Los Angeles is known for its vibrant food scene and new takes on traditional dishes. When the Hormel Foods team visited the Anaheim Packing District during its 10th anniversary World Tastes event celebration for the team’s Originate Summit, they were inspired by the opportunity to think beyond their products’ boundaries. Visiting Los Angeles, it became clear that there are unlimited possibilities for creating new dishes with the countless ingredients and traditions available, to learn from the cultures and cuisines that thrive in the city.
“Sampling so many different cuisines and seeing all the combinations of cultures, you can’t help but be inspired,” said Scott Aakre, group vice president and chief marketing officer. “This is the sort of experience that gives you a chance to turn on your imagination.”
LA’s Impact on the Summit
Carrying this inspiration into the heart of the Hormel Foods brands summit was essential, where they aimed to understand the process and improve communication between the people who were making it happen. During the event, the important connection between creativity and thoughtful execution was a recurring theme.
The Potential of AI
Surprisingly, AI was a major topic of exploration during the summit as a tool to stay ahead of the innovation process. Mattson Technology’s chief artificial intelligence officer, Steve Gundrum, demonstrated where AI might apply to Hormel’s processes.
It was observed that AI could be used to brainstorm new recipes and products, while AI agents trained on food-related social media could report on valuable consumer insights. Specific agents could focus on the wants and needs of particular demographics, helping other AI tools design new products fitting those descriptions.
There was concern of course, as pointed out by Hormel Foods’ in-house cultural anthropologist Tanya Rodriguez. Human innovators have a deep understanding of the relationship between food and culture, and a consumer will recognize whether a food offering is authentic or an attempt at creating the perfect food option. Despite the sophistication of analytical tools, companies like Hormel Foods cannot ignore the human experience behind food.
Innovating at the Summit
Without the help of AI, Hormel Foods is still finding ways to innovate. At the summit, Hormel Foods chefs prepared a buffet of Hormel Foods products inspired by LA’s cross-cultural experience, demonstrating new avenues for products.
Creating New Connections
Of course, this could not have been done without an effort toward in-person connections. There were only a few strangers among Hormel Foods’ innovators, but many had not yet met in person. Teams took this opportunity to strengthen personal connections while absorbing the culture all around them in LA.
“It is encouraging to see the method that Hormel Foods innovators follow,” said Kady Mahaffey, associate senior scientist for the Planters® brand. “It’s not just about what idea sounds great; we’re using tools and data and leveraging new technologies. I’m already feeling very inspired.”
During their in-person summit, Hormel Foods observed the vital importance of coming together to share food and the kind of experience their product is meant to offer. The comfort and connection of a discussion between individuals are bettered by a common plate, serving to increase collaboration in the future and foster understanding between brands. Lunches, dinners, and breaks became opportunities to build relationships that would extend beyond the office space and work environments.
A Push Toward Progress
Aakre left his team with a call to action on the final day of the summit, hoping to inspire them to feel more personally invested in the roles they have to play.
“If this is a three-day session, and then we go home and do the same thing we did before, it probably wasn’t worth our time,” he said. “If we go back and say, ‘I learned these things, I’m going to make sure I take advantage of them,’ then we’re doing it right. Personally, I’ll carry back with me a sense of urgency…I’ll be thinking about my personal accountability to drive results.”
