OT: Intrigue and alleged espionage in the sausage mkt
A former Hormel Foods employee made off with top-secret sausage recipes and market intel before joining regional competitor Johnsonville, a new federal lawsuit alleges.
The Austin, Minn.-based maker of breakfast sausage and more accused Johnsonville and two former Hormel employees of conspiring to “unlawfully obtain Hormel’s trade secrets,” per the suit. Hormel is asking for the return and deletion of confidential data as well as unspecified monetary damages.
“The sausage market is increasingly competitive, and improper use of confidential, proprietary and trade-secret information, or wrongful competition or solicitation, could cause a manufacturer significant competitive economic disadvantage,” the suit read.
Johnsonville did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday. Hormel also did not immediately provide further comment Thursday.
Per the lawsuit:
In June 2023, veteran Hormel employee Brett Sims joined Johnsonville as chief supply chain officer.
Sims allegedly started trying to poach other Hormel employees to join him at the Sheboygan Falls, Wis.-based sausage company in an apparent violation of a non-solicitation agreement. One of the employees Sims reached out to was Jeremy Rummel, who joined Johnsonville this spring after 25 years with Hormel.
Before telling Hormel he was joining a competitor, Rummel allegedly sent “product formulas, processing procedures, acquisition-target information and marketing-strategy information” to his personal email.
“Rummel was attempting to take Hormel’s confidential business information and trade secrets to Johnsonville for the express purpose of exploiting the information for Johnsonville’s benefit and to Hormel’s detriment,” the suit said.
Hormel confronted Rummel, who confessed to sending the information to his personal email. Rummel then went to Sims’ house “with the intent to share the details of his interview with Hormel and develop a plan to protect his new role at Johnsonville,” according to the lawsuit.
Sims and Rummel did not immediately respond to an email Thursday, nor did an attorney named in the lawsuit who has worked with Rummel and Johnsonville.
According to the filing, Johnsonville did not cooperate when Hormel sent a letter “outlining Sims’ and Rummel’s violations of their agreements, detailing their unlawful behavior and asking for a number of assurances from Johnsonville.”
Startribune
Momma always told me not to trust anyone from Sheboygan, Wi.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
I smell Abe Froman.
MaroonBells wrote:
I smell Abe Froman.
After a day and a half of Danke Schoen in my head, I finally connected the dots as to why....thx
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
JimmyinSD wrote:
i am baffled as to what hormel would have that johnsonville would want?
Hormel has SPAM
"Spam" is a Monty Python sketch, first televised in 1970 (series 2, episode 12, "Spam") and written by Terry Jones and Michael Palin. In the sketch, two customers are lowered by wires into a greasy spoon café and try to order a breakfast from a menu that includes Spam in almost every dish, much to the consternation of one of the customers. As the waitress recites the Spam-filled menu, a group of Viking patrons drown out all conversations with a song, repeating "Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam… Lovely Spam! Wonderful Spam!".
Montana Tom wrote:
Hormel has SPAM
"Spam" is a Monty Python sketch, first televised in 1970 (series 2, episode 12, "Spam") and written by Terry Jones and Michael Palin. In the sketch, two customers are lowered by wires into a greasy spoon café and try to order a breakfast from a menu that includes Spam in almost every dish, much to the consternation of one of the customers. As the waitress recites the Spam-filled menu, a group of Viking patrons drown out all conversations with a song, repeating "Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam… Lovely Spam! Wonderful Spam!".
I was going to mention this! One of my favorite MP sketches. ;)
Thank God it was just sausage that they are stealing. If they were to get the SPAM information, it would be unforgivable! To be honest, my late mother-in-law made this special Spam and cheese baked bun thing that I still crave and wish I had the recipe for.
Born in 1961 - Still waiting for just one.... ;)
Fun fact: Hawaii consumes the most SPAM in the US.
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here”
Shakespeare
Montana Tom wrote:
Hormel has SPAM
"Spam" is a Monty Python sketch, first televised in 1970 (series 2, episode 12, "Spam") and written by Terry Jones and Michael Palin. In the sketch, two customers are lowered by wires into a greasy spoon café and try to order a breakfast from a menu that includes Spam in almost every dish, much to the consternation of one of the customers. As the waitress recites the Spam-filled menu, a group of Viking patrons drown out all conversations with a song, repeating "Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam… Lovely Spam! Wonderful Spam!".
Exactly my point... that shit isn't worth feeding to a dog.
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
StickierBuns wrote:
Johnsonville and Hormel both suck. Johnsonville sells a ton of sausage, but don't tell me its quality.
Quality...no, but its edible, hormel is terrible and spam is the worst product they make. Disgusting shit.
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
Here in Hawaii, at Costco theres half an aisle with different types of SPAM. (hate the crap personally)
Florida man pees on food inside Sam's Club, faces criminal charges
A man is facing criminal charges after police said he urinated on food at a Sam's Club in Central Florida, damaging more than $10,000 worth of meat.
The mess forced store employees to throw out two pallets of canned Vienna sausage and Spam resulting in a loss of more than $10,500, the court documents show.
A man of discerning taste… :cool: :angel:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/06/17/man-arrested-for-peeing-on-food-sams-club/84242428007/
Kentis wrote:
Florida man pees on food inside Sam's Club, faces criminal chargesA man is facing criminal charges after police said he urinated on food at a Sam's Club in Central Florida, damaging more than $10,000 worth of meat.
The mess forced store employees to throw out two pallets of canned Vienna sausage and Spam resulting in a loss of more than $10,500, the court documents show.
A man of discerning taste… :cool: :angel:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/06/17/man-arrested-for-peeing-on-food-sams-club/84242428007/
I’m impressed with his bladder capacity.
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here”
Shakespeare
I liked Spam as a kid, but then I was also a big fan of fried balogna. Went to buy some recently just for the kitsch of it and was shocked at how expensive it is.
MaroonBells wrote:
I liked Spam as a kid, but then I was also a big fan of fried balogna. Went to buy some recently just for the kitsch of it and was shocked at how expensive it is.
I could never get into spam, but a fried bologna sammich, little mayo, yellow mustard, and a razor thin slice of raw onion, on lightly toasted wheat bread... now you have my attention.
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
Edit Post (mod action — author will see a notice)
Warn Poster
Suspend User (3 days)
The user will be suspended for 3 days and will receive an email with the reason and information about how to appeal.