Hormel Foods confirms and clarifies Osceola Foods positive COVID-19 case

Hormel Foods is confirming the one positive case of COVID-19 at Osceola Foods. The company then commented to clarify that eight workers were not quarentined for coming in contact with the individual who tested positive for the virus.

Of the eight people quarentined, three were family members of the individual who tested positive and were quarentined at home by Hormel Foods. The other five people were only quarentined for coming into contact with the family members of the individual who tested positive.

Hormel Foods is not reporting individual cases but have voluntarily paused operations at three facilities out of 30 in an “abundance of caution” for the safety of staff.

All Hormel Foods locations have added education on COVID-19 for all staff, daily temperature checks, the use of masks or persal protective face coverings. They have onsite nurses, available to answer questions, advise staff members and help get them access to local testing for the virus. They have increased sanitization frequency, updated policies and restrictions for visitors and business travel as well as expanded remote work for staff where applicable.

Hormel Foods is a global branded food company that produces brands including SKIPPY® peanut butter, Justin’s® nut butters, Wholly® guacamole dips, Herdez® salsas and Applegate® products, Dinty Moore® beef stew and Hormel® chili along with a wide variety of other well-known brands. Out of the more than 30 Hormel Foods manufacturing facilities only one is a hog harvest (meat packing) location and it is leased and operated by a third party who supplies to Hormel Foods.  All other Hormel Foods plants are value-added food manufacturing locations making branded products.