The Hormel Foods Corporation says it is tweaking the recipes of some canned and packaged meat products through the removal or replacement of some ingredients as part of a companywide clean label initiative.
“We know that a growing number of consumers are looking for products made with simple, familiar ingredients,” says Scott Aakre, vice president of corporate innovation and new product development at Hormel Foods.
Hormel says its Valley Fresh products, Hormel Compleats microwaveable meals, Hormel Always Tender meats and two Hormel side dishes have already been simplified. Projects are currently underway to simplify the ingredient statements for Hormel chili, Dinty Moore stew and SPAM products. According to the Associated Press, a Hormel spokesperson says SPAM Classic will remain untouched though the company’s SPAM Lite and SPAM Less Sodium will be modified.
The Austin, MN-based company says the goal of this initiative is to reduce sodium levels in these select products by an average of 15 percent. The company did not specify which ingredients it plans to change or eliminate.
“This initiative is in alignment with our company’s continuous improvement process and better positions our products with current consumer preferences,” says Kevin L. Myers, senior vice president of R&D at Hormel Foods. “Now consumers can feel even better about the products they know and love.”