Hormel vs Kellanova: Founders, CEOs and History
Hormel was founded in 1891 by George A. Hormel and is led by Jeffrey M. Ettinger. Kellanova was founded in 1906 by Will Keith Kellogg, John Harvey Kellogg and is led by Andrew Clarke.
Company facts
Founders
Hormel
George A. Hormel
George A. Hormel (1860-1946) founded Geo. A. Hormel & Co. in Austin, Minnesota in 1891. He established a small meatpacking facility that heavily emphasized minimizing waste, utilizing every part of the hog.
Kellanova
Will Keith Kellogg
Kellanova (originally the Kellogg Company) possesses arguably the most bizarre, religious, and accidental founding story in American industrial history, rooted directly in an austere 19th-century health sanitarium and a bitter brotherly rivalry.
John Harvey Kellogg
Dr. John Harvey Kellogg is the tragic, eccentric figure whose pursuit of physical and spiritual purity inadvertently laid the groundwork for one of the most successful commercial food empires in history.
CEOs and their tenures
Hormel
- Joel W. Johnson1993–2005
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
He moved Hormel toward branded and convenience foods. Jeffrey Ettinger succeeded him at the start of 2006.
Source - Jim Snee2016–2025
Former Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Snee broadened Hormel into snacking, but his final years were marked by commodity inflation, turkey weakness and falling profits. He retired as CEO in July 2025 and agreed to stay on as an advisor during the transition.
Source - John Ghingo2025–present
President; CEO effective October 26, 2026
As CEO-elect he is focused on priority brands, foodservice growth and portfolio shaping, including the Brakebush chicken acquisition.
Source - Jeffrey M. Ettinger2025–2026
Interim Chief Executive Officer
As interim CEO he oversaw the Transform and Modernize cost program, the Brazil divestiture and the Brakebush agreement, while adjusted earnings returned to growth in fiscal 2026.
Source
Kellanova
- John Bryant2011–2017
President and CEO of Kellogg Company
As CEO, he navigated a severe secular decline in breakfast cereal consumption by ruthlessly cutting costs and pivoting the corporate strategy toward savory snacks.
Source - Steve Cahillane2017–2025
Former Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Shifted Kellogg toward snacks and emerging markets and left after the Mars close. He became CEO of Kraft Heinz on January 1, 2026.
Source - Andrew Clarke2025–present
Global President, Mars Snacking (oversees Kellanova brands)
He focused the company aggressively on high-growth emerging markets and expanded the international footprint of core brands like Pringles and Cheez-It.
Source
Timeline: Hormel and Kellanova side by side
1891Hormel
George A. Hormel & Company Founded
George A. Hormel starts the company in Austin, Minnesota.
1894Kellanova
The Accidental Invention of the Flaked Cereal
Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and Will Keith Kellogg accidentally discover the process for creating toasted wheat flakes when stale boiled wheat is run through the rollers at the Battle Creek Sanitarium, producing hundreds of individual, thin, delicious flakes that…
1906Kellanova
Founding of the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company
Following a bitter, irreparable feud with his brother over the commercialization and sweetening of the flake recipe, Will Keith Kellogg founds his own company, launching an aggressive marketing campaign to introduce the sugared corn flakes to the mass market,…
1928Kellanova
Launch of Kellogg's Rice Krispies
The enterprise introduces Rice Krispies, featuring the well-known 'Snap, Crackle, and Pop' marketing campaign, which becomes one of the most successful and enduring cereal brands in history, demonstrating the company's mastery of flavor innovation and characte…
1937Hormel
SPAM Introduced
Hormel introduces SPAM, creating one of the world's most recognizable shelf-stable protein brands.
1964Kellanova
Introduction of Pop-Tarts
The enterprise launches Pop-Tarts, an influential, shelf-stable, frosted fruit pastry that can be toasted, creating an entirely new category of convenient, on-the-go breakfast and snacking that becomes a high-margin cash cow for the company.
1985Hormel
Austin Plant Strike
Workers at the Hormel plant in Austin, Minnesota, went on strike in August 1985 in a dispute that lasted into 1986.
1993Hormel
Renamed Hormel Foods
Geo. A. Hormel and Company was renamed Hormel Foods Corporation in 1993.
2001Hormel
Jennie-O Acquisition
Hormel expands its turkey platform through Jennie-O Turkey Store.
2001Kellanova
Keebler Foods Acquisition
Kellogg acquired Keebler Foods, adding Cheez-It, Club and Town House crackers that later became core Kellanova snack brands.
2012Kellanova
Acquisition of the Pringles Business from P&G
Kellogg acquired the global Pringles business from Procter & Gamble for $2.695 billion in cash, roughly doubling its international snacks business.
2013Hormel
Skippy Acquisition
Hormel acquires Skippy, adding a major peanut-butter brand to the portfolio.
2015Hormel
Acquired Applegate Farms
Hormel Foods acquired Applegate Farms for $775 million. Hormel executed a strategic acquisition of Applegate Farms for $775 million to capture the rapidly growing consumer demand for natural, organic, and antibiotic-free premium meat products.
2017Kellanova
Steve Cahillane becomes CEO
Steve Cahillane became CEO of Kellanova in 2017. Shifted Kellogg toward snacks and emerging markets and left after the Mars close.
2021Hormel
Planters Acquisition
Hormel acquires the Planters snack nuts portfolio from Kraft Heinz.
2023Kellanova
WK Kellogg Co Spin-Off and Kellanova Name
On October 2, 2023, Kellogg Company spun off its North American cereal business as WK Kellogg Co and renamed itself Kellanova.
2024Kellanova
Mars Agrees to Buy Kellanova
On August 14, 2024, Mars agreed to acquire Kellanova for $83.50 per share in cash, about $35.9 billion. Shareholders approved the deal on November 1, 2024.
2025Hormel
CEO Transition
John Ghingo is elevated to president and Jeffrey M. Ettinger becomes interim CEO effective July 14, 2025.
2025Hormel
FY2025 Net Sales of $12.106B
Hormel reports FY2025 net sales of $12.106 billion and net earnings attributable to Hormel Foods of $478.197 million.
2025Kellanova
Mars Completes Acquisition of Kellanova
Mars completed its acquisition of Kellanova on December 11, 2025, integrating Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts, RXBAR, Rice Krispies Treats, and Kellogg's international cereal brands into Mars Snacking.
2026Hormel
Brazil Divestiture
Hormel agreed to sell its Brazil (Ceratti) business in Q3 fiscal 2026; the sale closed early in Q4.
2026Hormel
Brakebush Agreement
Hormel agreed to buy value-added chicken company Brakebush Brothers for about $1.055 billion.
Acquisitions
Hormel
- Brakebush Brothers2026$1.1B
- Planters2021$3.4B
- Applegate Farms2015$775M
- Skippy2013$700M
- Jennie-O Turkey Store2001Undisclosed
Kellanova
- RXBAR (Chicago Bar Company)2017$600M
- Pringles Global Business (from P&G)2012$2.7B
- Keebler Foods2001Undisclosed
- Kashi2000Undisclosed
Questions about Hormel vs Kellanova
Who is the CEO of Hormel Foods Corporation and Kellanova?
Hormel Foods Corporation is led by Jeffrey M. Ettinger and Kellanova is led by Andrew Clarke. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Hormel Foods Corporation founded vs Kellanova?
Hormel Foods Corporation was founded in 1891 — 15 years before Kellanova, which was founded in 1906. Hormel Foods Corporation's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Kellanova.
How many employees does Hormel Foods Corporation have compared to Kellanova?
Hormel Foods Corporation employs approximately 20,000 people, while Kellanova employs approximately 23,000. Kellanova has the larger workforce at 23,000 employees, compared to Hormel Foods Corporation's 20,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Hormel Foods Corporation and Kellanova headquartered?
Both Hormel Foods Corporation and Kellanova are headquartered in United States. Their local rules and tax obligations may still differ.
Who founded Hormel Foods Corporation and Kellanova?
Hormel Foods Corporation was founded by George A. Hormel. Kellanova was founded by Will Keith Kellogg, John Harvey Kellogg.
Which company has a longer operating history — Hormel Foods Corporation or Kellanova?
Hormel Foods Corporation has been operating for approximately 135 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Kellanova has been in operation for around 120 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Hormel vs Kellanova overview