Hormel Foods Corp. today announced 69 suppliers were awarded a 2008 Spirit of Excellence Award for their role in the company’s continuous improvement process during the past year. These suppliers are from a variety of service areas, including purchasing, transportation, provisions, producers, contractors, co-packers and local plant suppliers.

“This award showcases the dedication of each of our suppliers to help Hormel Foods achieve the industry’s ‘gold standard’ for quality and product safety,” said Melanie A Faust, director of purchasing at Hormel Foods. “Our suppliers are held to the highest standards for quality and the recipients of this award not only provide a high level of customer service and technical expertise in their area, but they continually propose concepts to help Hormel Foods improve its processes.”

Suppliers who qualify for the Spirit of Excellence Award must maintain a minimum Supplier Rating Index score of 92 over a 12-month period. This score is determined by a universal measurement system started in 1990, to ensure every supplier is held to the same standards. Criteria for the Spirit of Excellence Award include meeting performance requirements, making on-time deliveries and providing high-level administrative support. Additionally, the committee weighs suppliers’ customer support and awareness and commitment to environmental concerns.

All winners of the 2008 Spirit of Excellence Awards enter the running for the Hormel Foods No. 1 Award. This award is given out every five years and will be awarded in 2011 for 2006 to 2010. Criteria for the Hormel Foods No. 1 Award require the recipients to have received a Spirit of Excellence Award during four out of five years.

The 2008 Spirit of Excellence Award winners are: Alcan Packaging; ALKAR-RapidPak Inc.; American Fuji Seal Inc.; Walter G Anderson Inc.; ARAMARK Uniform Services; Ball Corp. & Metal Food and Household Products; Bunzl Processor Division; Commercial Services; Crown Cork & Seal Co. Inc.; Dakota Hogs; Decker Truck Lines; Dickey Transport Inc.; Dickson Industries Inc.; East Penn Manufacturing Co. Inc.; Ecolab Inc.; Environmental Land Management; Fieldale Farms Corp.; Fox Electric; G E Leblanc Inc.; Gamer Packaging Inc.; Gleeson Constructors LLC; Graphic Packaging International Inc.; Griffith Laboratories USA Inc.; Dave Hamm; Holiday Express Corp.; Mike and Steve Hopkins; Hub Group Inc.; Hugoson Pork Inc.; Don Hummer Trucking; JBS Hogs; The Joseph Co. Inc.; K&K Livestock; KOFAB; LB Pork; Lou-Rich Inc.; A.J. Lysne Contracting Corp.; M&M Farms and Honey Creek Farms; Marzolf Swine Inc.; McFarland Truck Lines Inc.; The Meyers Printing Cos. Inc.; Midwest Coast Transport; Minnesota Corrugated Box Inc.; Multivac; New Fashion Pork; Newly Weds Foods; North Country Pork; Ron Nykamp; Byron O’Connor; Paris Foods; Phinney Farms; Precision Industries; Preston Refrigeration Co.; RR Donnelley; Rebco Pork Inc.; John Regier; Silgan Containers Corp.; Smyth Cos. Inc.; Snethen & Sons; Superior Cos. of Minnesota Inc.; Viscofan USA; Voight Legacy Farms LLC; Wayne Farms LLC; Weber Inc.; Werner Electric Supply and Van Meter Industrial Inc.; Wilbur Pig; Windmill Farm USA Inc.; Wolf-tec Inc.; WS Packaging Group Inc., and xpedx.