At Hormel Foods, the team constantly strives to give bacon aficionados more options that go beyond regular rashers. In 2014, the Hormel®Black Label® bacon brand debuted a series of intensely flavored specialty bacons—Cherrywood, Brown Sugar, Jalapeño, Maple Black Pepper, Pecanwood and Applewood—which have become some of the most successful and sought after bacon products on the market.
This year, the company continued to be at the forefront of bacon innovation with the release of its Premium Double Smoked bacon, which is smoked twice over a proprietary blend of hardwoods. “That brings out the bark, so the bacon flavor really transfers over to other foodstuffs very nicely,” says Schweitzer, who recommends wrapping it around items such as jalapeño poppers, chicken wings and pork chops. “The bacon has a rich, deep smoke flavor with nice natural sweetness.”
But, looking forward, Hormel Foods aims to be at the forefront of bringing bacon into the dessert category with the creation of candied bacon. And in an effort to bring the restaurant experience into the home, there will be new thick cuts to allow home cooks to easily and conveniently mimic professional chef-style pork belly.

Stephanie Bowe, consumer insights analyst for Hormel Foods
Who knows what happens after that? There’s only one thing for certain. “Bacon will never die,” says Bowe. “It’s a cornerstone of our business and a huge contributor to our portfolio.”