Hormel Foods Taps Scott Aakre To Lead New Consumer Insights CoE

Hormel Foods has named Scott Aakre SVP of its new consumer insights and innovation center of excellence, known as Brand Fuel. 

Announced earlier this year, the company is restructuring its operations to become more agile and consumer-focused. The new model includes a retail segment that will be powered by Brand Fuel, serving as its hub for innovation, consumer and shopper insights, brand diagnostics and supporting technology to enable consumer connections, 

It will also house the Digital Experience Group, Hormel’s e-commerce and digital content team that supports its brands and businesses in the virtual marketplace.

Currently VP of corporate innovation and new product development, Aakre has been with the company for three decades, and Jim Snee, Hormel Foods president and CEO, pointed to this deep experience, citing him as a talented leader. 

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Aakre joined the company 1990 and held a range of management positions for the company before being named group product manager and then director of marketing of grocery products in 2003 and director of marketing for Grocery Products later that year. He was elevated to VP of marketing for grocery products two years later and assumed his current role in 2011.

"Our iconic and industry-leading brands will continue to require a strategic focus and investment," said Snee. “Scott is an incredibly talented leader who understands the importance of our brands and products and how they meet the needs of today's, and tomorrow's, consumers. Scott's experience gained over the past 30 years with Hormel Foods will be invaluable as we continue to support our portfolio of brands to ensure their relevance for decades to come.”