Hormel Foods (HRL) Appoints Jeffrey Ettinger as Interim CEO, John Ghingo as President

Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL) is one of the best alternative meat stocks to invest in according to analysts. On June 23, the company announced the appointment of Jeffrey M. Ettinger as interim CEO and John Ghingo as President. Ghingo’s promotion makes him the 11th individual to hold this position in the company’s nearly 135-year history. He will also join the Hormel Foods board of directors. For Ettinger, he is a serving member of the board, and his new role will last for 15 months. Both appointments became effective on July 14, 2025.

Hormel Foods (HRL) Appoints Jeffrey Ettinger as Interim CEO, John Ghingo as President

A busy supermarket with shelves full of packaged foods.

As President, Ghingo will directly oversee the company’s Retail, Foodservice, and International business segments. He will also be responsible for the company’s global operations, supply chain, research and development, and corporate strategy functions. On the other hand, Ettinger will oversee corporate functions, including finance, legal and external affairs, human resources, corporate communications, and ethics and compliance.

The company said that the leadership changes follow the planned retirement of current President and CEO Jim Snee. Meanwhile, the Hormel Foods CEO search committee has been dissolved, with the board planning to install a permanent CEO in October 2026.

Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL) is a global branded food company known for its protein-centric products, including turkey, pork, and plant-based offerings. The company owns Applegate, a brand that has actively explored alternative proteins and sustainable meat solutions. Applegate has partnered with food tech firms and invested in clean-label innovations that support the development of cultured meat.

While we acknowledge the potential of Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than HRL and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.