New product supports farmers as they transition to certified organic
COLORADO — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. FoodMaven today announced the company’s partnership with The Annex by Ardent Mills (The Annex), a business unit of Ardent Mills, LLC, to sell its transitional wheat flour to FoodMaven’s foodservice customers. This transitional wheat flour supports farmers as they convert their wheat crop to certified organic, easing the financial implications of transitioning and enabling them to deliver on the growing consumer demand for organic options.
“This product has a lot of potential to help wheat farmers who want to transition their operations to organic but are deterred by the upfront investment required,” said Ben Deda, CEO of FoodMaven.
Transitional wheat is not organic but is grown using organic farming practices required by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other governing agencies. After three years of growing under these conditions, the land and crops grown on it can be certified as organic.
The FoodMaven partnership builds upon Ardent Mills’ Organic Initiative. Introduced in January 2016, the program had the goal of doubling harvested organic wheat acres by 2019 by assisting farmers who are interested in expanding organic production or adding organic production to their farms. Since the launch of its Organic Initiative, Ardent Mills has expanded from two organic milling locations to 10, and the company’s organic sales have increased six-fold.
One key to the success of the Organic Initiative is Ardent Mills’ Transitional Certification Assistance Program (TCAP) which offers farmers education, support and assistance as they transition to certified organic crops. Ardent Mills’ support also includes the opportunity for farmers to sell their transitional wheat to the company. By partnering with FoodMaven, Ardent Mills will be able to expand the reach of the program by increasing awareness and distribution of transitional wheat into more foodservice operations.
“The relationship between Ardent Mills and FoodMaven is mutually beneficial in that it not only supports farmers and consumer choice, but also delivers on Ardent Mills’ vision of developing innovative and nutritious grain-based solutions,” said Angie Goldberg, Chief Growth Officer for Ardent Mills. “FoodMaven’s philosophy and distribution model are the ideal fit for this unique ingredient and provide the missing link in giving broad access to restaurants, university dining programs and other foodservice outlets.”
FoodMaven and Ardent Mills have been collaborating over the last several years to offer a number of flours and grains to customers in Colorado. The companies have common interests in local sourcing and supporting farmer communities and are working toward the mutual goal of making transitional wheat flour available nationally.
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About FoodMaven
FoodMaven creates new pathways for food lost in the system due to oversupply, cosmetic imperfection or local food without effective distribution channels. FoodMaven sells this food through an online marketplace to restaurants and institutions like universities and hotels and donates it to hunger-relief organizations to fulfill its mission of all food used with good purpose. FoodMaven is good for profits, good for people and good for the planet. For more information, please visit foodmaven.com.
About The Annex by Ardent Mills™
The Annex is a business unit of Ardent Mills that is cultivating the future of specialty grains and plant-based ingredients. It’s supported by a dedicated team committed to exploring what’s next in whole grains, pulses, mixes, custom multigrain blends and finished breads. Its broad portfolio includes ancient & heirloom grains, organic grains and flours, sprouted wheat, and chickpeas as well as innovations such as Sustagrain® High-Fiber Barley and White Sonora, an heirloom wheat. To learn more, visit https://www.ardentmills.
About Ardent Mills®
Ardent Mills is the premier flour-milling and ingredient company whose vision is to be the trusted partner in nurturing its customers, consumers and communities through innovative and nutritious grain-based solutions. Ardent Mills’ operations and services are supported by over 35 flour mills and bakery-mix facilities along with a specialty bakery and Mobile Innovation Center, all located in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Deeply rooted in communities throughout North America, Ardent Mills is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, and employs more than 100 certified millers, supporting thousands of local jobs and contributing billions of dollars to local economies. To learn more about Ardent Mills, visit www.ardentmills.com.
Contact:
Megan Cornish
VP External Affairs
FoodMaven – Colorado Springs
719.472.3113 ext. 703
foodmaven.com
