Hormel Foods recalls select Dinty Moore beef stew cans over wood contamination

USA – Hormel Foods Sales LLC has issued a voluntary recall of specific 20-ounce cans of Dinty Moore Beef Stew due to concerns over possible contamination with wood fragments.

The recall affects products with the UPC code 0-37600-21583-1, a best-by date of February 2028, and the establishment number 199G T02045, all of which are clearly marked on the packaging.

According to the company, the issue was discovered after it was determined that some cans may contain pieces of wood, prompting immediate action to withdraw the affected batch from the market.

No other sizes or varieties of Dinty Moore Beef Stew, nor any other Hormel products, are included in the current recall.

This product alert follows recent comments from Hormel Foods Corp. CEO James Snee, who outlined plans to strengthen the company’s value-added and premium product lines heading into 2025.

Snee’s comments came as the company reported its financial performance for the quarter ending January 26, 2025, which showed only a slight 1% growth in organic net sales despite an overall soft retail environment.

At the same time, net earnings fell to US$171 million (US$0.31 per share), down from US$219 million (US$0.40 per share) in the previous quarter, reflecting continued pressure on margins.

Revenue for the quarter was reported at US$2.98 billion, slightly lower than the US$2.99 billion recorded during the same period last year.

Retail Challenges and Foodservice Growth

Hormel’s retail segment saw a downturn, with retail sales volume dropping by 3.7% to US$737 million, compared to US$765 million in the previous quarter.

Net retail sales also decreased slightly by 1.1%, totaling US$1.89 billion for the quarter.

Despite this, the company noted a 1.9% rise in foodservice revenue, reaching US$930 million as demand for premium prepared proteins in that segment continued to increase.

In fact, foodservice prepared proteins have now recorded double-digit growth for five consecutive quarters, helping to cushion the overall business.

Looking ahead, Snee expressed confidence that Hormel can maintain this momentum, pointing to stronger brand focus and category investments as key drivers for the remainder of the year.

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