WILLMAR — Hormel Foods announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its whole-bird turkey business to Life-Science Innovations. The sale is expected to close by the end of the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, according to a news release announcing the sale.
In the agreement, Life-Science Innovations, based in Willmar, will receive the whole-bird production facility in Melrose, the feed mill in Swanville and related transportation assets. The company will also assume supply contracts for third-party turkey growers involved in the whole-bird business and provide co-manufacturing services to Hormel Foods through the end of fiscal year 2026.
Jennie-O branded products and the Jennie-O name will not be impacted by the agreement, according to the news release.
“Our strategy for sustainable, profitable growth centers on expanding our value-added protein portfolio to meet evolving consumer needs, while reducing our exposure to more volatile, commodity-driven businesses,” said Jeff Ettinger, interim chief executive officer of Hormel Foods, in the release. “We are confident that this portion of our legacy turkey business will be in good hands under LSI’s ownership, given their deep experience and expertise in this area.”
“This agreement is a continuation of a 75-year relationship with Jennie-O,” said Richard Huisinga, chief executive officer of Life-Science Innovations. “We are excited to combine the country’s newest, state-of-the-art hen plant, the Minnesota hen-grower families and our recent first-of-its-kind turkey hatchery.”
The financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed. According to the news release, Hormel Foods expects the sale to have a low impact on its adjusted 2026 results, which will be made public during the company’s upcoming quarter earnings call on Feb. 26.
Hormel Foods Corporation is an Austin-based food company with more than $12 billion in annual revenue. The company includes several brands such as Skippy, Spam, Jennie-O and more.
Life-Science Innovations is focused on advancing the agriculture and poultry industries. The company does work throughout the entirety of the turkey industry from hatching through processing. According to the Life-Science Innovations website, its family of companies includes Select Genetics, Willmar Poultry Farms, Headstart Hatching and Next Nest Hatching.
