John Ghingo

As executive vice president for the Retail group at Hormel Foods, John Ghingo is responsible for the general management of the business unit and the stewardship of the company’s portfolio stable of iconic, consumer brands.

Hormel Foods is a global branded food company with over $12 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include PLANTERS^®, 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 best companies to work for by U.S. News & World Report, one of America’s most responsible companies by Newsweek, received a perfect score of 100 on the 2023–24 Corporate Equality Index and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts.

Ghingo is an accomplished business leader with extensive experience in the consumer packaged goods industry and has a proven track record of driving brand growth. He served as president of Applegate Farms, LLC from 2018 through 2022. After his tenure at Applegate, Ghingo served as the chief executive officer of a better-for-you snacking company owned by private equity firm Kainos Capital.

Prior to Applegate, Ghingo served as the president of plant-based foods and beverages at The WhiteWave Foods Company, where he led the Silk and So Delicious Dairy Free brands. Before joining WhiteWave, he spent more than 15 years at Mondelēz International where he held numerous leadership roles in marketing and general management, supporting well-known brands such as Oreo, Planters, Cadbury and Trident.

Ghingo graduated from the University of Notre Dame and earned his MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University.

He is a National Board Member for After School All Stars, the leading provider of after school, in-school services for children in need across the United States and the Chair of the Advisory Board for the New York University Stern School of Business Center for Sustainable Business.