“We know that a growing number of consumers are looking for products made with simple, familiar ingredients,” said Scott Aakre, vice president of corporate innovation and new product development at Hormel Foods.

Already simplified are the company’s Valley Fresh products, Hormel Compleats microwaveable meals, Hormel Always Tender meats and two Hormel side dishes. Projects are underway to simplify the ingredient statements for Hormel chili, Dinty Moore stew and Spam products.

“This initiative is in alignment with our company’s continuous improvement process and better positions our products with current consumer preferences,” said Kevin L. Myers, senior vice president of R&D at Hormel Foods.

Valley Fresh 100% natural chicken, for example, contains only chicken breast meat with rib meat, chicken broth, sea salt and rosemary extract.

“Now, consumers can feel even better about the products they know and love,” Myers said.

In addition, the company’s food-service division is focusing on clean labels as well.

Knowing that food-service operators and their patrons desire their ingredients and menu items to reflect what they find in their own pantries, all Hormel Foods food-service innovation efforts will continue to be chef-inspired with easily recognized ingredients, smart sodium levels and on-trend preparation methods.

Innovation product successes include Hormel Fire Braised meats, Hormel Natural Choice meats and recently introduced Hormel Fuse burgers. Each of these items are 100 percent all natural with zero preservatives, no artificial colors, no nitrites or nitrates added, and have no gluten-containing ingredients.

The Hormel Foods clean-label initiative builds upon the company’s sodium reduction efforts that have been in place for several years. The company aims to reduce sodium levels in select products within its branded retail portfolio by an average of 15 percent.

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