USA – The Annex by Ardent Mills (The Annex), a specialty grains and plant-based ingredients unit of Ardent Mills has formed a new partnership with Colorado Quinoa, LLC to clean, mill and market quinoa grown in Colorado’s San Luis Valley.
Ardent Mills will support Colorado Quinoa in providing customers with US-grown quinoa including stable pricing, scalable supply, sustainability and traceability back to local farms.
Colorado Quinoa will offer comparable taste, color, size and cook volume to varieties of South American white quinoa, with the added benefits of a stable supply chain, competitive prices and scalability.
The partnership will provide an exceptional supplement or alternative to imported white quinoa, while increasing opportunities for domestic growth, selling and consumption.
“We chose to work with The Annex because they have the skills and capabilities required to make Colorado Quinoa™ a nationally and internationally viable quinoa variety,” said Paul New, Colorado Quinoa.
“Additionally, working with The Annex and Ardent Mills means we are supported by a trusted international supplier with expertise in processing, R&D, culinary, food safety, sustainability and marketing expertise.”
According to a recent study conducted by The Annex pointed to the strong association consumers have for quinoa.
The study found that in retail products, quinoa ranked in the top 10 ingredients in terms of driving health perception and purchase intent.
Its extraordinary versatility makes it a popular component on restaurant menus, where its culinary presence continues to grow.
The allows The Annex to expand its dynamic portfolio of innovative grains, with addition of Colorado Quinoa™, which is available in white and multicolor varieties.
It is also set to tap into Colorado Quinoa’s sustainability and domestically sourced product portfolio.
“We are excited to collaborate with Colorado Quinoa as part of our commitment to ancient and heirloom grains, plant-based ingredients and value-added products,” said Shrene White, General Manager, The Annex.
“By being the exclusive supplier of Colorado Quinoa™, we are furthering our commitment to family farms, the future of food and making The Annex the go-to source for domestically grown quinoa for our customers.”
