Hormel Foods launches Innovative, Easy-to-open carton package from Tetra Pak®

Tetra Recart™ packaging system makes its debut in the United States

Two of America's favorite chili brands are showing consumers that it is indeed "hip to be square".

HORMEL® Chili and STAGG® Chili, both part of the Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL), portfolio of brands, will soon be available in convenient, easy-to-open Tetra Recart carton package by Tetra Pak. Both chili brands are among 32 Hormel Foods brands that have first or second market shares within their product category.

"Our consumer research showed a clear preference for this new packaging concept," said Larry Vorpahl, vice president and general manager of grocery products, Hormel Foods. "The Tetra Recart carton offers consumers a variety of advantages, including portability, easy opening and pouring, and convenient, space-saving stackability in kitchen cupboards. In addition, the products are preservative-free. We are pleased to be the first to offer such innovation in the category with two of our key brands - HORMEL® Chili and STAGG® Chili."

In markets across the United States, HORMEL® Chili and STAGG® Chili are converting packaging from cans to Tetra Recart cartons beginning this month. Tetra Recart, developed by Tetra Pak, the world leader in food processing and packaging solutions, is a square carton package made out of a new paperboard laminate material designed for food products traditionally packed in cans, glass jars or pouches. Hormel Foods is the first and only company to offer chili in Tetra Recart packaging.

The Tetra Recart carton packages can be used to pack wet shelf-stable products, such as chili, which contain particles of any size, like beans and rice, with a shelf life of up to 24 months. Tetra Recart's paperboard laminate material allows the product in the package to be sterilized in the same manner as the traditional canning process. In addition, the package's laser-perforated easy-open feature allows consumers to open the package with no can opener - and it presents no sharp edges.

(The Tetra Recart packaging material is recyclable and complies with Food and Drug Administration [FDA] and United States Department of Agriculture [USDA] standards. For more information, click here.)

"With Hormel Foods, we have a perfect partnership for our latest innovation," said Alan Murray, president, Tetra Pak Inc. "Hormel Foods has the vision and competence to make this a strong success with consumers - and we have the right tools to help them do it." According to Murray, Tetra Recart also offers logistical advantages to retailers. For example, the square shape of Tetra Recart offers efficiency gains throughout the distribution chain because up to 50 percent more packages can be placed on a standard pallet. This efficiency also translates to superior on-shelf performance in supermarkets.

About Hormel Foods
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer-branded food and meat products, many of which are among the best known and trusted in the food industry. The company leverages its extensive expertise, innovation and high competencies in pork and turkey processing and marketing to bring quality, value-added brands to the global marketplace. In 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004, Hormel Foods was named one of "The 400 Best Big Companies in America" by Forbes magazine. The company enjoys a strong reputation among consumers, retail grocers, foodservice and industrial customers for products highly regarded for quality, taste, nutrition, convenience and value. For more information, please visit www.hormel.com.

About Tetra Recart
Tetra Recart is a combined processing and carton-based packaging system for in-container sterilization food. Running at a speed of up to 24,000 packages per hour, the production capacity of a Tetra Recart line is similar to that of modern canning lines. It is however an unprecedented speed for carton-based packaging systems.

• The Tetra Recart system presents two major technical differentiating features:
  The packaging material has a different structure from traditional carton packages in order to withstand the rigors of the retorting process.

• The package looks similar to existing carton packages but is produced differently and has a new opening solution that is convenient for consumers and is well suited to the intended food products.

The Tetra Recart package is optimized to work with batch retorting systems. These systems sterilize the package and content simultaneously using steam and hot water. The product inside is usually heated to over 120C during retorting - a temperature required to render the content commercially sterile.

For further information:

Please contact:

Hormel Foods
Julie Craven
+1 507 437-5345

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