Hormel Foods VP of corporate strategy retires

During his 36 years at Hormel Foods, Splinter led the company’s grocery products division and held executive positions with the refrigerated foods and Jennie-O Turkey Store divisions.

After joining the company in 1994, Splinter was promoted several times and took over as group vice president of grocery products in 2010, growing the segment organically and through acquisitions such as Wholly Guacamole dips, SKIPPY peanut butter and Justin’s nut butters​​. He assumed his current role in October 2016.

Most recently, Splinter led corporate strategy for Hormel Foods, including corporate innovation, digital experience, communications and corporate development, including leading the M&A pipeline, which resulted in several acquisitions over the last few years.

Splinter helped develop Hormel Foods’ digital, e-commerce business and incubator center, which led to the launch of its in-house Happy Little Plants brand in 2019, a plant-based protein product line now in retail locations throughout the US.

“Jim’s brand-building expertise, combined with his innovative and strategic mindset, has helped us build a winning portfolio of new and emerging brands and positioning us to capitalize on new growth spaces for years to come," ​said Hormel Foods CEO and chairman of the board, Jim Snee.

"His leadership of the company’s strategy group resulted in the creation of first-of-its kind innovations, industry-leading acquisitions and the creation of a new e-commerce model within our company."​