Hormel Foods has named its current president John Ghingo as the CEO of the US food business to replace Jeff Ettinger.
Ettinger has helmed the New York-listed manufacturer since he took over on an interim basis last year from Jim Snee, who retired as president and CEO of the Jennie-O turkey and Skippy peanut butter brand owner.
Amid those changes, Ghingo took the president seat from Snee.
The new CEO will assume his additional role on 26 October and will remain a board member. Ettinger will also continue to hold a board seat.
"I am honoured to lead Hormel Foods, a company with an extraordinary legacy, trusted brands and a clear purpose," Ghingo said in a statement today (28 July).
"We have real momentum and a talented team. I am energised to build on that foundation - investing in our brands, modernising how we operate and creating lasting value for our customers, consumers, team members and shareholders.”
Announcing second-quarter results in June, Ettinger left the sales revenue outlook for 2026 at $12.2bn to $12.5bn, despite elevated fuel, logistics and commodity costs.
He also oversaw the disposal of Hormel Foods’ whole-bird turkey business to Life-Science Innovations. The deal did not include the Jennie-O brand name or the wider range of Jennie-O turkey products.
The interim CEO then announced the sale of the company’s business in Brazil to domestic food producer Zanchetta Alimentos, including the Ceratti brand.
Ettinger said today: “Over the past year, John and I have worked closely together, and I've seen firsthand his commitment to the Hormel Foods' culture, people and portfolio and his clear focus on the opportunities ahead.
"I have great confidence in John's ability to lead the company into its next chapter.”
Ghingo joined Hormel Foods in 2024 to lead its retail business before expanding his oversight to foodservice and international as president.
His career includes executive roles at US peer Mondelez International and WhiteWave Foods before it was acquired by French dairy giant Danone in 2016. He also headed up the Hormel Foods’ subsidiary of Applegate Farms from 2018 to 2022.
Hormel Foods chairman and board member Bill Newlands said: “John has quickly demonstrated his ability to lead at enterprise scale, setting clear strategic direction and translating strategy into disciplined execution.
“Under his leadership, we believe Hormel Foods will be well positioned to drive our modernisation agenda, accelerate sustainable growth and create long-term value for shareholders.”
