Posted on September, 27, 2024 at 10:00 am
Grain Craft has acquired Central Milling, Inc., one of the largest suppliers of organic flour in the United States. Characterizing the transaction as a partnership, Grain Craft said Central Milling’s leadership team will continue operating the business.
Based in Logan in northern Utah, about 50 miles north of Ogden, Central Milling has been milling flour for more than 150 years and has focused on organic milling for more than 50. The company operates mills in Logan, Richmond and Collinston, Utah. The latter two locations are both within 20 miles of Logan.
“Since the creation of Grain Craft, we have diligently looked for businesses that align with our vision,” said Pete Frederick, president and chief executive officer of Grain Craft. “This new partnership with Central Milling is a natural fit, and we believe that our two businesses will be better together moving forward.”
Frederick described Central Milling as a “robust business” with “blue chip customers” and extensive experience in organic flour milling. As the company grew as a prominent supplier of organic flour, Central Milling has developed a strong following in the artisan baking community. It sells a wide range of organic artisan baking flours, organic specialty flours, and organic whole grains. They also mill their heritage brand, Red Rose, which has been a Central Milling signature wheat flour since 1919. Building on a strong relationship with the Utah grower community, the company mills soft white, hard red and other varieties of wheat.
“Grain Craft is committed to supporting Central Milling by bringing relationships, resources and knowledge to an already great business,” he said.
Between the three milling locations, Central Milling has aggregate capacity to produce 6,000 cwts a day of flour and specialty grains and specialty milled products. The transaction does not include KGBS, an affiliated bakery distribution business located in Petaluma, Calif., that sells a variety of flours, mixes, sweeteners, yeast and a full complement of other bakery ingredients.
Central Milling became an employee-owned business in the 1990s, and the operation currently has more than 90 employees. Grain Craft said the company’s leadership team and its workforce will remain in place.
“I am proud of the legacy my father, George Perry, established,” said Lynn Perry, president of Central Milling. “His vision of chemical-free farming and quality artisan flours, along with our deep relationship with the Giusto family, has been instrumental in building our business and fulfilling our mission of greater connection between the farmer, miller and baker.”
Perry said the business combination will allow Central Milling to build on its strengths.
“Grain Craft supports us in broadening our presence while still prioritizing the farmer’s quality focus and the baker’s artisan goals,” he said.
Central Milling sources its wheat directly from growers. Focusing on sustainability and traceability, Central Milling said it is able to “trace every one of our products back to the farm where it was grown and provide our customers with detailed specifications for every lot of grain that run through our mills.”
Headquartered in Chattanooga, Grain Craft operates 12 US flour mills in addition to the three acquired from Central Milling.
Source: Baking Business