Steve Lykken

As group vice president of supply chain, Steve Lykken oversees the company’s One Supply Chain organization, including procurement, manufacturing, engineering, logistics, research and development, quality management and plant operations.

Hormel Foods is a global branded food company with over $12 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include Planters^®, Skippy^®, SPAM^®, Hormel^® Natural Choice^®, Applegate^®, Justin’s^®, Wholly^®, Hormel^® Black Label^®, Columbus^®, Jennie-O^® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of the best companies to work for by U.S. News & World Report, one of America’s most responsible companies by Newsweek, recognized by TIME magazine as one of the World’s Best Companies, received a perfect score of 100 on the 2023–24 Corporate Equality Index and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts.

Lykken began his career at Hormel Foods in 1992 in a sales account executive role, later leading trade management and holding brand manager and group product manager roles. Lykken was named senior vice president of the retail division of Jennie-O Turkey Store in 2003, and senior vice president of supply chain for the business in 2011. He was appointed chief operating officer of Applegate Farms in 2015 and promoted to president in 2016. Lykken was named senior vice president, Hormel Foods and president of Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc., the following year. He was named group vice president, Jennie-O Turkey Store in 2021 and assumed his current role in 2024.

Lykken holds an international business degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management Minnesota Executive Program.

He currently serves as Chairman of the National Turkey Federation. He has previously held roles as an executive committee member of the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council, board member of the Community Christian School in Willmar, Minn., and served the United Way of West of Central Minnesota for nine years as both a board member and past president. He currently serves on the governance board of the YMCA of Kandiyohi County.