AGRICULTURE
Tanka Bar CEO Elevates Company's Profile by Andy Greenman
D
awn Sherman didn’t envision the impact she would make becoming the CEO of Native American Natural Foods’ Tanka Bar. As a second generation Lakota woman, she brings both her understanding of the food industry and a deep connection to enacting change in Indian Country. After growing up in Rapid City, Sherman then spent 25 years in the automotive industry before returning to South Dakota and her Lakota roots to head Native American Natural Foods’ (NANF) Tanka bar line of products. Founded in 2007 by Karlene Hunter and Mark Tilsen, Tanka Bar quickly rose to prominence in the healthy snack market as the first commercial meat and fruit bar. Their goal was to bring traditional Employees from Niman Ranch join Dawn Sherman, CEO of native foods into the wider marketplace, completely Native American Natural Foods, and her team at the Pine sourced and supported by Native peoples. The bar’s Ridge Reservation. Photo provided ingredients were based on wasna, a traditional meat and berry food that goes back hundreds of participating in the annual Niman Ranch Resiliency years. Hunter and Tilsen worked with community Panel with author Michael Pollan. members to create the Tanka brand, which was a Tanka Bars, along with the Tanka Fund, has commercial success, prompting inspired and supported a new many imitators. generation of entrepreneurs, “The more people eat As their success began to strain all centered back at the heart them, the more we can the cash-strapped startup, they of the Native community, realized that a larger picture was bison. Pushed toward the bring them back. They necessary to support the growing brink of extinction, the help with the great plains, movement to conserve these enterprise. Their three tier approach includes the Tanka Food they help with the carbon animals, especially on the Pine Co-Op, Native American Natural Ridge reservation, has many sequestration" Foods, and the Tanka Fund, a benefits, both culturally and - Dawn Sherman, non-profit supporting producers. economically. “Because they CEO, Native American Foods These three avenues help to build are keystone [species], the a sustainable business model more people eat them, the more that in turn invests in its people. Additionally, a we can bring them back. They help with the Great new innovative partnership with Niman Ranch, a Plains, they help with the carbon sequestration” says network of more than 700 independent farmers Sherman. The winning combination of regenerative across America, allows NANF access to technical agriculture’s impact on the environment and support, while providing Niman Ranch access to economy is dependent on the bison. producers of high quality meats. This partnership Food sovereignty has always been important to gives NANF the potential to add other Native food Native Americans, and Sherman’s work at NANF products to their offerings. represents the modernization of what the Lakota Sherman is a founding member of the have practiced for thousands of years — the use Regenerative Agriculture Alliance and has elevated of knowledge to be resilient and provide a vibrant Tanka Bar’s profile through the Niman Ranch future for the Pine Ridge community. With Sherman partnership. This new collaboration has led to at the helm, there are many good things on the her rise in the regenerative food movement, horizon for NANF.
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E L E VAT E R A P I D C IT Y OCTOBER 2020
