which put two of the category's biggest nut brands under one owner.
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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 Justin's Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Boulder, Colorado, USA
- Manufacturing / Operations: United States
Justin's Categories & Tags
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
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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
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Justin's Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Hormel's Planters acquisition made Justin's part of the largest nut portfolio in packaged food.
- +Semi-autonomous operation preserves the natural-foods credibility that drives premium pricing.
- +Hormel distribution muscle pushes the brand into conventional and convenience channels.
Considerations
- -Natural-channel consumers can be skeptical of corporate ownership, requiring careful brand management.
- -Nut butter is a commodity-linked category exposed to almond and peanut cost swings.
Sources & Further Reading
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Competitors to Justin's
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publix Super Markets | USA | 2007 | Premium | United states | All Genders | |
| Sprouts Farmers Market | USA | 2002 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Sprouts Farmers Market | USA | 2005 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| United Natural Foods | USA | 1976 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Hormel Foods | USA | 1987 | Premium | United states | All Genders |
Learn More About Competitors
Food BeverageGreenWise
Owned by Publix Super Markets, Inc.
Publix-owned organic and natural grocery brand offering USDA Organic-certified products and formerly a standalone specialty supermarket banner.
organicprivate-labelgrocery
Retail EcommerceSprouts Farmers Market
Owned by Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc.
American natural and organic grocery retailer with over 430 stores across 24 states. Publicly traded on NASDAQ as SFM.
organicnatural-foodsgrocery
Retail EcommerceSprouts Organic
Owned by Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc.
Private label certified organic food brand sold exclusively at Sprouts Farmers Market. USDA Organic certified products across multiple grocery categories.
organicprivate-labelcertified-organic
Food BeverageUNFI
Owned by United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI)
The wholesale distribution brand of United Natural Foods, North America's largest natural and organic grocery distributor.
grocerywholesaledistribution
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
Competitive Analysis
Market Positioning: Justin's competes with 5 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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Independent Alternatives to Justin's
Looking for brands with different ownership structures? These similar brands are not owned by Hormel Foods, giving you alternative choices that support different corporate structures.
Food BeverageGreenWise
Owned by Publix Super Markets, Inc.
Publix-owned organic and natural grocery brand offering USDA Organic-certified products and formerly a standalone specialty supermarket banner.
organicprivate-labelgrocery
Privately Owned
GreenWise is privately owned, unlike Justin's which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Food BeveragePurely Elizabeth
Owned by Ferrero
Better-for-you breakfast brand founded in 2009 in Boulder, Colorado, known for granola, oatmeal, and cereal with premium ingredients. Acquired by Ferrero Group in August 2026 for approximately $850 million.
granolabreakfastbetter-for-you
Privately Owned
Purely Elizabeth is privately owned, unlike Justin's which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Food BeverageStonyfield
Owned by Lactalis Group
American organic yogurt brand founded in New Hampshire in 1983, owned by Lactalis Group since 2017. The best-selling certified organic yogurt brand in the United States and a certified B Corporation.
yogurtorganicdairy
Privately Owned
Stonyfield is privately owned, unlike Justin's which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Food BeverageAG1
Owned by AG1
Daily green powder supplement formerly known as Athletic Greens, sold by subscription by AG1, a private wellness company valued above $1 billion.
supplementsgreens-powderdaily-health
Privately Owned
AG1 is privately owned, unlike Justin's which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Food BeverageFerrero Rocher
Owned by Ferrero
Premium hazelnut chocolate brand launched in 1982 by Ferrero Group, sold in over 170 countries. Known for gold-foil wrapped praline chocolates and gifting positioning.
chocolatepremium-chocolategifting
Privately Owned
Ferrero Rocher is privately owned, unlike Justin's which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Food BeverageFiji Water
Owned by The Wonderful Company
Premium bottled water brand sourced from an artesian aquifer in Fiji, owned by The Wonderful Company.
bottled-waterbeveragepremium-water
Privately Owned
Fiji Water is privately owned, unlike Justin's which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Hormel Foods Stock Information
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