Hormel Launches MegaMex Foods

Hormel Foods and Herdez Del Fuerte, S.A. de C.V., announce a definitive agreement to create MegaMex Foods, a 50/50 joint venture to market Mexican foods in the United States.

The venture will significantly expand the existing agreement between the two companies and produces a portfolio with initial revenue of about $200 million. The comprehensive portfolio includes brands and products, such as Chi-Chi's, Herdez, La Victoria, Embasa and Dona Maria, among others, which resonate with Mexican-American and mainstream consumers of Mexican foods.

€This expanded, long-term agreement with Herdez Del Fuerte is an example of how we continue to look to diversify our product portfolio,€ says Jeffrey M. Ettinger, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer at Hormel Foods. €MegaMex Foods will have the scale and skill set to establish leadership in Mexican foods and grow the category. The collaboration should allow us to better serve both the growing U.S. Hispanic population and the vast numbers of the general population who love Mexican food.€

In order to provide focus to the business, MegaMex Foods will be a free-standing entity with an independent management team based in Chino, Calif. MegaMex Foods will optimize efficiencies by leveraging core competencies of the parent companies, such as manufacturing, research and development and the supply chain.

The organization of MegaMex Foods is expected to be completed around October 26, 2009, which coincides with the start of fiscal year 2010 for Hormel Foods.