Ardent Mills has completed the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Hinrichs Trading Company (HTC), the North American leader in chickpea sourcing, cleaning and packaging. The move from the company comes as the plant-forward trend continues to gather speed. 

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Shrene White, general manager of The Annex by Ardent Mills, says the recent acquisition builds upon the company’s existing specialty ingredient capabilities and close grower connections. 

“We want to bring innovative products to market to meet growing consumer demand for pulse and plant-based ingredients. This venture strengthens our origination capabilities and enables us to offer a variety of whole chickpea solutions – organic, conventional and Non-GMO Project Verified.”

“It also lays the groundwork for future value-added ingredients,” White adds. 

Going plant-based for the planet
Notably, the plant-based food and beverage market shows no sign of slowing down as global consumers demand more diversity from their alternative products across a broad range of categories. 

Ardent Mills continues to see significant growth as consumers look to foods aligned with their individual values – both personal and planetary. “We see the plant-based trend extending into every category; even indulgent items aren’t an exception,” she notes. 

White says: “Although it’s impossible to predict the future, we envision plant-based foods and alternatives to gain a foothold among many consumer groups, especially flexitarians, by becoming a larger percentage of what they consume consistently.”

Consumers are choosing foods that align with their personal values, which are different for everyone. “It’s hard to say wher meat consumption will go, but we are seeing that meat-eaters still want the option of plant-based products and are being experimental in the foods they choose,” White explains. 

The company is “excited to be a part of that journey,” particularly with the HTC acquisition and the acquisition of Andean Naturals last year, which is our certified gluten-free facility for quinoa and other gluten-free grains.

The humble chickpea
According to White, chickpeas are a versatile and diverse ingredient.

“The food applications in which they are used are really up to the creativity of the developer,” she underscores. 

Chickpeas are commonly used in hummus, soups, salads, snacks and side dishes, while chickpea flour can be used in various foods and baked goods such as bars, pasta, crackers, bread and pizzas. 

HTC has extensive chickpea sourcing knowledge and extremely close grower connections. “There is also a strong cultural alignment and shared values across both organizations,” White says. 

Ardent Mills brings operational and technical expertise, access to new markets, and the ability to scale quickly and sustainably. 

“As for chickpeas themselves, they are growing in popularity as the plant-forward trend continues. This proactive investment helps meet this demand for plant-based ingredients and will enable us to offer diverse chickpea solutions,” she observes. 

Future growth
As part of Ardent Mills’ strategic growth plan, the acquisition builds upon its existing specialty ingredient capabilities and close grower connections. It helps customers bring innovative products to market to meet growing consumer demand for pulse and plant-based ingredients. 

The acquisition enables Ardent Mills to leverage HTC’s strong connection to producers, expertise in seed varieties, finished product processing, and combine it with Ardent Mills’ insights, risk management and R&D resources.

With this addition, Ardent Mills can now offer complete field-to-formulation solutions for customers.