HORMEL VITAL CUISINE™ Brand Celebrates its Third Anniversary with Launch of New Products

Continues its Journey to Provide Nutrition for Those Going Through Cancer Treatment

New Products include Hormel Vital Cuisine™ 500 Shake and Carepack

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Oct 22, 2018, 08:00 ET

AUSTIN, Minn., Oct. 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Three years ago, Hormel Foods, (NYSE: HRL) created Hormel Vital Cuisine^™brand, a purpose-driven product line for people going through cancer treatment and recovery. Today, Hormel Vital Cuisine^™products are a growing part of Hormel Health Labs and continuing to innovate with new products and solutions.

Hormel Vital Cuisine™ 500 chocolate shake

The Hormel Vital Cuisine^™products, including ready-to-eat meals, protein nutrition shakes and whey protein powders, are specially designed to support the unique nutritional needs of cancer patients, including combating fatigue, unintentional weight loss, taste sensitivities, and decreased appetite.

The Hormel Vital Cuisine^™products are developed with support from experts at the Cancer Nutrition Consortium (CNC), a not-for-profit organization comprised of nutritionists, dietitians, oncologists, and physicians from leading cancer research institutions, along with culinary experts. To ensure great taste, the Hormel Foods team worked alongside some of the country's top chefs, including a Certified Master Chef from the Culinary Institute of America. A portion of the proceeds from sales of Hormel Vital Cuisine^™products benefit the CNC.

"Three years ago, we set out to give patients and caregivers delicious and convenient meal options during what is a terribly difficult time in their lives," said Tim Garry, director of marketing at Hormel Health Labs. "The feedback we receive from cancer patients, survivors and loved ones inspires us every day to find innovative ways to improve people's lives through better food and nutrition. We take great pride in our efforts."

As part of its 3^rd anniversary, the company is launching the latest in the Hormel Vital Cuisine^™product portfolio – the Hormel Vital Cuisine^™500 Shake. Each shake, which comes in either chocolate or vanilla flavor, has 22 grams of protein and 520 calories, designed to provide great-tasting protein and calories for those who may be challenged nutritionally during cancer treatment.

"We are very excited about the 500 Shake," said Garry. "We developed it based on feedback from patients who need more protein during or after cancer treatment. We wanted to offer our customers a shelf-stable shake that delivers on taste and is packed with protein that patients need for recovery. While the shakes were designed to specifically meet the needs of cancer patients, they are also of help to people who are undergoing other health challenges, including dysphagia. We even have people who continue to use them after their treatments are finished, which speaks volumes to the taste and nutritional value of the products."

In addition to the Hormel Vital Cuisine^™500 Shake, the company has also launched Hormel Vital Cuisine^™206 cookies and Hormel Vital Cuisine^™Fiber Basics Instant Soluble powder.

The Hormel Vital Cuisine^™ product line is available at select retail outlets and online through vitalcuisine.com and Amazon.

The company has also launched a new version of its Cancer Carepack, an easy to send box of nutritional items that provide supplemental nutrition as someone goes through treatment or recovery. The Carepack includes three ready-to-eat meals, three protein shakes, three whey protein supplement packets and a shaker bottle. The Carepacks are available at vitalcuisine.com.

The company has donated more than 7,000 cases of Hormel Vital Cuisine^™ products to American Cancer Society Hope Lodges.

The company plans to continue to expand the Hormel Vital Cuisine^™ brand on several new products the coming months.

ABOUT HORMEL FOODS — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenues across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY^®, SPAM^®, Hormel^® Natural Choice^®, Applegate^®, Justin's^®, Wholly Guacamole^®, Hormel^® Black Label^®, Columbus^® 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 100 Best Corporate Citizens" by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for the 10^th year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. In 2016, the company celebrated its 125^th anniversary and announced its new vision for the future — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ — focusing on its legacy of innovation. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://csr.hormelfoods.com/.