Two consumer trends – increased protein consumption and snacks as meal replacements – appear to be runaway freight trains in 2026. Perhaps that helps explain why Hormel executives are all smiles these days.
“The rise of protein and real food is really something that has longevity and staying power,” said Heather Vossler, Hormel’s director of innovation and insights. “It’s very much an enduring trend, and it’s a way of life.
“So, as a company that makes real food and protein as a focus, it’s wonderful to see,” Vossler told The Food Institute.
According to research by the Hartman Group, 75% of consumers are actively trying to add or increase protein to their diets. And Hormel Foods – a processor armed with a vast portfolio of protein products like Jennie-O turkey, SPAM, Black Label Bacon, and Planters nuts – is well-positioned to take advantage of consumers’ growing protein consumption.
Kate Winston
Meanwhile, the Austin, Minn.-based company is also leaning into consumers’ growing habit of grazing throughout the day.
“It’s a real shift in consumer behavior,” said Kate Winston, Hormel’s senior omnichannel sales manager. “Because people are pressed for time, snacking has become that lifestyle shift. … People are looking for these protein solutions in their snacking, and often on-the-go.”
“Snacking has permeated, literally, every type of food, every type of category,” Vossler said.
Hormel’s New Rules of Hyper‑Personalized Shopping
These days, Hormel executives hear four consumer demands most frequently:
- High protein products
- Authentic, global flavors
- An enjoyable experience
- Value
“People are shopping so holistically now, especially with the rise of e-commerce and omnichannel,” Vossler said. “Everything is hyper-personalized now. And a lot of that comes from the social media influence.”
Heather Vossler
In many ways, grocery shopping has become fragmented, as consumers often use multiple methods and multiple retailers, as they consider factors such as their tightened budget, their busy schedule, or the specific diet of each member of their household. As a result, it has become imperative for food processors like Hormel to carefully consider promotions, product innovation, and pack sizes.
“Everything we focus on is how we (can) reduce friction points,” Vossler explained. “How do we solve problems for consumers that makes it easier to meet their personalized goals?”
Leaning into AI
Hormel executives have seen meal occasions blur recently. That fact can create challenges when it comes to manufacturing new products. That’s why the 135-year-old company is researching consumer preferences like never before.
Hormel has a cultural anthropologist, Tanya Rodriguez, at its disposal. The company has a culinary team that provides “field and food experience.” It has robust research and insights teams.
And, the company has leaned into AI research heavily over the past year. Hormel is leveraging AI for both analytics and to spur innovation in order to, as Vossler puts it, “leverage some of those fringe trends we’re starting to see pop up.”
Hormel has turned to such AI research “to make sure we’re staying on the cutting edge of what trends look like,” Vossler explained. “We always make sure we have a human checkpoint – we’re always going to make sure we have that balance … Because food is so highly emotional. So, you always have to make sure you’re blending that art and science together, to get a real human insight, and behavior that’s empathy-driven.”
Food Manufacturing Opportunities in 2026
Right now, opportunities abound for food manufacturers that offer value. Hormel walks a fine line in that respect, offering premium products like Black Label bacon in addition to budget-friendly items like SPAM. 
“We want to make sure that stuff we’re putting out there is, A, solving a problem, and B, becoming part of culture,” Vossler explained.
Hormel is attempting to assist the restaurant sector with its relatively new Flash 180 chicken products, designed to reduce friction points in the growing market for breaded chicken.
Similar to so many food companies in 2026, Hormel is supremely focused on offering value. Especially for consumers.
“We’re very conscious – through packaging, channel, price points, convenience, and quality – how we make sure that we’re meeting consumers’ needs,” Vossler said. “Consumers are in a tough place right now, with inflation fatigue.”
Food for Thought Leadership
In this episode, The Food Institute sits down with William Grand, founder and CEO of NutriFusion, to examine the growing health crisis tied to ultra-processed foods—and what it will take to fix it.
