GREELEY, Colo. – Colorado Premium has hired Mark Gustafson as its new director of international sales. Gustafson retired from JBS last year after serving as director of international beef sales in Greeley.
Gustafson has enjoyed a 38-year career in the meat industry, which included positions at Monfort, US Meat Export Federation (USMEF), ConAgra International and Swift and Co.
The hiring of Gustafson is part of Colorado Premium’s new effort toward expanding its export market. The company currently services markets in the Middle East, Central America, the Caribbean, the Philippines, Taiwan and more. Plans are to expand the export business in all sectors including foodservice, retail and distribution.
“We have received numerous requests for products sold into overseas markets,” said Colorado Premium CEO Kevin LaFleur. “The US exports less than 10 percent of its total beef supply and we have seen demand continue to grow for value-added cuts. We believe with the increasing amount of beef available over the next several years, the export market will be an increasingly vibrant growth channel for us. We are extremely fortunate to have someone with Mark’s international meat industry experience to join our team and lead the way overseas.”
In 1977, Gustafson began his career with Monfort of Colorado, where he worked until 1984 in production, production scheduling and international sales before joining the USMEF.
During his career, Gustafson has served on the US Secretary of Agriculture’s Advisory Committee for Meat and Poultry Inspection, the Agriculture Trade Advisory Committee, the National American Meat Institute’s International Trade Committee and the USMEF’s Executive Committee.
He graduated from the Univ. of Wyoming with a degree in animal science and is a member of the Board of Directors for the National Western Stock Show and the Board of Governors for Colorado State Univ.
