Brooks Johnson
Business Reporter
Food and manufacturingRaised in Fargo and educated at the University of Montana, Johnson worked at newspapers in Idaho, Washington and Duluth before joining the Minnesota Star Tribune at its relaunched Duluth bureau in 2019. He lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and their young sons.
Latest from Brooks Johnson
Hormel leaning on cost cuts, price hikes to boost profits next year
The Spam-maker has experienced a string of tough years, including 2025, but analysts predict a stronger year to come.
December 4, 2025
![Hormel headquarters in Austin, MN. ] GLEN STUBBE * gstubbe@startribune.com Friday September 11, 2015 Despite woes throughout the food industry, partly due to consumers turning away some from processed foods, Hormel has managed to continue prospering -- even though a good part of its business -- Spam, chili -- is about as processed as you can get. But the company's turkey and pork offerings are riding a hot protein trend. And over the past two years, it's made some of the biggest acquisitions in](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/527MWWMEXAN6BDVVGMMGBOERGU.jpg?&w=252&ar=3:2&fit=crop)
‘Forage of the future’: Minnesota’s StableFeed makes horse- and eco-friendly hay
Sainfoin has health and environmental benefits that have caught on quickly in the equestrian world.
November 25, 2025
General Mills CEO keeps a steady hand in turbulent time for Big Food
Eight years in, Jeff Harmening has learned to hold firm to the basics while embracing change at the Golden Valley-based company known for cereal.
November 10, 2025
The last bite: Minnesota energy drink Huxley debuts new cans
Also, a call for the protein craze to die out, cooperatives step up for food aid, and the alcohol industry seeks a government “condom” to counter the rise of THC.
November 7, 2025
CHS profits drop off as cooperative braces for another down year for agriculture
The Minnesota-based co-op does not expect commodity prices to pick up meaningfully next year.
November 5, 2025
Hormel cutting 250 jobs through layoffs, buyouts, hiring pause
The corporate restructuring at the Austin-based Spam-maker follows heavy inflation and a dim earnings outlook.
November 4, 2025
Editor's Pick
From more meat to less waste: How Minnesota food companies Cargill, General Mills use AI
Artificial intelligence-backed demand forecasting, supply chain tracking, prototype generating and even holiday commercials from Coca-Cola aim to make the industry more efficient without replacing human workers.
November 4, 2025
The last bite: Hormel’s tough run of bird flu, fire, a recall and earnings miss
Also in this week’s food and ag roundup, food volumes fall, more on Minnesota’s soybean situation and why Halloween spending is on the rise.
October 31, 2025
Cargill laying off 80 more employees at Minnesota headquarters
The cuts are in addition to 475 local jobs the agriculture giant eliminated earlier this year.
October 29, 2025
Minnesota soybean farmers fear lasting scars from Trump’s trade war with China
Farmers are already feeling financial stress, but they hope a deal might alter what they fear is a shift that will result in permanent lower demand for U.S. soybeans.
October 29, 2025
Hormel spins off Justin’s nut butters to private equity company
The Minnesota Spam-maker is selling a 51% stake in the brand to Forward Consumer Partners nearly a decade after buying it for $286 million.
October 29, 2025
3M still has reshaping to do, but don’t expect a ‘big bang’
Incremental product launches and business divestures will define the next few years at the Minnesota-based manufacturer.
October 29, 2025
