Hormel Foods Donates Essential Protein Products to America’s Second Harvest

Donation follows sponsorship of Oct. 29 Ohio Hunger Summit

Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL) today announced a significant donation of more than 81,000 pounds of protein products to benefit America’s Second Harvest food banks. This donation is part of Hormel Foods’ ongoing commitment to end hunger and follows the Oct. 29 Ohio Hunger Summit sponsored by the company.

The donation includes nearly three truckloads of protein products that will provide meals to nearly 430,000 people in need this holiday season. The donated products include Hormel® Compleats™ microwaveable meals, Hormel® Natural Choice® ham, Hormel® Cure 81® ham, Hormel® dried beef, Hormel® chunk chicken and Hormel® chunk white chicken. Hormel Foods selected these products specifically because they satisfy a serious need for food banks, providing a much-needed supply of protein.

“It is our sincere hope that this donation will help America’s Second Harvest and its member food banks help those in need this holiday season,” said Jeffrey M. Ettinger, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Hormel Foods. “This donation confirms our commitment to end hunger in America one community at a time.”

In addition to national distribution among America’s Second Harvest’s network of food banks, a portion of the donation will be given to three America’s Second Harvest food banks in Ohio in honor of the Ohio Hunger Summit. Cleveland Foodbank, Inc. in Cleveland, FreestoreFoodbank in Cincinnati and Mid-Ohio FoodBank in Columbus were specifically identified by America’s Second Harvest as the most at-need facilities in the state.

“Hunger in Ohio is a growing problem, and the food banks in our state are facing dangerously low inventory, especially for protein,” said Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, executive director, Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks. “Through its generous donation and sponsorship of the Ohio Hunger Summit, Hormel Foods is helping us fulfill that need among the communities that need it most.”

The Ohio Hunger Summit was held at the Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati. The event gathered legislative, corporate and community leaders to discuss hunger in Ohio and outline a vision to eliminate the problem. Speakers included Ettinger; America’s Second Harvest Chief Executive Officer Vicki Escarra; U.S. Representative Jean Schmidt; and John Young, president and chief executive officer of FreestoreFoodbank, among others.

About Hormel Foods

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer-branded food and meat products, many of which are among the best known and trusted in the food industry. The company leverages its extensive expertise, innovation and high competencies in pork and turkey processing and marketing to bring quality, value-added brands to the global marketplace. In each of the past eight years, Hormel Foods was named one of “The 400 Best Big Companies in America” by Forbes magazine. The company enjoys a strong reputation among consumers, retail grocers, foodservice and industrial customers for products highly regarded for quality, taste, nutrition, convenience and value. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com.

About America’s Second Harvest

America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network is the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the country with a Network of more than 200 Member food banks and food - rescue programs serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The America’s Second Harvest Network secures and distributes more than 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually; and supports approximately 50,000 local charitable agencies operating more than 94,000 programs including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs, and Kids Cafes. Last year, the America’s Second Harvest Network provided food assistance to more than 25 million low-income hungry people in the United States, including nearly 9 million children and nearly 3 million seniors. For more on America’s Second Harvest, please visit www.secondharvest.org.

About The Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks

The Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks is Ohio’s largest charitable response to hunger, with a network of 12 food banks providing hunger relief through more than 3300 member charities located in all of Ohio’s 88 counties.