VALLEY FRESH® Products Certified with American Heart Association® Heart-Check Mark

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May 30, 2018, 08:00 ET

AUSTIN, Minn., May 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL) announced today that the American Heart Association has certified two of the company's VALLEY FRESH^® chicken breast products with the Heart-Check mark to make it easier for consumers to identify heart-healthy foods.

The Heart-Check Food Certification Program is designed to help consumers make informed choices about the food they purchase. The easy to identify mark means the food has been certified to meet Heart-Check nutrition requirements that limit saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and added sugars, and promote consumption of beneficial nutrients.

All VALLEY FRESH^® products are made with simple ingredients and contain no MSG, gluten, preservatives or artificial ingredients.

"At Valley Fresh, we want consumers to feel good about what's on their plate," says Resha Hovde, brand manager at Hormel Foods. "We are proud to offer all-natural chicken options that are not only delicious, but also meet the American Heart Association's Heart-Check certification requirements."

According to research from the American Heart Association, 75 percent of consumers report that they are familiar with the Heart-Check symbol. Additionally, 75 percent of consumers say they are more likely to purchase foods that feature the Heart-Check mark, regardless of age or number of kids in their household.

While all VALLEY FRESH^® products are 100 percent natural and include no preservatives or artificial flavors, the brand's 5 and 10 oz. 100% Natural Chicken Breast and 10 oz. 100% Natural White & Dark Chicken products include the Heart-Check mark on the label.

About the Heart-Check Mark
The American Heart Association established the Heart-Check mark in 1995 to give consumers an easy, reliable system for identifying heart-healthy foods as a first step in building a sensible eating plan. Products that display the Heart-Check mark have been certified by the American Heart Association to meet criteria for heart-healthy foods. To learn more about the Heart-Check mark, to see a complete list of certified products and participating companies, and to learn more about the nutritional criteria, visit heartcheck.org.

About Hormel Foods – Inspired People. Inspired Food.™
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenues across 75 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY^®, SPAM^®, Hormel^® Natural Choice^®, Applegate^®, Justin's^®, Columbus^®, Wholly Guacamole^®, Hormel^® Black Label^® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of "The 100 Best Corporate Citizens" by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for the 10th year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. In 2016, the company celebrated its 125^th anniversary and announced its new vision for the future - Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ - focusing on its legacy of innovation. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and https://csr.hormelfoods.com/.