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Good Feeds Us All

Global Impact Report
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Good Feeds Us All is the company’s next-generation global impact framework, bringing greater focus and clarity to where we can make the most meaningful impact.

The 20 By 30 Challenge cast a wide net, which was reflective of where we were in our global impact journey at the time. Good Feeds Us All organizes and streamlines our company’s global impact work under two interconnected pillars — Planet and Society — reflecting the ecosystems and people our business depends on every day. Our new guiding principles reflect our continued focus on what matters most, which include supporting our team members and communities, advancing responsible practices across our supply chain and continuing to deliver trusted, high-quality food.

The seven guiding principles that makeup the global impact framework provide a clear path and focus for the meaningful role we continue to play across our organization. From supporting our team members and communities, advancing responsible practices across our supply chain to continuing to deliver trusted, high-quality food.

We’re focused on following a clear path that helps us drive positive impact for our people, industry and the communities we serve. Good Feeds Us All articulates the global impact of Hormel Foods, at the same time powering meaningful action by:

  • Reaffirming the company’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions within our operational boundary;
  • Conveying a clearer focus on responsible sourcing across the entire supply chain;
  • Enhancing objectives around consumers and product quality, ensuring delivery of trusted, high-quality food;
  • Outlining new initiatives to strengthen communities across the globe.

Guiding Principles

Planet

  • Reduce our planet footprint
  • Maintain high production and supply chain standards
  • Decrease waste through operational efficiencies

Society

  • Empower our team members
  • Enhance the consumer experience
  • Strengthen communities across the globe
  • Support worker welfare in our operations and supply chain
Planet

We strive to make positive contributions through the responsible use of natural resources.

Our Environmental and Energy Policy Statement guides our regulatory compliance, environmental conservation and efficiency improvement efforts. By maintaining robust sourcing policies and animal welfare practices, we strive to enhance supply chain sustainability and promote the wellbeing of animals.

Guiding Principles Initiatives 2025 Progress & Highlights
Reduce our planet footprint Demonstrate climate leadership by focusing on our SBTi-validated target to reduce Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% by 2030 from a 2019 base year. Hormel Foods also commits to reducing absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions by 27.5% within the same time frame.3 We achieved 43% of our 2030 goal of reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 (market-based) GHG emissions by 50% from a 2019 base year with contribution from our renewable energy portfolio. In 2025 we implemented Strategic Utility Management programs at our operations to further drive down Scope 1 and 2 emissions. We continue to work with third-party experts to refine our Scope 3 emissions methodology to align with best-in-class practices.
Reduce our planet footprint Support sustainable agriculture initiatives that promote soil health, encourage biodiversity and protect watersheds within our supply chain. In March 2025, Applegate (Bedminster, New Jersey) achieved its goal to source 100% of the beef supply for its APPLEGATE ORGANICS® THE GREAT ORGANIC UNCURED BEEF HOT DOG and APPLEGATE NATURALS® BEEF HOT DOG® products from third-party-certified regenerative farms. By sourcing beef ingredients from certified regenerative farms, Applegate supports third-party-certified regenerative farms whose operations collectively encompass approximately 10.8 million acres.4
Maintain high production and supply chain standards Provide leadership in water management by implementing projects that optimize our water efficiency and positively impact associated water- and wastewater-management risks. In 2025, we implemented a variety of water efficiency initiatives in our operations, including one that saved approximately 20 thousand cubic meters of water at our Willmar, Minnesota, facility by optimizing wash-nozzle sizing to reach the optimal pressure while minimizing water use. In total, we saved more than 102 thousand cubic meters of water from efficiency improvement initiatives. Additionally, we achieved a nearly 3% reduction in global water use compared to the prior year.
Maintain high production and supply chain standards Maintain high standards for animal care and handling in our supply chain.6

Subgoals:

  • Focus on animal health and well-being outcomes as directed by the company’s welfare initiatives and validated by internal and external animal care audits.
  • Leverage emerging technology to positively impact animal health.
  • Continue judicious use of antibiotics under veterinarian care and directives.

 In 2025, we conducted more than 2,100 audits of hogs, turkeys, cows and chickens to help ensure ongoing compliance with our animal care standards.7 We are working alongside our partners to explore various emerging technologies that may have a positive impact on the health of animals within our supply chain. For details regarding our judicious use of antibiotics, please refer to our Antibiotic Stewardship Framework.
Decrease waste through operational efficiencies Work toward reducing food waste in our operations. Our teams across the United States made food donations to college food pantries, and local organizations working to reduce food waste and food insecurity in the local communities where we operate.
Decrease waste through operational efficiencies Focus on packaging improvement efforts through research, innovation, on-package or enhanced digital communication tools, and optimizing package weight and shipping efficiencies. Our packaging initiatives — including new HORMEL GATHERINGS® products clear polyethylene terephthalate (PET) trays designed for improved detection and sorting at recycling facilities and the incorporation of Post-Consumer Recycled content into forming films of various COLUMBUS® brand products — resulted in approximately 1.1 million pounds of material savings in 2025.5

3 Near-term GHG reduction targets were validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in 2023.

4 Applegate livestock suppliers who make a regenerative claim must have a third-party audit completed by an approved certifying organization, such as Regenerative Organic Alliance, Land to Market Ecological Outcome Verification™ or Greenham Certified Regenerative endorsed by Certified Humane®, to ensure farmland is verified for implemented regenerative practices and tracked ecological outcomes. These certifications focus on soil health, biodiversity and ecological outcomes. While regenerative agricultural practices may offer climate and soil benefits, their quantified GHG impact remains under scientific review.

5 Savings are based on an annual rolling average and include all projects captured by the corporate packaging
development group in comparison to packaging material savings in fiscal year 2024.

6 Our animal welfare principles are designed to implement the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare formalized by the UK Animal Welfare Committee (formerly the Farm Animal Welfare Committee). For more information about our animal welfare principles, please refer to the Animal Care section of this report and our Animal Stewardship Policy.

7 Includes internal and external audits for hog and turkey, and Applegate internal audits for beef and chicken.

Society

Our team members, supply chain partners and communities are integral to our successes and help fulfill our purpose of fueling every day with real food for real life.

Our inspired team members are passionate about producing some of the most trusted and well-known food products in the world, ensuring they are safe and delicious. Our multifaceted global supply chain includes suppliers of food ingredients, packaging materials, transportation and more. By maintaining strong relationships with our suppliers and deploying risk management programs, we strive to build a sustainable future for the global food system and ensure that our vendors share our values and comply with our standards of ethical business behaviors.

 
Guiding Principles Initiatives 2025 Progress & Highlights
Empowering team members Foster belonging for everyone, allowing people to feel respected and valued by empowering them with opportunities, equitable treatment and a voice to make Hormel Foods better for all. In 2025, we surveyed our team members twice to share their perspectives on company practices. Based on our 2025 year-end survey, we maintained our engagement and belonging scores of 73 and 72, respectively, consistent with the prior year.
Empowering team members Provide the opportunity of a free two-year college education for all our team members’ dependent high school graduates. As part of our Inspired Pathways scholarship program, we provided 186 dependents of U.S. team members with access to a free two-year college education.19
Enhance the consumer experience Continue to offer high-quality, safe and convenient products that meet a wide range of consumer preferences and needs. In 2025, we launched more than 420 new items in our Retail, Foodservice and International business segments to continue to meet consumer preferences and needs.20
Enhance the consumer experience Continue efforts to reduce added sugars and sodium in our products and review our items for opportunities to simplify ingredient lists, prioritizing ingredients that are familiar to consumers. We continue to evaluate our product-ingredient lists to prioritize simplified ingredients. In 2025, we introduced NATURAL CHOICE® low-sodium beef pot roast, which is minimally processed, has no artificial ingredients and includes 80 milligrams of sodium per 3-ounce serving.
Strengthen communities across the globe Support our communities by investing in well-being through access to education and nutritious foods. In 2025, through the company and the Hormel Foods Charitable Trust (Charitable Trust), we contributed more than $23 million in cash and product donations to support our philanthropic pillars. These efforts also reflect our commitment to boosting worldwide food access by donating approximately 5 million pounds of food. Through a $50,000 donation to the World Food Prize, made by the Hormel Foods Charitable Trust, we are continuing to expand access to education of food security knowledge-sharing and research.
Support worker welfare in our operations and supply chain Promote and protect worker safety and human rights within our operations and our supply chain. We maintained a total recordable incident rate of 1.9, which is below the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) industry standard of 2.3.21
Support worker welfare in our operations and supply chain Increase purchasing spend annually with small businesses through inclusive procurement practices that engage a broad range of suppliers.22 In 2025, we spent approximately $1 billion with small businesses, representing about 10% of our total diverse spend.

19 Includes calendar year 2025 Inspired Pathways scholarships. Inspired Pathways is an employee benefit available to
U.S.-based team members.

20 The number of items launched includes MegaMex Foods products.

21 Based on the total recordable incident rate and other safety metrics tracked by the company.

22 In accordance with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) definition of small business.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Aligned with the UN SDGs, our efforts contribute to global initiatives — from ending hunger to combating climate change.

To read about the our momentum, initiatives and philosophy, explore the full Global Impact Report.
Report