As PURIS celebrates its 40th anniversary, we continue our tradition of sharing the stories of the people who have shaped our journey. This time, we sat down with Jordan Atchison, President of the PURIS Soy Business Unit, whose nearly two decades with the company offer a unique perspective on our evolution, values, and vision for the future.
Q: Can you introduce yourself and your role at PURIS?
Jordan Atchison:
“My name is Jordan Atchison, President of the PURIS Soy Business Unit. My team is responsible for the total soybean supply chain: contracting with producers, processing specialty soybeans in our facilities, and shipping them to the final food producers domestically and internationally. All in all, the whole closed-loop supply chain.”
Q: How did you first join PURIS, and what was your early experience like?
Jordan: “I just passed my 19-year mark on September 25th. I started in 2006 and spent a year and a half at our Iowa location before moving to Minnesota to be Plant Manager at our Randolph, MN soybean processing facility. There was no onboarding when I started; I was thrown directly into the field because it was harvest time. The main rule was: no walking in the field, so whatever I was doing, I ran from the truck to put the bags of harvested soybeans on the trailer and then ran to the next one.”
“I learned how to hand screen soybean varieties, do quality assurance, and evaluate all of the harvested crops. Each different event was something new that I learned that would help me throughout the entire business.”
Jordan Atchison in a field of PURIS Non-GMO Soy.
Q: What was the team like when you started?
Jordan: “When I first joined, it was a very tight-knit group—no more than 15 people between the plant in Oskaloosa, Iowa, the office, and the FTE soybean research team. Everyone had to wear multiple hats. There wasn’t a formal onboarding process; you just jumped in and learned by doing.
“It was a small team, but that meant you got to know everyone well and had a hand in almost every part of the business. We supported each other, and there was a real sense of camaraderie. If something needed to get done, everyone pitched in, whether it was cleaning soybeans, visiting farmers, or handling logistics.”
“Looking back, I believe that environment taught me a great deal about adaptability and teamwork. You couldn’t just stick to one job description; you had to be ready to learn new things and help wherever you were needed. That spirit of collaboration and willingness to tackle challenges together is something I’ve carried forward as the company has grown.”
Q: PURIS is known for pea protein, but soy has been a big foundation. How has the soy business evolved since you started?
Jordan: “When I started, we had one single facility. We were growing all our soybeans in Minnesota and eastern South Dakota, but had to transport everything to Oskaloosa, Iowa, only to turn around and bring it back to Minnesota to ship out by rail. That’s why we built Randolph, 35 minutes from the Minneapolis rail yard, to make it easier and more cost-effective for us and our customers.”
“We’ve come a long way in 19 years, developing natto, sprouting, high-protein tofu, and disease-resistant soybean varieties for farmers. Our reach has expanded: now we ship to Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and other Southeast Asian countries, along with several domestic customers.”
Jerry Lorenzen and Jordan Atchison holding natto and soymilk made with PURIS Non-GMO Soybeans, 2016.
“Also, our team has grown—on the grain side, there are around 50 to 55 people. It’s a more dynamic team and we’re much more efficient in our operations.”
Q: What makes PURIS soybeans different from commodity soybeans?
Jordan: “We’re one of the only companies that really develops our own proprietary non-GMO varieties. At this point, the only way to obtain them is by contracting with us. That’s very unique to the market.”
“We breed not only for the yield for the farmers in mind, but also for advanced agronomic characteristics. Such as high protein, size, taste, color, texture, and flavor. All of the different characteristics, depending on the food product these are being made into, are taken into consideration when we’re doing the breeding work and analysis.”
“We have a wide range of soybeans that can be used agronomically for a lot of different regions and food products while also focusing on how to maximize the yield and profitability for the farmer.”
Q: What core values from the PURIS family have influenced your work?
Jordan: “The main one that comes to mind is adaptability. All the way back from when Jerry started, he had to adapt to the soybean breeding landscape, the soybean market, and people asking him, ‘Why are you spending time breeding non-GMO soybeans when you could just do commodity soybeans?’ But we’re doing the work for a reason that’s way more important than making money—it’s about protein independence and our legacy.”
Q: How has being part of the family affected your perspective on the business?
Jordan: “When I started, I found out very quickly that this is a serious business. It was still in the start-up stage in terms of processing soybeans in the closed loop. Each day was a big deal. We had to ramp up the business and stay on track. Now that we’ve expanded our customer base and capabilities, we can take the time to focus on how to improve our operations. I feel fortunate to have worked during the time period where every day was critical and we were building the business, and now to be at the point where we’re building for the next 20 years.”
Q: What are some of your proudest milestones at PURIS?
Jordan: “It’s hard to stop and think about that while you’re still in it. For myself, the proudest moment is that the team is here. I’m proud that there are still five of us from the family actively involved. I’m also proud of the team we’ve built. Enterprise-wide, we’ve hired people much smarter than me to join the team.”
“I’m proud of the relationships we’ve built. We still ship to and have relationships with customers today who were our customers when I started in 2006. There’s been much continuity.”
“I’m very proud of the whole team for building the ingredient business in a very short period of time, that’s been a very difficult thing to do, but very rewarding.”
Q: What’s something outsiders wouldn’t realize about developing and selling PURIS soybeans?
Jordan: “If you started with a single seed today, it would be anywhere from 8 to 9 years before you’d have a commercial variety. The time it takes to start a breeding program like PURIS—you could start today and wouldn’t have anything to sell until 2033 or 2034. There’s so much work that goes into research and development before you can even go to customers with a variety.”
Q: Do you have a funny or unexpected story from your time at PURIS?
Jordan: “This is funny now, it was not funny at the time. We printed 20,000 bags for a Korean sprouting soybean tender, but the template we used was wrong. We had to dump the 20,000 bags, reprint, re-clean, repackage, and restack them, all in 10 days. The whole team rallied around me, and we got it done. It was a bad moment turned into a good moment. I’ve never made that mistake again!”
Q: Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?
Jordan: “At the end of the day, I’ve been fortunate enough to help build something with our family and our team that not many people have the opportunity to do. There are difficult days, but we’ve made it through thanks to Jerry’s vision, Renee’s organization, Tyler’s leadership, Nicole’s management, and the dedication of our entire team. I’m very happy and feel very lucky to be along for the ride.”
As we celebrate PURIS's 40th anniversary, it's remarkable to reflect on our journey from humble beginnings in 1985 to becoming a vertically integrated company that spans seed genetics to finished consumer products. Our commitment to innovation and sustainability has driven us to develop high-quality pea ingredients made in the USA. This milestone is a testament to our commitment to transforming the food industry and making a positive impact on our customers and the environment. Please keep an eye out for more content on our 40th anniversary. Here's to many more years of growth and success!