Ardent Mills has agreed to acquire Andean Naturals’ quinoa operations, as it aims to invest further in its speciality grain capabilities.
The deal will include Andean Naturals’ quinoa sourcing, cleaning and packaging operations in Yuba City, California.
The acquisition will further invest into The Annex, Ardent Mills’ unit that is cultivating the future of specialty grains and plant-based ingredients including chickpeas, pulses and sprouted wheat.
Yuba City will be Ardent Mills’ first gluten-free sourcing and cleaning facility with the ability to expand to additional grains.
This news builds upon other investments made in Ardent Mills’ organic capabilities and The Annex, including the acquisition of a grain elevator in Oregon, a new partnership with Colorado Quinoa, and its Denver RiNo investment to clean and pack specialty grains.
“Our industry is rapidly changing as consumers’ appetite for variety in their diets continues to increase,” said Dan Dye, CEO of Ardent Mills.
Dye added: “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.”
Following the deal, Andean Naturals’ president and founder Sergio Nunez de Arco will join the flour milling and ingredient company Ardent Mills.
“For Andean Naturals, this mutually beneficial acquisition is the natural progression of our mission to share quinoa with the world. 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,” said Nunez de Arco.
The acquisition is expected to be finalised in mid-February 2020. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
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