18 Jul 2016 --- Healthy Food Ingredients (HFI) is boosting its organic portfolio with an agreement to purchase a leading manufacturer of flax and flax seed oil.
HFI plans to close the transaction with Heartland Flax, which is located in the heart of flax country in North Dakota, by this fall.

The purchase will add to HFI’s current product portfolio of non-GMO, organic, certified transitional, gluten-free and identity preserved ingredients, including pulses, grains, seeds, soybeans, expeller oils and Suntava Purple Corn.

Heartland Flax will become the fourth bran to join HFI which also includes SK Food International, Hesco/Dakota Organic Products, and Suntava, which HFI acquired in late 2015.
HFI CEO Brad Hover says his company will expand on what Heartland Flax does best, to further meet consumers’ growing appetite for healthy organic and non genetically modified foods.

“This acquisition perfectly aligns with our strategic plan to grow HFI through selective brand additions and new, innovative healthy ingredients to feed consumer demand for health and wellness, he says.

“We’re excited to form additional strategic partnerships with farmers and food manufacturers, from seed to the food products that nourish lives.”

Heartland Flax has a 5-log micro-reduction process in a gluten-free GFSI facility with capabilities of ancient grain processing, retail packaging and availability of climate-controlled warehouse facilities.

Luther Dietrich, Heartland Flax president, is keen to bring additional value to customer.
“We’ll have greater opportunities to provide solutions to multiple ingredients needs and to expand into new markets, domestically and internationally.”

Source: Food Ingredients First