Chris Nelson

President and CEO, Kemin

Search every verified Chris Nelson interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a December 2015 interview, Chris Nelson, President and CEO of Kemin, discussed the company's growth since he took the helm in 2000, attributing it to "a really fabulous set of team members." He described Kemin as a family-run business headquartered in Des Moines that manufactures ingredients for human foods and animal feeds, with a goal of touching half of the world's population by the end of the decade. Nelson highlighted the company's support for STEM education, stating that "the more educated any consumer is, the better choices that they're going to be able to make." Nelson also discussed Kemin's partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme, providing pro bono scientific knowledge for food quality in disaster relief efforts. He cited the example of the Nepal earthquake, noting that the World Food Programme's work prevented starvation despite widespread destruction. Additionally, Nelson mentioned the company's production of lutein, a molecule found in corn and green leafy vegetables, which he said can help prevent macular degeneration if consumed in sufficient quantities, though he noted that "only about 4% of Americans actually eat those many" servings of fruits and vegetables.