February 29, 2008

Hormel Foods opens innovation center in China

Hormel Foods Corporation announced that it has opened an Idea and Innovation Center in China, solely devoted to create new products for Chinese consumers. 

The 5,000-square-foot center is adjoined with the Hormel Foods processing facility in the Baoshan district of Shanghai.

The center will facilitate the entire creative process, from ideation to testing and manufacturing. It also includes a sensory panel room for evaluation of products as well as a fully-functional duplicated plant. 

Jeffrey Ettinger, chairman of the board, said the company's local meat experts will work closely with the Research and Development team in the US in the entire innovative process.

The center will serve Hormel Foods facilities in both Beijing and Shanghai, and will be overseen by Rubin Lin, research and development manager for China, and Mike Forbes, manager of production for China. 

Richard Bross, president of Hormel Foods International Corporation, said the new Idea and Innovation Center will help build the diversified product portfolio to better serve Chinese customers.

Hormel Foods has established a significant presence in Asia with business ventures in China, the Philippines, South Korea, Japan, and most recently, Vietnam.

In 2007, Shanghai Hormel Foods was named one of China's top employers for 2007, and Hormel Foods was designated as the processed meats supplier to the Training Bureau of China State Sports, where the Chinese Olympic athletes train.

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minnesota, is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer-branded food and meat products.