Hormel Foods Provides Over $2M in Products and Disaster Relief Support for California Wildfires

Rhea-AI Summary

Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL) and its joint-venture MegaMex Foods have committed over $2 million in disaster relief support for Southern California wildfire-affected communities. The company has donated more than 550,000 pounds of food products, equivalent to 460,000 meals, including ready-to-eat and shelf-stable products from brands like PLANTERS, SKIPPY, JUSTIN'S, and EMBASA.

The support package includes frozen and refrigerated products such as JENNIE-O OVEN READY turkeys, WHOLLY avocado minis, and COLUMBUS meats. The company's Foodservice division is supporting local restaurants providing free meals to first responders and displaced residents. Additionally, the Hormel Foods Charitable Trust and MegaMex Foods jointly donated $50,000 to the LA Unified School District Education Foundation's Emergency Relief Fund to assist affected students, faculty, and families.

Positive

• Demonstrates strong corporate social responsibility and community engagement
• Strategic partnership with local organizations enhances distribution efficiency
• Leverages multiple brand portfolios for comprehensive relief effort

Negative

• None.

Insights

ESG Impact Analyst

The $2 million disaster relief commitment from Hormel Foods represents a notable ESG initiative, though its impact on the company's $16 billion market capitalization is minimal. The donation of 550,000 pounds of food products strategically leverages existing inventory while building community goodwill and brand awareness in the Southern California market. The partnership with MegaMex Foods for the $50,000 education fund demonstrates integrated subsidiary coordination in crisis response.

The strategic placement of multiple Hormel brands (PLANTERS®, SKIPPY®, JUSTIN'S®) in the relief effort serves a dual purpose of humanitarian aid and marketing exposure. While commendable from a social responsibility perspective, this level of disaster relief spending is within normal parameters for a company of Hormel's size and unlikely to materially impact financial performance or investor sentiment.

Supply Chain Analyst

From an operational perspective, the coordinated distribution of both shelf-stable and temperature-controlled products (550,000 pounds) demonstrates Hormel's robust supply chain capabilities in crisis scenarios. The company's ability to rapidly deploy various product categories - from shelf-stable nuts to frozen turkeys - showcases strong logistics management and inventory flexibility.

The strategic involvement of the Foodservice division in supporting local restaurants points to effective channel partner engagement during emergencies. While the monetary value is notable, the volume represents a marginal portion of Hormel's total production capacity and shouldn't significantly impact regular distribution operations or quarterly inventory levels.

The company, along with joint-venture MegaMex Foods — the makers of WHOLLY® GUACAMOLE, LA VICTORIA^®, HERDEZ^®, and CHI-CHI'S^® salsa — partner to deliver assistance to communities where team members live and work

AUSTIN, Minn., Jan. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), a Fortune 500 global branded food company, is committed to supporting disaster relief efforts across Southern California as wildfires continue to impact communities. The company has donated cash and products valued at more than $2 million retail to aid those affected, working closely with long-standing partners on the ground, including Convoy of Hope.

To date, Hormel Foods has donated food products totaling more than 550,000 pounds, which equates to over 460,000 meals*. The donation included essential ready-to-eat and shelf-stable products from brands such as PLANTERS^®, SKIPPY^®, JUSTIN'S^® and EMBASA^®. Frozen and refrigerated products such as JENNIE-O^® OVEN READY^™ whole turkeys, WHOLLY^® avocado minis and COLUMBUS^® meats were also included. Additionally, the Hormel Foods Foodservice division supported restaurant operators in their efforts to provide free meals to first responders and displaced community members.

Given the company's commitment to education and recognizing the wildfire's impact on local schools, the Hormel Foods Charitable Trust along with MegaMex Foods — which is headquartered in Orange, California — jointly donated $50,000 to the LA Unified School District Education Foundation's Emergency Relief Fund. These dollars will go toward assisting students, faculty and families affected by the disaster.

"We are devastated by the impact that ongoing wildfires have had across the greater L.A. area," said Katie Clark, senior vice president and chief communications officer at Hormel Foods. "Ensuring that first responders, aid workers and community members in need have access to food, protein and nutrition is an ongoing priority for us. We partnered with Convoy of Hope and local restaurants to ensure the products we donated would be useful right away. We are dedicated to supporting relief efforts in both the short- and long-term as communities restock pantries and rebuild lives."

*Based on USDA guidelines, a meal is equal to 1.2 pounds of food.

About Hormel Foods – Inspired People. Inspired Food.™
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minnesota, is a global branded food company with approximately $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 and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement — Inspired People. Inspired Food.^™ — to bring some of the world's most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit hormelfoods.com.

About MegaMex Foods, LLC
MegaMex Foods, one of the fastest growing Mexican food companies in the U.S., is focused on reimagining Mexican flavor in restaurants and home kitchens across the country. MegaMex Foods is proudly committed to authentic ingredients and providing a real solution for achieving true Mexican flavors with trusted products, including WHOLLY®, LA VICTORIA®, HERDEZ®, EMBASA®, DOÑA MARIA®, BÚFALO® and DON MIGUEL® brands. A joint venture founded by Herdez del Fuerte and Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), MegaMex Foods is headquartered in Orange, Calif., with facilities in Texas and Mexico. MegaMex Foods has two operating plants, numerous manufacturing partners and over 4,000 employees. For more information, visit www.megamexfoods.com and www.mmxfoodservice.com.

Contact:	Media Relations
	Hormel Foods
	media@hormel.com

 

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SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation

FAQ

How much did Hormel Foods (HRL) donate for California wildfire relief in 2025?

Hormel Foods donated over $2 million in cash and products, including more than 550,000 pounds of food products, equivalent to 460,000 meals.

What specific products did HRL donate for California wildfire relief?

HRL donated products from brands including PLANTERS, SKIPPY, JUSTIN'S, EMBASA, JENNIE-O OVEN READY turkeys, WHOLLY avocado minis, and COLUMBUS meats.

How is HRL supporting education during the California wildfire crisis?

Hormel Foods Charitable Trust and MegaMex Foods jointly donated $50,000 to the LA Unified School District Education Foundation's Emergency Relief Fund.

How is Hormel Foods (HRL) supporting first responders during the California wildfires?

HRL's Foodservice division is supporting restaurant operators in providing free meals to first responders and displaced community members.