Natural Products Expo East 2015

Mel Coleman
Vice President Emerging Markets
Niman Ranch


Mel Coleman was raised on a cattle ranch in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. In 1984 Coleman joined Coleman Natural Beef, a company founded by his father, Mel Coleman, Sr., the pioneer of the natural beef industry and the first to establish the standards and protocols necessary to garner the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s first natural label designating beef produced from livestock raised without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones. Prior to working with Niman Ranch, Coleman served as chairman of Coleman Natural Foods, a conglomerate of leading natural meat and poultry companies and the largest producer and processor of fresh and processed natural and organic beef, chicken, pork and lamb products. In addition to his roles with Coleman Natural Foods and Niman Ranch, Mr. Coleman played a key role in establishing the Organic Beef standards that became part of the National Organic Program in the 1990 Farm Bill. Experience: • Vice President, Emerging Markets, Natural Foods Holdings Niman Ranch division • Chairman, Coleman Natural Foods • Executive Vice President, Coleman Natural Beef • American Farmland Trust: B.O.D., Executive Committee, Chair; Growing Local Committee • TMP Leadership Training Center – Board of Directors, current Chairman • American Meat Institute: Board of Directors (2006-2009) • American Forests: Board of Directors (2003-2008) • Union of Concerned Scientists: National Advisory Board (2003-2008) • Organic Food Alliance: Founding Member (1988) • Organic Trade Association: Board of Directors (1988-1997)

Sessions :