Compass Coffee Talk Episode 25 — Mark Retzloff: A Lifetime of Service to the Planet and Its People
Compass Coffee Talk Episode 25 — Mark Retzloff: A Lifetime of Service to the Planet and Its People
Leading Podcast Compass Coffee Talk Welcomes Mark Retzloff, an Original Founder and Pioneer of the Modern Day Organic Food Industry, June 15, 2022, 11:30am EST.
Wednesday, June 15, 11:30am – 12:00pm EST
Zoom, Admission is Free
Mark Retzloff, CEO, Climate Foods
Compass Coffee Talk™, now in its 25th episode, continues exploring the industry landscape of natural, organic and sustainable products with guest Mark Retzloff. With a wide ranging impact throughout the natural products industry in his five decades of service, Mark continues to push the envelope in the role that food, agriculture and climate change play in our society and environment.
As Co-Founder of Alfalfa’s Market, Mark Retzloff was influential in the inception of natural foods retail in the United States, and helped set the standard for the modern day full service retail environment we know today. From there, Retzloff became Co-Founder of Horizon Organic Dairy, and was instrumental in leading one of the first organic milk brands to nationwide success and becoming a household name. Mark is also a Co-Founder of Greenmont Capital Partners and former Chairman of Organic Food Alliance where he was instrumental in Washington D.C., leading passage of the Organic Food Production Act in 1990. Today, Mark is CEO of Climate Foods, furthering his mission to promote soil health, make delicious regenerative organic food products and absorb tons of carbon out of the atmosphere to minimize the impacts of climate change.
About Mark Retzloff
Mr. Retzloff is a pioneer in the natural organic and sustainable food and agriculture industry with a 51-year career starting and managing a number of successful companies. He is co-founder and former chairman and CEO of Alfalfa’s Markets and also co-founded Aurora Organic Dairy in 2003. He was the University of Michigan’s School for the Environment and Sustainability, (SEAS), Practitioner in Residence for 2014/2015 and 2015/2016, and serves on the Colorado State University School of Agriculture Dean’s Advisory Board. He is past Chairman of the Board of Natural Habitats Group, a Rotterdam, NL and Boulder-based, fully integrated leader in worldwide organic sustainable palm oil production, processing, and distribution. Mark currently mentors, counsels, consults and advises numerous leaders and companies in the Natural, Organic, Local and Sustainable food and agriculture sector. In 2019, Mark co-founded Flock LLC which is a dynamic movement aimed at fast-tracking regenerative agriculture for the preservation of the planet and people.
In 1990, Mr. Retzloff was chairman of the Organic Food Alliance which was instrumental in passing the federal 1990 Organic Food Production Act in Washington D.C, and went on to become the co-founder of Broomfield, CO.-based, Horizon Organic Dairy. He then became Chairman of Rudi’s Organic Bakery, a leading Colorado-based national organic brand, where he helped execute a successful turn-around. He lends his knowledge as a board member and advisor to emerging companies, which have included Blue Horizon Organic Seafood, BlueSun BioDiesel, Boulder Ice Cream, Crocs Footwear, Evol Burritos, Goddess Garden, Haystack Mtn. Goat Cheese, Sambazon Acai, Traditional Medicinals, Tempt Hemp Milk, and Uncle Matt’s Organic Juice. Mr. Retzloff is a founding partner at Greenmont Capital Partners, and founder and former Chairman of The Organic Center and he is a past 11-year board member of RSF Social Finance.
About Compass Coffee Talk™
Take a 30-minute virtual coffee break with Compass Coffee Talk™. Hosted by natural industry veterans Bill Capsalis and Steve Hoffman, Coffee Talk features lively interactive conversations with industry leaders and experts designed to help guide entrepreneurs and businesses of any size succeed in the market for natural, organic, regenerative, hemp-derived and other eco-friendly products.
Compass Coffee Talk™ is produced by Compass Natural Marketing, a leading PR, branding and business development agency serving the natural and organic products industry. Learn more.
