AUSTIN, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

In their mission to push bacon forward, the makers of HORMEL® BLACK LABEL® bacon today unveiled The Black Market, the ultimate destination for bacon lovers and online consumers alike. The Black Market is a multisensory bacon experience designed to launch consumers on a quest in a world of bacon, while providing them with the ability to purchase bacon in a previously unimaginable way; as the first ever mobile virtual reality shopping experience available to consumers via a smart phone that does not require using an application or headset.

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The Bacon Scented Virtual Reality Viewer (Photo: HORMEL BLACK LABEL bacon).

The Black Market continues HORMEL BLACK LABEL bacon’s We’re Always The New Black™ campaign, which celebrates over 100 years of pioneering bacon innovations including the invention of Canadian Bacon, in America, and The Reggie Watts Bacon Experience, a genre-bending musical creation.

Users can experience The Black Market in virtual reality by visiting www.BlackLabelBacon.com on a smart phone and positioning the phone in front of their eyes. To amplify the user’s experience, a limited number of custom bacon-scented Google Cardboard are available, at no cost, on The Black Market.

The Black Market enables users to navigate four immersive bacon worlds of variety, including a Dark Woods, a Volcano, a Salty Sea and the darkness of Outer Space to unlock and purchase select varieties of HORMEL BLACK LABEL bacon in virtual reality.

“We’re proud to advance our mission of celebrating the exceptional, pushing bacon forward and bringing better bacon into more homes with new distribution channels and buying experiences,” said Steve Venenga, Vice President of Marketing at Hormel Foods. “The bacon needs of consumers and HORMEL BLACK LABEL bacon customers are constantly changing, prompting us to create experiences that deliver beyond their expectations.”

Bacon buyers may also purchase unique HORMEL BLACK LABEL bacon products using a streamlined version of The Black Market without virtual reality on their desktop at BlackLabelBacon.com. For immediate gratification, select HORMEL BLACK LABEL bacon products can be explored and purchased on a traditional ecommerce storefront here www.BlackLabelBacon.com. Unique varieties like Hormel Black Label Jalapeno bacon can now be added to a user’s cart with one click.

HORMEL BLACK LABEL bacon is available in new, innovative flavors including Double Smoked bacon, available today, and Low Sodium with Sea Salt bacon, available in December. Products are available in a variety of forms including 16-ounce Single Packs, 24-ounce Stack Packs and 9.5-ounce Fully-Cooked, with more options coming soon, offering consumers a wide selection to choose from on The Black Market.

HORMEL BLACK LABEL bacon’s innovations in products and distribution continue its mission to push bacon forward. Experience other new HORMEL BLACK LABEL bacon innovations, including The Reggie Watts Bacon Experience and Kickstarter campaign, at BlackLabelBacon.com. Be the first to know about future HORMEL BLACK LABEL bacon innovations on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About HORMEL® BLACK LABEL® BACON

Hormel Foods has been perfecting the flavor of bacon for more than 100 years. The strict specifications and natural hardwood smoke allow Hormel Foods to produce the highest quality bacon. Maximizing consistency, leanness and quality, HORMEL® BLACK LABEL® bacon delivers a meaty flavor perfect for any meal occasion. Hormel Foods offers HORMEL® BLACK LABEL® raw bacon, Canadian bacon, as well as microwave-­ready and fully cooked bacon, which are convenient choices for today's busy lifestyles.

About Hormel Foods

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer branded food and meat products, many of which are among the best known and trusted in the food industry. Hormel Foods, which leverages its extensive expertise, innovation and high competencies in pork and turkey processing and marketing to bring branded, value-added products to the global marketplace, is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2016. The company is a member of the Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500 Index, S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, and was named one of “The 100 Best Corporate Citizens” by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for the eighth year in a row. Hormel Foods also received a perfect score on the 2016 Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index, was recognized on the 2016 Best for Vets Employers List by Military Times, and was named one of the 2016 Best Companies for Leaders by Chief Executive magazine. The company enjoys a strong reputation among consumers, retail grocers, foodservice and industrial customers for products highly regarded for quality, taste, nutrition, convenience and value. For more information, visit http://www.hormelfoods.com and http://2015csr.hormelfoods.com/.

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