Ardent Mills Plans to Buy Gluten-Free Milling Firm

Flour milling and ingredient firm Ardent Mills is making moves to purchase gluten free, specialty grain and pulse milling firm Firebird Artisan Mills from the operating holding company Agspring, a company release announced Monday.

Firebird Artisan Mills manufactures an array of non-GMO, organic, and gluten-free products at its certified gluten-free plant in Harvey, ND.

“Firebird Artisan Mills has been a collaborative and well-established partner of ours in the gluten-free and specialty ingredients space since the formation of Ardent Mills. That have proven again and again to go above and beyond for their customers,” Ardent Mills CEO Dan Dye said in a statement. “They also share similar values, and commitment to safety and innovation, which is why this expected acquisition makes so much sense. We’re looking forward to having the Firebird team join the Ardent Mills family.”

The company said the deal will expand its offerings of specialty ingredient solutions and provide its customers with access to the latest products, services, and innovations in gluten-free milling and blending. Firebird’s portfolio includes gluten-free flours, mixes, blends, and specialty grain products.

“Ardent Mills has the right expertise in bringing together strong network supply chains and operating as a nimble and flexible company. Moreover, they share the same strong food safety and quality assurance values as us,” Agspring CEO Mark Beemer said in the release. “These are just a few reasons why we believe that Ardent Mills is the right fit to take Firebird to the next level of growth.”

The company revealed plans in March to purchase most of the business operations of North American chickpea sourcing, cleaning, and packing firm Hinrichs Trading Company. The Denver-based miller said the acquisition of Hinrichs will boost its specialty ingredient capabilities and expand its portfolio. Hinrichs, headquartered in Pullman, WA, has five facilities across Montana and Washington. The chickpea packer has been in business for more than three decades.