When you can prove impact and tell the story around it, people get behind it. They become advocates, and that voice spreads.
Leslie Lee
Q&A Leslie Lee
What excites you most about the next five years for digital at Hormel Foods?
What excites me most is that we’re making the right structural moves to compete with where the industry is headed. We know some customers have more digital capabilities than others, so we’re focusing our efforts where we can take advantage of that space.
The biggest shift is cultural. We started with one or two people focused on digital, then built a dedicated team. Now, we’re moving to a place where the entire organization is thinking digitally. Whether you’re in marketing or sales, digital is now part of the plan and not something to be delegated. That mindset is going to make us faster, more agile and more competitive in the marketplace.
How do you see that organizational mindset change showing up day to day?
It will mean moving more quickly and responding in real time to what’s happening in the market. Digital gives us the ability to test, learn and adjust, and that approach is now spreading beyond the digital team into the broader organization.
Rather than spending months building a plan, executing it, reviewing results a year later — we’re embracing test-and-learn cycles that allow us to adapt faster. That helps us evolve strategies in real time and ensures our brands are the ones consumers choose when it matters most.
What do you see as the biggest opportunity ahead?
The reality is that everything is always changing — algorithms, retailer platforms, AI. Just when you’ve figured out how to win in one place, the rules change.
Our biggest opportunity is to stay agile enough to pivot quickly when we need to, while also doubling down in the areas that will deliver the most impact. That takes constant education, constant adjustment and a willingness to never get too comfortable.
With digital becoming a companywide priority, what does it take to keep that mindset alive across the organization?
It’s an ongoing job. I tell my team all the time that we always need to educate, whether it’s someone new to the company or someone moving into a new role. We can’t assume everyone has the same knowledge.
The other part is showing results. When you can prove impact and tell the story around it, people get behind it. They become advocates, and that voice spreads. I also like to see talent move in and out of the team. When someone leaves digital and goes into another part of the company, they take that knowledge with them and influence from there. That helps the mindset stick.
AI continues to be a major focus across the industry. How is AI influencing the work of your team today and into the future?
We’ve been using AI long before it became a buzzword. For example, our paid search work uses AI to optimize bids, and we use AI tools to help create and refine content. It’s a big productivity enhancer, especially with a lean team.
What’s changing is that AI is everywhere now. It’s no longer a competitive advantage just to use it. You have to figure out how to use it smarter. One shift we’re watching closely is natural language search. Instead of someone typing “peanut butter,” they might ask, “What are the best snacks for a road trip?” If that query is happening in ChatGPT or Copilot, how do we make sure our content surfaces there? That’s the new frontier.
At Hormel Foods, every decision begins with the consumer. How is that commitment reflected in our digital strategy?
One of the main reasons I got into marketing was my interest in consumer behavior. At the end of the day, consumers vote with their dollars. If a human isn’t choosing to buy our product, then none of the technology matters.
So while we’re excited about AI and digital tools, the most important thing is understanding who that consumer is, what they need, and how our brands can earn their trust. I remind my team constantly: behind every click and every search is a human being making a decision. Our job is to meet them there.
