Leslie Lee to Oversee Data Analytics & Insights as Hormel Foods VP of Digital Experience

Leslie Lee has been named VP of digital experience at Hormel Foods.

Most recently director of shopper engagement, she’ll be tasked with growing the No. 59 consumer goods company’s digital and e-commerce business strategy. In addition to overseeing digital marketing, e-commerce operations and innovation, Lee will also be responsible for the company’s digital product management, and data analytics and insights for the company's portfolio.

Prior to joining Hormel Foods, Lee spent more than eight years with ConAgra Foods in marketing and brand leadership roles. She’s also held marketing and brand management roles at PepsiCo, Kellogg Company and Campbell Soup Company.

She is filling the role previously held by Stephen Koven, who has left the company.

"Leslie brings nearly 20 years of CPG marketing and digital experience to this important and growing role within Hormel Foods," said Jim Snee, Hormel Foods chairman of the board, president and CEO, in a statement. "Our company has made significant investments in our omnichannel approach, with an integrated shopping experience for our consumers wherever they choose to shop. We will continue to combine the best consumer and customer insights with the latest technology to deliver an outstanding experience across all consumer touchpoints."

Hormel Foods has been undergoing a digital transformation of its financial systems, termed Project Orion, that’s providing the company with improved analytics, robotic process automation, and real-time financial data. Further implementation of the supply chain remains on track and will take place this year and in 2020 and 2021, Jim Sheehan, executive VP and CFO, said in a third-quarter August earnings call.

Hormel reported record net sales in Q3, up 4% to $2.4 billion, and the company saw “tremendous growth” in e-commerce sales, including direct-to-customer and online grocery pickup and delivery.

Snee noted during the call that the Hormel has brought millions of new households into its brands throughout the pandemic. “[U]sing a combination of IRI data, on-shelf availability data, custom research and data science, we are gaining deep insights into the number of new consumers coming into our retail brands, along with their demographics, behaviors and assessment of whether they will stay in our brand franchises over the long term,” he said.

“While we know it's unreasonable to retain 100% of the new consumers, as brand stewards, it is our responsibility to keep as many consumers in our brands as possible,” Snee added.