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CREATIVE COORDINATOR - EMERGING BRANDS (Bedminster, NJ)

To save time applying, Applegate Farms does not offer sponsorship of job applicants for employment-based visas for this position at this time.

ABOUT APPLEGATE FARMS

Founded in 1987, Applegate Farms, LLC produces high-quality natural and organic hot dogs, bacon, sausages, deli meats, cheese and frozen products. Our products are made without GMO ingredients, and we source from farms where animals are treated with care and respect and are allowed to grow at their natural rate, all part of our mission – Changing The Meat We Eat®.

Natural can mean many things, but to Applegate natural means our food is:

+ From animals Applegate humanely raised without antibiotics, added hormones or growth promotants

+ From animals fed a vegetarian or pasture-centered diet (our beef is 100 percent grass-fed)

+ Free of added chemical nitrites, nitrates or phosphates

+ Free of artificial ingredients or preservatives

Applegate became a stand-alone subsidiary of Hormel Foods in July 2015.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the direction of the Creative Director, responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing creative production across Applegate, Columbus, and other Emerging Brands as needed, helping connect creative production, packaging execution, and operational systems. This role integrates visual elements of brand design, photography, and marketing requirements with operational, structural, and regulatory constraints to deliver both creative and packaging assets. It requires strong project management skills to balance multiple projects in varying stages of development, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and brand equity are maintained. Owns accuracy and organization of all creative and packaging workflows in Asana, ensuring transparency, version control, and accountability across departments. The incumbent partners with cross-functional teams and external agencies, vendors, and prepress/print suppliers to ensure timely, compliant, and effective execution.

Creative Production

1. Schedule, prioritize, and facilitate photo and video shoots, coordinating products, props, models, and locations.

2. Maintain production calendars for internal teams and external contractors; lead biweekly production meetings with cross-functional partners.

3. Oversee the completion and approval process for shoots, ensuring revisions are managed and final assets distributed.

4. Manage relationships with external contractors and agencies, including designers, photographers, videographers, proofers, and printers.

5. Oversee eCommerce imagery creation in partnership with SGX and/or internal designers, maintaining consistency with brand standards.

6. Intake and review creative requests, clarify requirements, and assign projects to appropriate designers.

7. Manage PhotoShelter and campaign asset libraries; distribute assets as needed to internal teams and partners.

8. Support execution of marketing campaigns by monitoring creative deadlines, project plans, schedules, and budgets.

9. Coordinate contracts, purchase requisitions, vendor onboarding, invoicing, and product orders tied to creative projects.

Packaging Projects

1. Own SI numbers, trafficking, timelines, and asset/version control for packaging projects.

2. Act as primary liaison to SGX, managing briefs, queues, service-level agreements, and workflow.

3. Coordinate internal routing and approval processes for packaging development, ensuring accurate and timely feedback from stakeholders.

4. Develop and maintain packaging directive documents that consolidate structural, regulatory, and creative requirements—including die lines, product names, claims, nutrition facts, ingredient statements, inspection legends, and other mandated elements—for external design and prepress partners

5. Perform rigorous proofreading of packaging mechanicals and proofs, verifying accuracy against directive documents to prevent costly errors

6. Partner with Regulatory and Legal to ensure timely submission of packaging information to USDA and other governing bodies

7. Support documentation and governance handoffs to Brand, Legal, and Regulatory stakeholders.

8. Partner with cross-functional teams (Marketing, R&D, Operations, Quality, Regulatory) and external suppliers (design firms, printers) to ensure successful commercialization.

9. Maintain electronic and hardcopy records of packaging specifications, approvals, and artwork.

10. Monitor and audit packaging print quality; coordinate corrective actions with suppliers to resolve discrepancies.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required

+ 2+ years’ experience coordinating creative and/or packaging projects.

+ Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

+ Familiarity with packaging commercialization, regulatory requirements, and print production processes.

+ Excellent organizational, communication, and proofreading skills with keen attention to detail.

+ Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Asana required.

+ Experience with food/CPG packaging preferred

+ Experience with asset management systems (e.g. PhotoShelter preferred).

+ Knowledge of creative file formats, pre-press/pre-media workflows, and packaging substrates/print processes a plus.

+ Experience coordinating vendors, agencies, and print suppliers.

+ Applicants must not now, or at any time in the future, require employer sponsorship for a work visa.

+ Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States for any employer.

**LOCATION:** Bedminster, NJ

**BENEFITS** : Applegate Farms offers an excellent benefits package. Competitive base salary plus target incentive, annual merit increase performance reviews, medical, dental, vision, profit sharing, 401(k) immediate eligible, stock purchase plan, personal paid time. Relocation Assistance Program to eligible applicants, FREE two-year community/technical college tuition for children of employees, and more.

At Applegate, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. The base hiring pay range for this role is between $62,100-$87,000 per year, and your actual base pay within that range will depend upon a variety of factors including, but not limited to, job-related knowledge, skill set, level of experience, and geographic market location.

At Hormel Foods and Applegate we invite difference and diversity in all aspects. We offer a space of support, understanding, and community. We are committed to the journey! Learn more about our progress here: https://www.hormelfoods.com/about/diversity-and-inclusion (https://www.hormelfoods.com/about/diversity-and-inclusion/#xd\_co\_f=ODYwYTlkNGYtOTNiZS00MTc5LTlmNjItOTFkNjZjOGFhYmIy~)

Hormel Foods and Applegate provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race; color; sex; gender identity; sexual orientation; religious practices and observances; national origin; pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; status as a protected veteran or spouse/family member of a protected veteran; or disability.

**Requisition ID** : 31546

Hormel Foods Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.