To meet the demand, Paul Willis recruited hog farmers, mostly from the Midwest, to raise pigs under contract.

[8] In July 2006, Chicago-based Natural Food Holdings (part of Hilco Equity Partners) bought a major stake in the company; at the time, Niman Ranch was losing close to $3 million.

[10] In April 2010, former Niman Ranch treasurer Gary Steven Gross was indicted by a federal grand jury of defrauding the company of more than $1.6 million.

[12] In September 2015, Perdue Farms, a large privately owned poultry company, announced that it was buying Natural Food Holdings, the owner of Niman Ranch.

[13] Beginning September 1, 2016, all of Niman Ranch’s pork, beef, lamb and processed products, including bacon, sausages, hot dogs, and hams, became Certified Humane[14] by the Humane Farm Animal Care program, making them the largest multi-protein company in the U.S. to join the program.