The Annex offers a broad portfolio of heirloom wheats, including emmer, einkorn, spelt and White Sonora; rye; barley; pulses; and ancient grains, including Ardent Mills’ Great Plains Quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, teff and sorghum. Ardent says the ingredients will be available in a variety of forms, including whole berries, flours, flakes, mixes, blends and crisps. The Annex also will be open to custom grain and ingredient programs, the company says.
“An annex is independent yet is part of something bigger,” says Shrene Wheite, general manager of The Annex by Ardent Mills. “We’re excited to be empowered by Ardent Mills to be idea cultivators and solution providers. The Annex will support Ardent Mills traditional flour customers and a wide spectrum of new customers by offering a one-of-a-kind product portfolio. We love a challenge. And we bring to our work an earnest desire to collaborate with customers, farmers, universities and researchers, supporting their innovation and cultivating ideas to help build their businesses, whether it’s in fresh or packaged prepared foods, bakery or beverage.”
Ardent will provide support to The Annex through its other business units, including The Ardent Mills Advantage and Innovative Bakery Resources (IBR). The Ardent Mills Advantage is a network of services, resources, and experts that includes R&D, production and culinary support, as well as consumer insights and risk management. IBR is an artisan bakery where Ardent develops cutting-edge concepts.
“We’re excited about the possibilities The Annex opens up,” says Dan Dye, chief executive officer of Ardent Mills. “It’s a big step based on a simple, powerful idea: good food matters to everyone, and it should be available to everyone. We look forward to working closely with our partners big and small as we dream together about where that idea is headed next.”
Ardent Mills’ operations and services are supported by more than 40 flour mills and bakery mix facilities along with a specialty bakery and Mobile Innovation Center, all located in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
