Hormel Foods Names Jeff Baker Group VP, Retail Marketing
Hormel Foods, which manufactures such brands as Planters, Skippy and Justin’s, has a new group vice president for retail marketing.
Jeff Baker has been promoted to the role, tasked with overseeing the company's brand portfolio evolution to meet changing consumer preferences within snacking.
Leadership Shifts
The news comes as the company looks to transition to a new president and CEO after Jim Snee retires in 2025 following a 36-year career with the organization. Additionally, Steve Lykken, who led supply chain efforts, left in April to pursue new opportunities after being in the role for just over a year.
Kevin Myers, who has been with the company since 2001, has taken over as interim group vice president of supply chain. Hormel’s board is still looking to identify Snee’s replacement via a search committee that is considering both internal and external candidates.
More About Baker
Baker joined the company in 1990, spending his entire career thus far with Hormel. In the last 35 years, he has held several roles across sales, product management and marketing. In 2012, he was named VP of marketing for foodservice before being promoted to group VP of the segment in 2015 and then leader of marketing for the deli business in 2018.
Most recently, he served as group vice president of retail marketing for Hormel’s value-added meats business.
Snee said Baker was hired for his reputation for strategic thinking and a strong track record of growth.
Baker takes over for Scott Aakre, who is retiring after working with Hormel for 35 years. Aakre will exit the leadership position at the end of the 2025 fiscal year. He does, however, gain a seat on the board.
