The Annex by Ardent Mills partners with Colorado Quinoa

Denver, CO – The Annex by Ardent Mills will partner with Colorado Quinoa to clean, mill and market quinoa grown in Colorado’s San Luis Valley.

Through the relationship, commercial customers benefit from the advantages of U.S.-grown quinoa including stable pricing, scalable supply, sustainability and traceability back to local farms, Ardent Mills said in a news release.

“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 of 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.”

A recent study conducted by The Annex pointed to the strong associations 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 versatility makes it a popular component on restaurant menus, where its culinary presence continues to grow.

For commercial customers looking for a sustainable and domestic source, Colorado Quinoa offers comparable taste, colour, 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 release said.

White described San Luis Valley quinoa’s “amazing sustainability story.” Growers in the valley are seeking ways to increase water levels in the Rio Grande Aquifer, which provides 240 million gallons of water per day for public use. Quinoa has very low water requirements, so it gives regional growers a profitable crop rotation option that promotes water conservation, soil biodiversity and sustainability.”

“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 of 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.”

Colorado Quinoa is available in white and multicolour varieties. Additional technical information, specifications and samples are available upon request from The Annex, which is a business unit of Ardent Mills that is cultivating specialty grains and plant-based ingredients. Products include ancient and heirloom grains, organic grains and flours, sprouted wheat, chickpeas, Sustagrain High-Fiber Barley, and White Sonora, an heirloom wheat.

To learn more, visit https://www.ardentmills.com/the-annex/ or call 888-680-0013.