Team

The Natural Habitats Team is a seasoned team of professionals in scaling businesses and leading sustainable systems. Operating across four continents, four time zones and communicating in multiple languages, the Natural Habitats Team is a global organization aligned around a common vision of proving palm can be grown for good.

Management Team

AlfonsvanderAa_CEO

Alfons van der Aa

Founder and CEO, Natural Habitats Group

Alfons is both strong operator and entrepreneur. He has an excellent track record in strategic and business turnarounds, combined with strict financial management. He is confident and successful amongst many different cultures, having lived and worked in Holland, UK and Middle East, and managed global operations (North America, Europe and Asia).

Isabel Gonzalez

Isabel Gonzalez

HR Director, Natural Habitats Group

Joining the organization in June 2017, Isabel has over 20 years of diverse human resource and management experience specializing in start-ups to mid-size organizations. Her broad experience includes HR infrastructure and workflow development, talent acquisition and management, employee relations, performance management, training and development and policy design.

NeilBlomquist

Neil Blomquist

Chief Commercial Officer Natural Habitats Group, Managing Director, Natural Habitats USA, Inc.

Neil Blomquist has over 42 years of hands-on success building brands and companies in the natural products industry. Neil has practical experience in retailing, distribution, brand marketing, product sourcing, product development and organizational management. Formerly President and CEO of Spectrum Organic Products, Neil is the current Managing Director for Natural Habitats USA. An expert in in the development and marketing of sustainable business solutions for natural products, Neil provides oversight of all business activities in the U.S. for the Natural Habitats Group. An expert in fats and oils as well as sustainable business practices, Neil is the spokesperson for Palm Done Right, an international campaign on a mission to change the conversation around palm oil and working to prove that palm can be grown for good.

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Mark Retzloff

Chairman of the Board, Natural Habitats Group

Co Founder of Horizon Organic Dairy,
Aurora Organic Dairy, and Alfalfa’s Markets

Mr. Retzloff is a pioneer in the organic and natural foods industry with a 48-year career starting and managing successful companies. He is co-founder and chairman of Alfalfa’s Markets, Boulder-based natural foods stores. He also co-founded Aurora Organic Dairy in 2003, and currently acts as a senior advisor to the company. He was the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resource and Environment Practitioner in Residence for 2014/2015 and 2015/2016. He is former senior partner of the Boulder Farm Team consulting firm which works with companies in the Natural, Organic, Local and Sustainable food and sector. He is also Chairman of the Board of Natural Habitats Group, a Netherlands based, fully integrated leader in organic sustainable palm oil production, processing, and distribution.