Hormel Foods Taps Domenic Borrelli as Executive Vice President of Retail, Bringing Extensive Category Leadership to Iconic Brand Portfolio

Rhea-AI Summary

Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL) appointed Domenic Borrelli as executive vice president of Retail, effective Feb 23, 2026. Borrelli will lead the Retail business unit, described as one of Hormel's largest growth engines, overseeing many of the company's flagship consumer brands.

He brings 25+ years in food and beverage, including roles directing multi‑billion‑dollar businesses with full P&L responsibility, and joins from Danone North America where he led the Beverage Creations business.

Positive

• Appointment effective Feb 23, 2026
• Borrelli has 25+ years food and beverage experience
• Experience directing multi‑billion‑dollar businesses
• Held full P&L responsibility in prior roles
• Joined from Danone North America, led Beverage Creations
• Will lead Retail, a stated major growth engine for Hormel

Negative

• None.

News Market Reaction

-2.02%

1 alert

-2.02% News Effect

On the day this news was published, HRL declined 2.02%, reflecting a moderate negative market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Industry experience: 25 years Effective date: February 23, 2026 Fiscal 2025 net sales: $12.1 billion +5 more

8 metrics

Industry experience 25 years Domenic Borrelli’s experience across food and beverage industry

Effective date February 23, 2026 Start date as executive vice president of Retail

Fiscal 2025 net sales $12.1 billion Fiscal 2025 net sales from DEF 14A

Diluted EPS 2025 $0.87 Fiscal 2025 diluted EPS, down from $1.47

Prior diluted EPS $1.47 Prior-year diluted EPS before decline to $0.87

Record dividends $633 million Dividends paid in fiscal 2025

Current share price $24.72 Price before this news, up 4.21% over prior close

52-week range $21.03 – $32.07 Price stood 22.92% below 52-week high and 17.55% above low

Market Reality Check

Price: $23.78 Vol: Volume 4,928,926 is sligh...

normal vol

$23.78 Last Close

Volume Volume 4,928,926 is slightly above 20-day average 4,624,061, indicating modestly elevated trading interest. normal

Technical Shares trade below the 200-day MA, with price at 24.72 versus MA of 26.88.

Peers on Argus

HRL gained 4.21% while close peers like MKC (-0.03%), SJM (0.93%), PPC (0.48%), ...

HRL gained 4.21% while close peers like MKC (-0.03%), SJM (0.93%), PPC (0.48%), GIS (0.55%) and K (-0.02%) were mixed and mostly near flat, suggesting a stock-specific reaction to the management announcement.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jan 12 (Neutral)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Jan 12	Leadership retirements	Neutral	+2.8%	Announced upcoming retirements of two long-tenured operations and marketing leaders.
Jan 06	Product launch	Positive	-0.5%	Introduced two new Hormel Mary Kitchen skillet varieties at select retailers nationwide.
Dec 18	CMO appointment	Positive	+0.0%	Created enterprise-wide CMO role to centralize brand and digital marketing strategy.
Dec 16	Brand promotion	Positive	-1.4%	Announced PLANTERS NUTmobile relaunch and hiring of new Peanutters for 2026 tour.
Dec 15	Portfolio transaction	Positive	-1.4%	Completed transaction making Justin's a standalone company with shared ownership.

Pattern Detected

Recent news often relates to brand initiatives and leadership/structure changes, with mixed price reactions and several instances where positive-sounding updates coincided with negative moves.

Recent Company History

Over the past month, Hormel Foods issued several updates touching leadership, products and portfolio structure. On Dec 15, 2025 it completed a transaction making Justin's a standalone company with Hormel retaining 49%. Brand engagement followed on Dec 16, 2025 with the PLANTERS NUTmobile relaunch, and on Jan 6, 2026 with new MARY KITCHEN skillet varieties. Enterprise capabilities were strengthened by appointing a new CMO on Dec 18, 2025. The current appointment of an executive vice president of Retail continues this focus on leadership and brand-driven growth.

Regulatory & Risk Context

Active S-3 Shelf

Shelf Active

Active S-3 Shelf Registration 2025-12-05

The company has an effective Form S-3ASR universal shelf filed on 2025-12-05, allowing issuance of senior unsecured debt securities over time. Specific terms such as maturity and interest rate would be set in later prospectus supplements, and proceeds may be used for general corporate purposes including working capital, acquisitions, capital expenditures, debt repayment or refinancing, and stockholder returns.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement details the appointment of a seasoned executive to lead Hormel’s Retail business, ...

Analysis

This announcement details the appointment of a seasoned executive to lead Hormel’s Retail business, a key growth engine. It follows recent moves to enhance marketing leadership and refine the brand portfolio. Filings also point to fiscal 2025 headwinds, including lower EPS, alongside record dividends. Investors may watch how this hire influences retail growth, margin trends, and capital allocation, including any future use of the company’s universal senior unsecured debt shelf.

Key Terms

p&l responsibility

1 terms

p&l responsibility financial

"including leadership roles directing multi-billion-dollar businesses with full P&L responsibility"

P&L responsibility means being accountable for the profits and losses generated by a business unit, product line, or project. Like being the driver of a car who also pays for fuel and repairs, the person with P&L responsibility makes decisions that affect revenue and costs and is judged on the net result; investors watch this because it shows who controls financial outcomes, how risks and incentives are managed, and where value is created or eroded.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

AUSTIN, Minn., Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), a Fortune 500 global branded food company, today announced the appointment of Domenic Borrelli as executive vice president of Retail, effective February 23, 2026. In this role, Borrelli will oversee the Retail business unit, which includes many of the company's most recognized consumer brands and represents one of its largest growth engines.

"I am delighted to welcome Domenic to the company. He has a proven track record of creating consumer-driven growth in well-established, legacy businesses and categories and a strong understanding of how to drive results by staying close to consumers, building strong customer partnerships and supporting teams with clear, strategic direction," said John Ghingo, president, Hormel Foods. "His experience and enterprise perspective position him well to help advance our agenda and deliver on our strategic priorities across our Retail business unit."

Borrelli brings more than 25 years of experience across the food and beverage industry, including leadership roles directing multi-billion-dollar businesses with full P&L responsibility and guiding complex transformations. His expertise spans brand building, commercial strategy and enterprise leadership, with a proven ability to accelerate growth across categories.

He joins Hormel Foods from Danone North America, where he served as president and general manager of the Beverage Creations business, leading a portfolio of brands and delivering multi-year performance across coffee creamers, ready-to-drink coffee and premium waters.

About Domenic Borrelli

Borrelli has held senior leadership roles at Danone North America including beverages, premium dairy and plant-based businesses. He led integration initiatives, transformation programs and category expansion grounded in consumer insight and cross-functional execution.

Earlier in his career, Borrelli held multiple leadership positions at Kraft Foods, including vice president of marketing for the U.S. coffee division and vice president roles across grocery and beverages. He later served as vice president of marketing and general manager, North America sustainable meat, at Maple Leaf Foods.

Borrelli holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University and a bachelor's degree from York University in Toronto. He has served on the boards of the Organic Trade Association and the National Coffee Association.

About Hormel Foods — Inspired People. Inspired Food.^™
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minnesota, is a global branded food company with approximately $12 billion in annual revenue. Its brands include PLANTERS^®, SKIPPY^®, SPAM^®, HORMEL^® NATURAL CHOICE^®, APPLEGATE^®, WHOLLY^®, HORMEL^® BLACK LABEL^®, COLUMBUS^®, JENNIE-O^® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of the best companies to work for by U.S. News & World Report, one of America's most responsible companies by Newsweek, recognized by TIME magazine as one of the World's Best Companies and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement — Inspired People. Inspired Food.^™ — to bring some of the world's most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit hormelfoods.com.

Contact:	Media Relations
	Hormel Foods
	media@hormel.com

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hormel-foods-taps-domenic-borrelli-as-executive-vice-president-of-retail-bringing-extensive-category-leadership-to-iconic-brand-portfolio-302662814.html

SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation

FAQ

When does Domenic Borrelli start as Hormel Foods EVP of Retail (HRL)?

Borrelli's appointment is effective Feb 23, 2026.

What will the new Hormel Foods EVP of Retail (HRL) oversee?

He will oversee the company's Retail business unit, which includes many flagship consumer brands and is a major growth engine.

What is Domenic Borrelli's background before joining Hormel Foods (HRL)?

He joins from Danone North America, where he was president and general manager of the Beverage Creations business.

How much industry experience does Hormel Foods' new EVP of Retail (HRL) have?

Borrelli brings more than 25 years of experience across the food and beverage industry.

Does Domenic Borrelli have P&L experience relevant to his role at Hormel Foods (HRL)?

Yes; he has led multi‑billion‑dollar businesses with full P&L responsibility according to the announcement.