Above Food Corp., a vertically integrated, plant-based food company, will acquire Northern Quinoa Production Corp., a vertically integrated producer of quinoa.
As North America's largest supplier of quinoa, the acquisition will add a scaled portfolio of specialty ingredients capabilities and customers alongside a growing consumer packaged goods (CPG) business to the Above Food platform.
NorQuin offers a state-of-the-art production facility, supplying specialty ingredients and finished products to the world's largest food companies.
The company has invested more than two decades of research to develop proprietary, higher yield, higher protein, non-GMO varietals of quinoa. NorQuin partners with growers to produce the highest quality quinoa at scale with complete traceability.
Vertically integrated platform
Above Food says it plans to integrate NorQuin's class-leading genetic capabilities and grower programs into its disruptive agriculture business, providing significant scale to NorQuin's existing grower infrastructure, while applying the team's expertise in genetics and plant-breeding to a broader base of proteins.
"The team at NorQuin has built a truly remarkable platform," noted Lionel Kambeitz, CEO of Above Food. "Adding them to our scaled, vertically integrated platform will enable significant opportunities for growth and margin expansion across each of our core competencies: Disruptive Agriculture, Specialty Ingredients and High Growth CPG."
Protein super ingredient
True to Above Food's mission to make nutritious, plant-based ingredients easily accessible through its vertically integrated supply chain, this complete protein super ingredient, which is high in protein and fiber, will be a key staple in various parts of Above Food's business model, playing an important role in formulating future products while also bringing together key players in the business.
In addition to the specialty ingredient portfolio, NorQuin will add a robust range of value-added quinoa products to Above Food's CPG division, which are already sold across North America in natural, mass, and club retailers like Harris Teeter, Walmart and Costco.
