The Culinary Institute of America and Hormel Foods Create the Culinary Enrichment and Innovation Program

Program for Top Chefs is First of its Kind

Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL) and the company’s Foodservice division have announced a partnership with The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) www.ceipinfo.com to provide a unique leadership program to an elite class of commercial and non-commercial chefs from around the country.

“We want to invest in the future of the culinary arts, creating an innovation-focused program to prepare today’s best and brightest for leadership in the field,” explained Dennis Goettsch, vice president of marketing, Foodservice division, Hormel Foods Corporation.

Goettsch approached leaders at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), the world’s premier culinary college, in the spring of 2007 with the company’s vision. No such program existed, according to Dr. Victor Gielisse, Certified Master Chef (C.M.C.), Certified Hospitality Educator (C.H.E.) and associate vice president of the CIA. Gielisse noted the industry void in advanced education that provides perspective on creativity, innovation, leadership and management for chefs at the five-year and above experience level. The Culinary Enrichment and Innovation Program (CEIP) was created by the CIA and Hormel Foods to build tomorrow’s culinary leaders and address a growing concern for employee retention by providing creative, competitive staff development.

Sixteen students will attend four highly intense three-day sessions at the CIA’s Hyde Park Campus in New York over the course of 18 months. Each educational module will include classroom teaching from a select group of Certified Master Chefs based at the CIA (there are only 60 such chefs in the world), one-on-one interaction with leading industry culinarians, and hands-on time in the kitchen. CEIP curriculum has been created by the CIA in coordination with Hormel Foods.

Graduates of the program will receive advanced certification from the CIA and become members of the Hormel Circle of Innovation.

Hormel Foods and the CIA will accept applications for the program through Aug. 1, 2008. Notification of acceptance will occur by Aug. 29, 2008, and the inaugural class will be held in October of this year. Interested parties will find the application and additional information on the program at www.ceipinfo.com.

“The values of innovation, leadership and entrepreneurship are at the heart of Hormel Foods’ long-standing heritage,” Goettsch said. “We are honored to partner with the CIA, the world’s premier culinary college, to build this exciting and influential program.”