Bill McAlpin, who started the company, also produces La Minita coffee at his family's estate of that name in Costa Rica. Aging clearly enhances beef, and marbling beef and lamb tend to coincide with full flavor, tenderness, and the impression of greater juiciness, although there's no direct cause and effect. Bill Niman, after years of weekly tastings at the company, believes that good flavor comes first of all from raising animals outdoors. The pork comes from a number of small farms in Iowa and adjacent states. Through the growing Niman market, Willis has saved many traditional family pork farms.
Niman lamb is raised on four ranches in California and one in Utah.
Niman uses no genetically modified products. Country ham is dry-cured, of course, and Wigwam is well aged. The ground ginger and cassia are a revelation to anyone who hasn't tried them. Tom Eck's company offers an unusually wide and discriminating selection of the finest teas.