Milling & Baking News - October 5, 2021 - 10

TUES | 10 05 202 1
Ardent Mills acquiring Firebird to
build role in gluten-free milling
DENVER - In a move that would
strengthen the company's position in the
gluten-free milled grains market, Ardent
Mills LLC on Sept. 27 announced it has
reached an agreement to acquire substantially
all the assets of Firebird Artisan
Mills, Harvey, ND. Pending the successful
completion of due diligence, Ardent Mills
said the transaction is expected to be completed
before the end of 2021.
Specializing in the milling of gluten-free
specialty grains and pulses,
Firebird is part of Agspring, a holding
company based in Leawood, Kan. Under
the Agspring umbrella, Firebird was
established in 2014 in Harvey. In 2017,
Firebird added two production lines to
the operation and said it believed the
Products Ardent Mills will be able to offer
with the acquisition include gluten-free
flours, mixes, blends and specialty grain
products.
" It's the further processing capabilities
and addition of another gluten-free
milling facility - for organic, non-GMO,
gluten-free and more - that we will now
have as part of our portfolio, " he said.
" Today we would have to do that work
through a co-manufacturer. The big add
for us is providing that ability to offer a
full supply chain offering, and also helping
our family farms get their gluten-free
and specialty grains to market faster. "
Gluten-free grains that Ardent Mills
will be able to mill at Harvey include amaranth,
teff, millet, sorghum, buckwheat
The value of Ardent Mills' acquisition of
Firebird and its growing portfolio of businesses
in the specialty grain/milling space
has been heightened by worsening supply
chain challenges in recent months, Mr. Dye
said. By building out an integrated supply
chain, the company will be " creating distinctive
value " for its customers, he said.
" Supply chain challenges are everywhere,
but within the specialty space
they have been more disjointed, " he said.
" With this expected acquisition, we are
beginning to bring complete supply chain
solutions to our customers in these areas.
The gluten-free and specialty markets
are continuing to grow, and if we can help
with that supply chain more holistically,
that allows us to be more efficient and
more effective, which makes the process
faster and less expensive. And we can add
consistency and reliability because we're
managing the whole thing. "
As an example, Mr. Dye said Ardent
Mills currently is working with chickpea
growers as part of its recently acquired
Hinrichs Trading Company business. The
Firebird acquisition will help expand the
capabilities of Ardent Mills in that space.
" Once Firebird closes, we will be able to
mill chickpeas into flour as well as other
products and applications, " he said.
When completed, the Firebird Articompany
had become the " largest 100%
dedicated, certified gluten-free and allergen-free
flour mill in North America. "
Dan Dye, chief executive officer of
Ardent Mills, noted the company has a
long history of working with Firebird.
" Firebird Artisan Mills has been a collaborative
and well-established partner
of ours in the gluten-free and specialty
ingredients space since the formation of
Ardent Mills, " he said. " They have proven
again and again to go above and beyond
for their customers. "
Ardent Mills has marketed ancient
grains for many years. The acquisition of
Firebird would, for the first time, bring
the ability to mill these specialty grains in
house, Mr. Dye told Milling & Baking News.
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MILLING & BAKING NEWS
and quinoa, all gluten-free and non-GMO
ingredients. Additionally, for plant-based
food applications, the Firebird mill processes
peas, lentils, beans and rice. Ardent
Mills said the Harvey facility will advance
the company's " plant-forward business. "
Firebird and the other specialty
businesses falling under The Annex by
Ardent Mills should be viewed as a complement
to the wheat flour business, Mr.
Dye said. A growing number of wheat
flour customers also are seeking specialty
grain solutions. Ardent Mills' investment
in specialty grains allows the company
to offer a differentiated product offering
to customers, diversifies the company's
business and provides it with a promising
avenue for added growth, he said.
san acquisition would be the fourth for
Ardent Mills since the beginning of 2019.
Other acquisitions since include the
Hinrichs Trading Co. chickpea business,
in June 2021; Andean Natural's quinoa
operations, in February 2020; and an
organic grain elevator in Klamath Falls,
Ore., announced in July 2019. Also in 2019,
Ardent Mills announced new capabilities
at its Denver mill to clean and pack intact
specialty grains and dehull heirloom
grains. Still, Mr. Dye said Ardent Mills
continues devoting resources to its wheat
flour milling business.
" We are investing significantly in our
core flour milling business, " he said.
" We have a new mill that we are getting
ready to open in the Port Redwing area of
Tampa, Fla. That's a major investment - a
brand new wheat flour mill right in our
core business. We've continued to invest
across our network, and we see lots of
pockets of growth. " MBN
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