The Hormel Foods Corp. announced Monday that 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.”

Faust said the Spirit of Excellence Awards were started in 1990, and that the selection committee includes members from several departments at Hormel Foods (i.e., purchasing, accounting, operations).

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.

Award-winners include: Alcan Packaging

ALKAR-RapidPak Inc.

American Fuji Seal Inc.

Walter G Anderson Inc..

ARAMARK Uniform Services

Ball Corporation & Metal Food and Household Products

Bunzl Processor Division

Commercial Services

Crown Cork & Seal Company Inc.

Dakota Hogs

Decker Truck Lines

Dickey Transport Inc.

Dickson Industries Inc.

East Penn Manufacturing Company Inc.

Ecolab Inc.

Environmental Land Management

Fieldale Farms Corporation

Fox Electric

G E Leblanc Inc.

Gamer Packaging Inc.

Gleeson Constructors LLC

Graphic Packaging International Inc.

Griffith Laboratories USA Inc.

Dave Hamm

Holiday Express Corporation

Mike and Steve Hopkins

Hub Group Inc.

Hugoson Pork Inc.

Don Hummer Trucking

JBS Hogs

The Joseph Company 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 Companies 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 Company

RR Donnelley

Rebco Pork Inc.

John Regier

Silgan Containers Corporation

Smyth Companies Inc.

Snethen & Sons

Superior Companies 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.

xpedx