ARDENT MILLS TO ACQUIRE FIREBIRD ARTISAN MILLS BY END OF 2021

Flour-milling and ingredients company Ardent Mills, is to acquire “substantially all” the business assets of Firebird Artisan Mills, a gluten-free, speciality grain and pulse milling company that is part of the holding Agspring. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year.

Ardent Mills says the deal has come about as part of its continued focus on emerging nutrition, and builds upon its existing wheat flour and plant-forward business. Firebird Artisan’s portfolio of gluten-free, organic and non-GMO products – as well as a dedicated certified gluten-free facility located in Harvey, North Dakota – are assets that Ardent Mills believes will add value to its business.

The acquisition will enhance customers’ access to gluten-free flours, mixes, blends and speciality grain products; provide extra supply chain assurance; and add additional capabilities to Ardent Mills’ R&D, technical, food safety and quality assurance teams. The company’s operations are currently located in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico, and headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

Ardent Mills is focusing on emerging nutrition

Dan Dye, CEO of Ardent Mills, commented: “Firebird Artisan Mills has been a well-established partner of ours in the gluten-free and specialty ingredients space since the formation of Ardent. They have proven again and again to go above and beyond for their customers.”

Agspring’s CEO Mark Beemer added: “Ardent Mills has the right expertise in bringing together strong network supply chains and operates as a nimble and flexible company. It is the right fit to take Firebird to the next level of growth.”

This latest deal, assuming it is concluded successfully, joins a string of other steady acquisitions or enhancements in the emerging nutrition sector for Ardent, including:

• Hinrichs Trading Company operations in June 2021
• Andean Naturals’ quinoa operations in February 2020
• An organic grain elevator in Klamath Falls, Oregon in 2019
• Addition of capabilities in Ardent’s Denver RiNo community mill to clean and pack speciality grains in May 2019.

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