WESTMINSTER, COLO. — Coleman All Natural Meats has built a legacy on sustainably focused principles, humane animal care and a commitment to family farms. This year the company is honoring that rich history as it celebrates 150 years of operations.

Mel Coleman Jr., a fifth-generation family member under the Coleman All Natural Meats brand, has witnessed the company’s growth journey through the leadership of previous generations until ultimately taking the business up under his own wing. He has seen the company go through major changes like its acquisition by Perdue Farms in 2011 as well as nuanced adjustments to meet the latest best practices in animal welfare and environmental stewardship.

Coleman spoke with MEAT+POULTRY about the company’s strategy for success over the years and discussed what to expect going forward.

MEAT+POULTRY: In reflecting on Coleman All Natural Meats’ 150 years of operations, what do you think has been the key to the company’s steadfast success?

Mel Coleman Jr.: The key word in your question is steadfast. Both my grandparents and parents instilled in my brother, sister and me, that success is in large part a result of being steadfast and firm in your beliefs.  When things got tough, Dad would always remind us, “It takes time, patience and perseverance.”

As a grade schooler, I recall building fences on rangelands in one large area at a time, later realizing that Coleman Ranches were one of the first to embrace the concept of enhancing grasslands by using a pasture rotation management plan. Building fences in the Rocky Mountains will test anyone’s steadfastness and perseverance.

Fast forward to the 1960’s, during a drought in the Southwest, we were contracted to “summer” a herd of yearling steers from a ranch in Texas. These steers ended up being some of the wildest, hard-to-handle cattle we’d ever worked with. Come to find out they’d all been implanted with growth hormones. For us, that was just not the right thing to do, so we never added hormones to our livestock. We remained steadfast to our commitment while prioritizing animal welfare and humane raising practices.  

During the 1970’s when interest rates were high and the livestock market was in the tank, selling our livestock on the commodity market was not a viable option. As young parents, my brother and his wife were part of a Natural food co-op looking for beef raised without antibiotics or growth hormones for their families and children. That was the start of Coleman expanding into the branded direct-to-consumer meat business.

“Natural” to Coleman always meant humanely raised without antibiotics or added growth hormones. However, to label and sell Natural meats required USDA approval, so we began the arduous process of establishing what Natural Standards meant for raising livestock and poultry. The original definition with the USDA for “Natural” strictly defined how livestock and poultry should be raised. Unfortunately for producers and consumers alike, within a year the USDA changed its definition of “Natural” to only require that the product be “minimally processed and contain no artificial ingredients,” which is void of anything pertaining to animal raising practices.

Today Coleman remains steadfast in producing livestock and poultry products that have been raised without antibiotics, growth hormones and fed an all-vegetarian diet.

M+P: Has Coleman’s mission stayed consistent throughout the years? Have you noted any evolution in company values or overall strategy?

MC: Our mission and practices have stayed consistent throughout the years, which we are very proud of. We continue to build on the traditions and values that were put in place by my dad, Mel Coleman, Sr. We’ve evolved beyond beef to raise all livestock without crates, antibiotics or added hormones or growth promotants. We continue to evolve with the times, industry and needs of our customers to ensure that we are delivering the best pork products available. For example, as part of improving the quality and consistency of our products, our genetics are now 100% Heritage Duroc. We recently updated our logo and packaging options to better showcase the legacy of the Coleman brand and communicate the premium quality of our products. As part of the Perdue Farms family of brands, we have an extraordinary ability for new product innovation.

M+P: How did Perdue Farms’ acquisition of Coleman in 2011 affect the company? In addition to administrational shifts, did the acquisition open the company up to previously unreached markets or allow for increased production?

MC: The acquisition by Perdue Farms has not only allowed us to innovate, grow and explore new horizons but has set us free of being vision-constrained by the short-term goals of venture capitalists or investment bankers or the demands of Wall Street. It is a great honor to be working with the Perdue family. They have a long, rich, four generation history and are steadfast in their approach and philosophy of allowing us to remain “true to the trail” as the most trusted brand in Naturally Raised pork products. We both are committed to upholding the highest standards in producing safe, high-welfare, premium quality meats and poultry while meeting consumers' desire for convenience and great taste.

M+P: As a fifth-generation family operator of Coleman All Natural Meats, how have you embraced leadership and implemented lessons learned from previous generations?

MC: We believe that looking to the past for wisdom, inspiration and encouragement is always a wise and useful thing to do. There are a lot of lessons to tap into as I aspire to be a good leader in my family, community, our company and in our industry. That said, at Coleman, we always honor our core values and commitment to the stewardship of our natural resources, land, water and air. We value our trusted relationships with farm families who share like values and embrace our production and animal welfare standards and the Coleman team that transforms our products “from farm to fork,” so we can serve families with products they can trust and feel good about.

One of the most rewarding lessons I’ve learned has been our involvement with the training of support dogs for disabled veterans and first responders that have served our communities and country. Through American Humane's Pups4Patriots program we have helped serve those in need. I’m proud that my son and grandchildren have seen the growth of the brand and are here to celebrate the 150th year. I know that the lessons from today will be with the Coleman family 150 years from now.

M+P: An essential component to the Coleman’s brand is its all-natural, humanely raised meat produced in the United States. How has the company formed trusting relationships with farmers to deliver a final product that meets these standards?

MC: At Coleman, we build long-term, trusting relationships with our farmers by providing clear standards, ongoing support and transparent communication. By working together, we ensure that the meat we offer is all-natural, humanely raised, and produced with the highest ethical standards. Our partnerships are built on mutual respect, education and accountability, allowing both our farmers and our brand to grow sustainably while delivering the best product to our customers.

M+P: Coleman has hinted that 2025 will bring new rollouts, including packaging and product line extensions for bacon, rope sausage and flavor grinds. What spurred these changes and additions, and are there any further details you can offer on what to expect with these launches?

MC: We will never stop innovating at Coleman. We have our finger on the pulse of our customers' wants and needs as well as the food industry as a whole. We continue to look for opportunities to create delicious new products that are convenient, affordable and provide the tastes and flavors that our customers are looking for. There will be exciting new bacon SKUs available in the coming months that we would love to share with you when launched.