Meet The New Hormel Foods: Innovation, New Platforms Drive New Growth

The Prepared Foods New Products Conference is the food & beverage industry’s premier event for gaining valuable insights into global new product introductions

REGISTER NOW for the Prepared Foods New Products Conference

SPEAKER:
Scott Aakre
Vice President of Corporate Innovation and New Product Development
Hormel Foods Corporation

Hormel Foods Corporation has grown dramatically through both acquisition and innovation—and transformed itself from a meat company into consumer packaged goods leader with a balanced, broad portfolio. In addition to its many Hormel® and Jennie-O® products, Hormel Foods is the name behind such well-known brands as Wholly Guacamole® dips, SKIPPY® peanut butter, Applegate® natural and organic meats, La Victoria® salsas, Muscle Milk® premium protein products—and now, Justin’s® nut butters! How does Hormel Foods drive organic innovation across its many brands and businesses? Come hear Scott Aakre, Vice President Consumer Insights and Corporate Innovation, share an inside look at the company’s multi-functional approach to recent offerings like Hormel® REV® wraps, SKIPPY® PB Bites, Hormel® Natural Choice® meats and Hormel Vital Cuisine™ products.

Scott Aakre is vice president of corporate innovation and new product development at Hormel Foods. In this role, Aakre focuses on Hormel Foods corporate innovation processes and new product development.

Aakre joined Hormel Foods in 1990 as an assistant product manager and quickly advanced to associate product manager in 1991 and product manager in 1992. After working as a district sales manager in Philadelphia for one year, Aakre returned to the Corporate Office (Austin, Minn.) to become senior product manager of meat products in 1995. He was promoted to group product manager of meat products in 1998. In 2003, Aakre became group product manager of Grocery Products and was promoted to director of marketing for Grocery Products later that year. In 2005, he was promoted to vice president of marketing for grocery products. He assumed his current position in 2011.

A Minnesota native, Aakre earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Minnesota.

Aakre is actively involved in the local community and served with the Mower County United Way for more than 10 years.

Learn more about the Prepared Foods New Products Conference.