Meat+Poultry - August 2020 - 32

PROCESSOR PROFILE

"HPP is
something
we see as a
differentiator
for our brand but
not something
that we really
focus on
communicating
from a consumer
standpoint - yet."
- SAMANTHA HOVLAND

32

Chicken and Queso; and Mediterranean Style
Chicken and Bruschetta Jack.
The Wraps feature bacon, turkey, ham,
pepperoni or salami, a variety of cheese and a
flatbread for a quick and easy, on-the-go meal.
"We're always looking for new areas of the
store that we can bring the Natural Choice
brand to," Hovland said.
This April, a new group of products
joined the Natural Choice line - hardwood
smoked lunch meats. The products are
smoked in netting over real wood chips for
over four hours.
"We noticed that smoked meats were
coming up as a trend and we noticed
smoked fl avor profi les in the lunch meat
category were growing. And, in addition, we
understood our own capabilities and knew
how good we were at smoking meat," Hovland
said. "It was the perfect marriage of realizing
that smoked meat products are really big
in the market, they are on trend, and we do
it really well - from there the idea
was born."
The flavor profi les include
applewood ham, applewood turkey
with garlic and herbs, pecanwood
ham with sweet black pepper and
pecanwood ham with brown sugar.
"The varieties evolved from
fl avors consumers told us they were
looking for," Hovland said. "We really
leaned into consumers and tried
to develop what they were looking
for in this category. We created
items that they wished existed in
lunch meat."
The hardwood smoked deli line
is currently only available packaged
and sold at retail, but the products
might be distributed in the future from
the service deli.
The idea for this new product - and
all new Hormel products - are developed
at the company's R&D facility next door
to corporate headquarters in Austin,
Minn. Typically new products take
between 12 to 18 months to go from
the concept stage to marketplace. New
Natural Choice product introductions
are planned for 2021, though Hovland
would not divulge what the products
would be.

MEAT+ POULTRY | 08.20 | www.meatpoultry.com

TRYING TIMES
While no one would have anticipated the
COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the meat and
poultry industry or on the consumption habits
of consumers, the Natural Choice line has
benefited from gaining a few new customers.
As consumers have increased at-home meals,
many are bringing more lunch meats back
onto their plates.
"We've really had tremendous demand
from consumers," Hovland said. "People are
home. They're preparing more lunches at
home. As a result, we've brought in a number
of new households - and we're trying to keep
those households with the Natural Choice
brand in the long term."
Operations at the Osceola plant have
continued throughout the months of the
pandemic. Hormel Foods has initiated
increased sanitation practices in order to
keep facilities clean and employees safe. In
addition, locations have on-site nurses to
answer health questions and help employees
get access to local testing for COVID-19.
As in most production facilities, social
distancing has been enacted in Hormel plants
including staggered start times, staggered
break times and distancing employees
during breaks. The company also provides
masks and personal protective equipment to
all employees.
"I wouldn't say our challenges have
been any different than any other food
manufacturers have been at this time. We're
focused fi rst on keeping our team safe from
the pandemic. Our No. 1 priority is making
sure they are safe in the plant facilities - that
they feel safe at work," Hovland said. "Aside
from that, we are trying to get as much
product through the door as we can because
there is unprecedented consumer demand for
food products.
"And, of course, our operation has to move
a little slower to make it as safe as possible
for our employees. That has created some
challenges over the past few months, but
certainly we're working through that - our
operations professionals are working as hard
as they can.
"We are proud of our track record of
keeping COVID out of our plants and keeping
as many personnel safe as possible," Hovland
explained.
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Meat+Poultry - August 2020

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