Jennie-O Turkey Store ready to expand facility

Construction work for an expansion project at Jennie-O Turkey Store’s turkey processing facility in Faribault, Minnesota, is expected to begin soon now that the company has reached an agreement with the Faribault city government over concerns about parking.
Jennie-O Turkey Store has plans to add 17,521 feet of space to the facility, which would help the company increase production and add between 20 and 25 new employees.
However, city officials in August had expressed concerns about available parking, as the expansion would leave the facility about 25 spaces shy of the number the city would require. While production at the plant had slowed because of bird losses experienced during the avian influenza outbreak earlier in 2015, city officials were worried that when the plant resumes full production, parking would be a problem.
However, according to a report from the Austin Daily Herald, the city has approved variances that address the parking issues during and after the construction period.
Since the company is not seeking any public funding, it is ready to break ground on the construction project, said Deanna Kuennen, Faribault economic development director.
Jennie-O Turkey Store is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hormel Foods and is the second largest turkey company in the United States.

OSHA investigating Jennie-O plant where illnesses occurred

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  Andrea Gantz

  OSHA is investigating a Jennie-O Turkey Store plant, trying to determine why workers at the plant became sick.

  From WATTAgNet:
  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is working on an inspection of a Jennie-O Turkey Store processing plant in Willmar, Minnesota, where more than two dozen workers became ill on October 17.
  OSHA is presently gathering information to determine what may have caused so many people to get sick, said James Honerman, spokesman for the state's OSHA division, part of the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.
  "Minnesota OSHA Compliance will ... review what factors contributed to or caused the incident and then determine whether existing OSHA standards were violated," said Honerman. "The goal is to reduce hazards to workers and avoid a recurrence of similar accidents."
  The plant was evacuated after workers were displaying symptoms of illness, including coughing and vomiting. The affected employees all worked in the same area of the plant.
  Officials from Jennie-O Turkey Store and the Willmar Fire Department inspected the plant to check for any chemical leaks, but none were found. Tests to find carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and ammonia were negative.
  Honerman said OSHA would aim to close the inspection within a few months and said that if work hazards are found, citations or penalties from OSHA are possible. The plant’s last routine inspection, according to OSHA records, was conducted in February 2013 and did not yield any citations.

Jennie-O Turkey Store profits up 42 percent in 3Q 2014

Jennie-O Turkey Store’s profits increased 42 percent during the third quarter of fiscal year 2014, helping its parent company Hormel Foods overcome losses in its other segments. Hormel’s third quarter net income was $138 million, a 21 percent increase when compared to the third quarter of 2013.
Sales for Jennie-O Turkey Store were down 2 percent in terms of volume, but dollar sales were up 4 percent. Increased sales of value-added products, along with strong commodity turkey prices and lower feed costs more than offset lower live production performance and higher fuel expenses as the flocks from the winter moved through Jennie-O’s system during the quarter. Jennie-O ground turkey and deli products contributed to its sales growth over the quarter.
“Our team was able to achieve another quarter of record sales and earnings, with sales up 6 percent and earnings per share up 21 percent versus the same quarter a year ago,” said Jeffrey M. Ettinger, chairman, president and CEO of Hormel Foods.
“Strong demand for pork and turkey, and increased sales of value-added products in our Refrigerated Foods, Jennie-O Turkey Store and International & Other segments more than offset a challenging quarter for our Grocery Products and Specialty Foods segments. Our balanced model continues to support consistent revenue and earnings growth.”
Looking forward, Ettinger expects Jennie-O to continue to thrive through the fourth quarter.
“We anticipate a strong finish to the year from our Jennie-O Turkey Store segment, aided by beneficial grain markets and growing value-added sales, and from our Internation & Other and Specialty Foods segments,” he said.

Jennie-O Turkey Store donating $10,000 to fight hunger

Jennie-O Turkey Store is donating $10,000 to the United Way Growmobile food backpack program, on behalf of its operations in Willmar, Minnesota. Jennie-O Turkey Store also donated funds to this organization in 2012.
The United Way operates a “Growmobile” which is a mobile preschool that travels to neighborhoods in Kandiyohi County with an on-site preschool program. As part of this endeavor, healthy snacks and lunches are provided. Families in need receive a backpack each week with food supplies for a family of four.
“We are thrilled to partner with these organizations and contribute to their efforts to feed the families in need in our area,” said Matt Schrupp, plant manager for Jennie-O Turkey Store’s Willmar Avenue Plant. “Our employees and the company are excited to continue fighting hunger in our community.”
For the fourth consecutive year, Hormel Foods, parent company to Jennie-O Turkey Store, is giving funds to U.S. manufacturing facilities to share with nonprofits in their respective communities to fight hunger. In 2013, Hormel Foods donated $220,000 to local hunger relief organizations in more than 20 U.S. communities where it has manufacturing facilities. In 2014, the company will provide 39 plant locations with funds to help local organizations fight the hunger needs specific to each community.
“Hormel Foods has been able to help our plants relieve hunger in their local communities for the past three years,” said Julie H. Craven, vice president of corporate communications at Hormel Foods. “Because of the success we’ve had with this program, and as part of our ongoing commitment to helping fight hunger in the areas where we live and work, we are further expanding these donations to a total of 39 locations.”
Hormel Foods is helping those in need both in the United States and internationally through its “On Our Way to Ending Hunger” program. The company collaborates with retailers, nonprofits and the government on hunger relief efforts; nourishes the hungry in the U.S. and abroad; and motivates individuals and corporate partners to take action to fight hunger.

Jennie-O Turkey Store’s 4th quarter helps Hormel boost earnings

Hormel Foods saw its net earnings reach $157.3 million in the fourth quarter, a 19 percent increase from the net earnings achieved in the fourth quarter of 2012. Hormel Foods, the parent company of the Jennie-O Turkey Store, also experienced a 5 percent increase in earnings for the 2013 fiscal year at $526.2 million.
Hormel Foods on November 26 announced its financial results for the quarter and year ending October 27.
The Jennie-O Turkey Store accounted for 20 percent of Hormel's net sales and 27 percent of its total segment operating profit. Jennie-O delivered strong results for the quarter, with profits up 25 percent. The growth was driven by continued sales growth of value-added products and improved efficiencies throughout the supply chain. Jennie-O Turkey Store fourth quarter sales were up 7 percent in 2013, led by sales of fresh turkey chubs, turkey breakfast sausage and turkey bacon.
"We achieved excellent results in the fourth quarter with earnings per share growth of 18 percent and sales up 7 percent. We delivered both segment profit and sales increases in four of our five segments. We are pleased with our team's ability to drive earnings growth through our on-going efforts to improve operational efficiencies and focus on expanding our value-added franchises, providing strong momentum heading into fiscal 2014," said Jeffrey M. Ettinger, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Hormel Foods.
"In looking at the full year, we enjoyed sales growth of 6 percent, ending the year at a record $8.8 billion. We grew earnings per share by 5 percent, finishing at record earnings of $1.95 per share, at the upper end of our adjusted guidance range."

Poultry legends to be honored

Don Tyson of Tyson Foods Inc., Frank Perdue of Perdue Farms, and Earl Olson of Jennie-O Foods will be inducted into the Meat Industry Hall of Fame on October 27, 2009, alongside 18 other individuals.
The 21 new members were chosen in a vote by the Hall's Board of Trustees from among more than 70 executives, researchers, innovators and association leaders across all sectors of the meat industry.