“Innovation is in the DNA of what we do—and it has been since the very beginning.” That’s a boast that most organizations would like to make, especially as they seek to assert their thought leadership and forge partnerships with existing and potential customers. But many businesses simply don’t have the track record to back it up. Hormel Foodservice does.

Beth Fehrenbacher, who makes that claim as Hormel Foodservice Innovation Team Lead, proudly points to “a legacy of innovation that goes all the way back to our founder, George A. Hormel, who is famously quoted, and often requoted within our walls today, as saying, ‘Originate, don’t imitate.’ From early on there has been a culture of curiosity and experimentation throughout the company, including our foodservice division, founded in 1990.”

To ensure you are building and maintaining solid relationships with suppliers, foodservice operators, menu developers and chefs should regularly evaluate both current and prospective vendor partners, confirming their reputation for delivering high-quality products, as well as their track record for innovation. Hormel Foodservice encourages this kind of assessment by its customers and offers insights into the processes and priorities that have led to an impressive list of inventive solutions—a list that continues to grow.

LISTEN AND LEARN

At the core of the Hormel Foodservice team’s approach to innovation is a commitment to collaboration and to the power of listening, says Fehrenbacher.

“Truly listening to our operators means going deep with them. It means spending time in their kitchens with their staff, observing real challenges and sharing ideas,” she continues, citing the expertise of 150+ foodservice sales reps trained to consult and innovate around operator needs. “It means taking their feedback to heart and being willing to make changes in the pursuit of effective solutions. There’s nothing more rewarding than an operator saying, ‘You nailed it; you really listened.’ We live for that!”

Innovation means having the courage and the savvy to recognize that you don’t have all the answers—yet. “We also listen internally and to our trusted partners,” says Fehrenbacher. “Perhaps there’s a new idea, technology or flavor. Often, it’s about listening to those closest to the project. Ideas evolve when the whole team—R&D, Culinary, Packaging, Operations, etc.—are standing around the benchtop focused on solving the operator’s pain point. Good ideas come from anywhere, and we’re intentional about listening when someone speaks up.”

Flavor goals dominate any new product rubric. Foodservice operators need to meet the ever-evolving preferences and need states of consumers, whose interests may range from greater international flavors to healthy builds, while also seeking craveability, comfort and a twist.

The Hormel Foodservice team understands that operators need solutions that do more than meet flavor objectives. Innovation means product development that can help operators improve efficiencies and leverage technologies. It means responding to greater customer interest in brands that can demonstrate sustainability in various ways, including ingredient sourcing.

One of the most fundamental principles in communications is to “show, don’t tell.” The Hormel Foodservice product portfolio bursts with examples of products created to solve specific challenges. They include:

• HORMEL^® FIRE BRAISED™ Chicken (breast and thigh)
• HORMEL^® BACON 1™ Perfectly Cooked Bacon
• FLASH 180™ Sous Vide Proteins
• CAFÉ H^® Pork Al Pastor
• HORMEL^® Ribbon Pepperoni
• SPECIAL RECIPE^® Chicken Halal Sausage
• NATURAL CHOICE^® 80mg Low Sodium Pot Roast
• AUSTIN BLUES^® Brisket

Here, Hormel Foodservice offers a behind-the-scenes look at the development of three of these landmark products, presenting the company’s approach to solutions-based innovation in action.

HORMEL^® BACON 1™ Perfectly Cooked Bacon

HORMEL^® BACON 1™ Perfectly Cooked Bacon: AN INSIDE LOOK

Bacon innovation extends back to the earliest days of the Hormel Foodservice division. “A short time after we were founded in 1990, we got behind our first innovation: HORMEL^® LAYOUT^® Bacon,” says Fehrenbacher. “This was the first time that bacon was prepared laid out on ready-to-cook parchment, rather than sliced in a stack.” Fast forward to 2014, and a bacon product—HORMEL^® BACON 1™ Perfectly Cooked Bacon—becomes the most successful product innovation in the history of Hormel Foodservice.

“The discovery process of the HORMEL^® BACON 1™ Brand was always about solving the age-old pain point of serving bacon in foodservice operations,” explains Blake Flores, Hormel Foodservice Director of Marketing. “Why does making great bacon need to be such a grand production? The grease, the time, the waste—there are so many back-of-house challenges to overcome when serving a great bacon offering. So, we asked ourselves: ‘What if a pre-cooked bacon existed that tasted like it was cooked from raw? A cooked bacon that wasn’t rubbery in texture. A cooked bacon delivering big flavor.’”

Solving these problems was a five-year development process involving all facets of the Hormel Foodservice team: R&D scientists, operations personnel and sales and marketing staff. The bacon expertise built over the years since the HORMEL^® LAYOUT^® Bacon launch was also a valuable resource. When a unique process was identified—and rallied around by those groups—it was given the greenlight by senior leadership to invest in the technology needed to commercialize. “The initial reactions when the HORMEL^® BACON 1™ Brand was launched was the most fun, because we accomplished everything we set out to do,” reports Flores.

To this day, HORMEL^® BACON 1™ Perfectly Cooked Bacon remains a disruptive innovation in a foodservice category (cooked bacon) that continues to grow. The product initially launched with two SKUs. Ongoing innovation around different formats and slice thicknesses has expanded the brand to 10 SKU offerings today and Hormel Foodservice sells millions of pounds every year. “In my opinion, even being 10 years in, we are still just getting started with what HORMEL^® BACON 1™ Perfectly Cooked Bacon can bring to the foodservice industry.”

CAFÉ H^® Pork Al Pastor

CAFÉ H^® PORK AL PASTOR: AN INSIDE LOOK

Travel plays an influential role with chefs and product developers alike. It was a trip to Mexico City that planted the seeds leading to the launch of CAFÉ H^® Pork Al Pastor. “We noticed that pork al pastor was everywhere—every corner, every place had its own take on it,” recounts Zach Vierkandt, Brand Manager of Premium Prepared Proteins. “But here in the U.S., we saw the gap.” It’s one thing for small restaurants, especially authentic Mexican concepts, to invest the time to produce their own recipe, but it would be prohibitive for larger brands to try to do the same thing at scale. “That’s where we saw the opportunity for the CAFÉ H^® Brand.”

The CAFÉ H^® line is composed of fully cooked, globally inspired proteins, expertly prepared with authentic spices and marinades, using methods inspired by their areas of origin. The R&D team conducts research in these regions to produce items that are as close to traditional as possible. The brand offers a significant back-of-house advantage: Products are simple to execute without the need for special equipment or expertise.

Al pastor is widely considered an approachable global flavor profile, an excellent entry point for consumers still hesitant about diving too deeply into unfamiliar cuisines. “The flavor isn’t too spicy, and its meat cut isn’t too unusual. Al pastor is an inviting option that encourages diners to explore even more global flavors,” says Vierkandt.

Traditionally, al pastor is prepared by marinating thin slices of pork for hours in fresh spices and chiles. These slices are stacked onto a spit, cooked slowly, then shaved off for use in tacos and other applications, typically topped with fresh pineapple.

Significant investment went into equipment to replicate the off-the-spit profile, while the R&D team developed a recipe to match from-scratch flavor and quality. This includes a marinade that features chipotle and guajillo chiles and achiote spices. “Unlike many versions that break down under the weight of added pineapple juice, our carefully crafted approach ensures the right balance of seasoning and texture,” notes Vierkandt. CAFÉ H^® Pork Al Pastor captures the bold, sweet-smoky-spicy taste of the Mexican street food staple, affirmed by one of the company’s Center of Plate specialists who spent a lifetime eating pork al pastor and declared the product’s flavor “spot on.”

AUSTIN BLUES^® Brisket

AUSTIN BLUES^® BRISKET: AN INSIDE LOOK

It feels like brisket is everywhere these days, but Hormel Foodservice is hardly new to the barbecue party! “We started with whole brisket 20 years ago,” says Vierkandt. “Then we moved to sliced brisket, followed by chopped brisket. Today, we also offer pulled brisket and brisket burnt ends. Depending on an operator’s needs, we have the SKU to support it.”

It’s no secret that true pit-smoked brisket from Texas is a labor of love, requiring hours of attention and care. Hormel Foodservice pitmasters have spent decades perfecting the art of slow smoking, creating a self-basting pit roasting technique. “We treat each brisket with the same care and precision as a small-batch barbecue joint,” says Vierkandt. “Only now, it’s available at scale.”

The size of the beef cut, along with the equipment and expertise required to prepare it, puts a housemade version out of reach for most volume foodservice operations. But consumers want brisket, and operators want to meet their demands. “Brisket is like bacon now,” declares Vierkandt. “It’s so popular!”

With AUSTIN BLUES^® Brisket, Hormel Foodservice offers a solution, one that gives operators greater culinary latitude in developing menu items that offer guests an authentic flavor experience. They can also leverage its premium quality and value by adding an appropriate upcharge.

According to Vierkandt, what sets AUSTIN BLUES^® Brisket apart is that “it’s truly pitmaster-crafted. We have pitmasters on-site at our Texas facility, managing real pits and a blend of hickory and oak to ensure a robust, smoky flavor.” Every brisket cooks differently, requiring a literal hands-on assessment to indicate readiness and a deliciously tender cut of meat.

A “WHAT’S NEXT?” ATTITUDE

A commitment to innovation means never building on the legacy of the past—and not resting on it. Hormel Foodservice is resolutely future-focused. “We’re looking at where the industry is going to be in three, five and 10 years. While no one has a crystal ball, it’s about finding the lasting story arches and insights that will stand the test of time,” says Fehrenbacher. “For example, we know that operators will continue to be challenged to recruit and retain skilled back-of-house labor. How can we continue to take steps out of the process, increase quality and consistency and improve back-of-house safety to help operators deliver a memorable dining experience?” To do this, the Hormel Foodservice team will continue to listen to their customers, their partners in innovation. “Operators are our inspiration!”

Click here to explore all of the innovative solutions from Hormel Foodservice.