Ardent Mills continues expansion strategy to cope with diverse consumer appetites

07-Feb-2020 - Last updated on 07-Feb-2020 at 09:45 GMT

Naturally gluten-free quinoa is a flowering plant in the amaranth family, with seeds rich in protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins and dietary minerals. Pic: GettyImages/estivillml

 Ardent Mills is further expanding its speciality gain portfolio with the acquisition of Andean Natural’s quinoa operations in Yuba City, California.

The Annex by Ardent Mills division expects to finalise the purchase of Andean’s quinoa sourcing, cleaning and packaging operation by mid-February.

Yuba City will be Ardent Mills’ first gluten-free sourcing and cleaning facility with the ability to expand to additional grains.

“Our industry is rapidly changing as consumers’ appetite for variety in their diets continues to increase,” said Dan Dye, CEO of Ardent Mills.

“As a result, we are making proactive investments in The Annex to meet consumer demand for high-quality, nutritious grains and other sources of plant-based ingredients. With this acquisition, we will be able to offer a complete solution for quinoa and other gluten-free ingredients.”

Rapid expansion

The move follows The Annex’s acquisition of an organic grain elevator in Oregon.

The company also signed a partnership with Colorado Quinoa to clean, mill and market quinoa grown in Colorado’s San Luis Valley and invested in its Denver River North Art District (RiNo) mill to add capability to clean and pack intact grains, pearl barley and dehull heirloom grains like emmer, einkorn and spelt.

“In The Annex, we are proud to offer ingredients from passionate, knowledgeable farmers, and this purchase continues that tradition,” said Shrene White, GM of The Annex.

“This company is a long-time leader in quinoa sourcing, cleaning and packing in North America with extensive industry knowledge, grower relationships and a fantastic reputation.

“This acquisition further supports our commitment to what’s next in grain and plant-based innovation.”

Natural progression

Andean’s president and founder Sergio Nunez de Arco will join Ardent Mills.

“For Andean Naturals, this mutually beneficial acquisition is the natural progression of our mission to share quinoa with the world,” said Nunez de Arco.

“While we’ve built expertise in quinoa sourcing and connections to South American farmers, Ardent Mills brings milling and technical expertise, access to markets and the ability to scale quickly with a sustainable approach.”

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.