Brandtree

Who owns Columbus?

Columbus is owned by Hormel Foods (the United States, NYSE: HRL), which acquired the brand on 27 November 2017.[1][2] Columbus was founded in 1917 in San Francisco, California and was independent until 2017.

Key facts

Current owner
Hormel Foods Corporation verified
Owned since
· deal details
Acquisition price
$850 million (enterprise value)
Previous owner
Independent (1917–2017)
Owner HQ
🇺🇸 United States, Austin, Minnesota
Origin
🇺🇸 United States, San Francisco, California
Founded
1917
Category
FoodMeat, poultry & seafoodProcessed & packaged meat
Parent ticker
NYSE: HRL
Last verified
· 2 sources

About Columbus

Columbus makes salami and Italian-style deli meats, founded in San Francisco in 1917 by an Italian immigrant family. Hormel acquired the business in 2017 for $850 million, adding a premium delicatessen brand to its meat portfolio. It is sold mainly through the deli counter and pre-sliced packs rather than through the shelf-stable meat aisle.

Ownership timeline of Columbus

Owners of Columbus from 2017 to 2026 Hormel Foods 2017–present Hormel Foods 20172018201920202021202220232024202520262027
  1. 2017 – present Hormel Foods acquired 27 November 2017 [1][2] verified

Where Columbus sits in Hormel Foods

Controlling ownership as of . Brands grouped under the entity that owns them; large groups are collapsed.

Where Columbus sits in Hormel Foods Tree of 8 brands under Hormel Foods. Hormel Foods Columbus Applegate Dinty Moore Jennie-O Planters Skippy and 2 more

Open the full Hormel Foods ownership tree →

Other brands owned by Hormel Foods in food

See the full Hormel Foods brand portfolio (8) →

Deals involving Columbus

Acquisition closed

Hormel Foods acquires Columbus

Hormel acquired Columbus Manufacturing for about $850 million, buying a San Francisco maker of salami and Italian-style deli meats founded by an immigrant family in 1917. It gave Hormel a premium delicatessen business sold at the counter rather than from the shelf.

Value
$850m
Seller
Regulatory
None recorded

Latest news about Columbus

No tagged news items yet. Headlines are added nightly from public feeds; only titles and links are stored.

Headlines link to the original publisher. Brandtree does not reproduce article text.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the parent company of Columbus?

The parent company of Columbus is Hormel Foods, a publicly listed company headquartered in the United States.

Is Columbus American?

Yes. Columbus originated in the United States in 1917 and its owner, Hormel Foods, is also headquartered in the United States.

When did Hormel Foods buy Columbus?

Hormel Foods completed its acquisition of Columbus on 27 November 2017, after announcing the deal on 30 October 2017.

Who owned Columbus before Hormel Foods?

Columbus was an independent company from its founding in 1917 in San Francisco, California until Hormel Foods acquired it in 2017.

Is Columbus still owned by Hormel Foods?

Yes. As of 8 September 2026, Columbus is still owned by Hormel Foods. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.

Sources (2) & corrections

Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.

  1. [1] Hormel Foods Corporation Annual Report on Form 10-K filed 2025-12-05 — SEC EDGAR, SEC Form 10-K, published 5 December 2025; retrieved 8 September 2026.
  2. [2] Hormel Foods Corporation Form 8-K - acquisition of Columbus Manufacturing — SEC EDGAR, SEC Form 8-K, published 27 November 2017; retrieved 8 September 2026.

Report a correction Opens a pre-filled GitHub issue. See our corrections policy.