21st Century Grain Processing

Harvesting a healthy future┬áOffering an innovative approach to food production has paid dividends for 21st Century Grain Processing. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, 21st Century Grain Processing was founded in 1997 as an alliance of Kansas wheat farmers. The formation of the business was very much based on the concept of offering added value to basic farming. Rather than simply farming wheat, the company would also mill it, provide packaging and labelling and market the end product to the food industry.Today 21st Century Grain Processing owns and operates flour mills, offering a variety of oat flakes, oat flour, coated oats, oat groat products, and white and yellow food grade corn products. The company serves consumer based food and personal care companies and actively encourages food companies to work together on design, to create new products. 21st Century Grain custom designs coated grain based ingredients for specific application to customer needs. Working primarily with a companyÔÇÖs product development group, the research and development arm can identify and develop coated whole grain based ingredients that enhance taste, texture, appearance, shelf life and ingredient declaration. The products can include probiotic, prebiotic and directed nutrient enhancement (protein, fiber, sterols) depending on directed customer input. Other ingredients in the companyÔÇÖs portfolio include milled oats, wheat and corn products.It also provides yellow corn, soybeans, and grain sorghum, as well as a line of fertilizers and chemicals. It has locations in New Mexico, Texas, California, and Nebraska but its products are now distributed as far afield as Asia and Europe.The company has a very clear strategy that has served it well in the past decade: ÔÇ£To source and create innovative whole grain ingredients that exceed our customersÔÇÖ expectations.ÔÇØ With its rich pool of agricultural knowledge, 21st Century Grain Processing is ideally placed to work with food companies looking to create whole grain products for an increasingly health-conscious marketplace.To that end the organization can provide technical support through processing assistance, total formulation revision or nutritional formula optimization, courtesy of its high quality milled or custom ingredients. 21st Century Grain Processing now works with the major food manufacturers to produce tortillas, baked goods, confectioneries and nutrition bars. Quality is of course a premium for the company which has attained certifications through the American Institute of Baking (AIB), is certified kosher and organic and has ISO certification.Lynn Rundle, CEO of 21st Century Grain Processing and former executive director of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, had first spotted an opportunity to add greater value back in the mid-1990s by processing commodities. By 1995 funding was in place to launch 21st Century Alliance, an entity that would investigate the scope of adding value for farmers. Having completed the research phase, 21st Century Grain Processing then came to fruition in 1997, when 375 wheat farmers formed a cooperative venture.Since then company has continually looked at ways to grow both organically and through acquisitions. In 1997 the purchase (and $2.5 million renovation) of a flourmill in New Mexico enabled the company to produce flour for the tortilla market. Further expansion led to the purchase of Farmers Elevator followed by Panhandle Milling and Panhandle Corn products, providing further milling, corn cleaning and bagging capabilities in Texas. The addition of oats to the product range has been a relatively recent development, following the 2006 purchase of ConAgra FoodsÔÇÖ oat-based ingredient business in South Sioux City, Nebraska. The company believes that the production of oats offers an exciting new opportunity given the positive publicity the crop receives in combating heart disease and lowering cholesterol levels.The commitment to this new market saw further investment in July 2008, with a $10 million expansion to the companyÔÇÖs Sioux City plant. This created an additional 10 jobs and was further evidence of 21st Century Grain ProcessingÔÇÖs continued ambitions. ÔÇ£21st Century Grain Processing is a quality company creating more jobs for South Sioux City and the Siouxland area. This is a major investment in our community and we are excited they are here,ÔÇØ said Dan McNamara, economic development director for South Sioux City. ÔÇô Editorial research by Bobby Meehan