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Perdue To Buy Specialty Meat Company Niman

The fourth largest chicken company in the U.S., Perdue, is poised to purchase Natural Food Holdings, which owns the Niman Ranch brand.

Niman serves a specialty meat market focused on antibiotic- and chemical-free products, and supplies pork to the Chipotle restaurant chain.

Perdue's acquisition signals another step in the company's quest for organic, pasture-fed and pharmaceutical-free products as conventional meat sales shrink in the U.S. and demand for niche meats grows.

The National Chicken Council reports that Americans consumption of meat has declined 10 percent over the last decade. Reuters reports that according to market research firm Spins, organic and natural food retailers saw a 9 percent growth in sales over the last year, compared to 1.3 percent for conventional stores.

Niman Ranch's founder, Bill Niman, recently told Business Insider that he cut ties with the company ten years ago because it "fell into the hands of conventional meat and marketing guys as opposed to ranching guys."

Read More:



  • Perdue Buys Niman Ranch, As It Expands In Specialty Meat Business (New York Times)
  • Perdue Farms To Buy Chipotle Pork Supplier Niman Ranch (Reuters)
  • Niman Ranch Pork: Now Brought To You by Perdue (Mother Jones)


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