bake - January/February 2023 - 6

management
Regenerative Agriculture
Balls Food Stores is giving shelf space to a Kansas-based brand
at the forefront of regeneratively-grown flour and grain products.
Farmer Direct Foods, a leading producer of premium,
whole grain flours, is now available at select Hen House Market
and Price Chopper locations across the Kansas City metro area.
Regenerative agriculture is a movement focused on farming
and grazing practices designed to create a more sustainable and
resilient food system that can support the long-term health of
both the environment and the people who depend on it. Some
benefits of regenerative agriculture include improved soil health,
increased crop yields, and reduced reliance on synthetic fertilizers
and pesticides.
Farmer Direct Foods' regenerative practices also focus on improving
the well-being of farmers and farming communities. The
company utilizes a network of multi-generational Kansas farmers
who adhere to a set of regenerative farming guidelines. In exchange
for committing to these guidelines, Farmer Direct pays
its farmers a premium for their crops and shares a portion of the
company's profits.
Farmer Direct Foods vice president of strategy and sales
Hayley Eckert says Balls Foods' support is a sign that the regenerative
agriculture movement is gaining momentum.
" Hen House and Price Chopper have always been at the top of
our list for potential retail partners, " says Eckert. " Their commitment
to the national Buy Fresh Buy Local program and supporting
Kansas farmers makes this partnership a natural fit, and we're
excited to see how the product performs on shelves. Consumers
are telling us they are interested in supporting a more sustainable
supply chain. We believe there's a demand for a sustainable
choice in the artisan baking category at Balls Food Stores and
we're thrilled to be working with such a forward-thinking retailer. "
Farmer Direct chairman and chief executive officer Tim Webster
says the company's products are bringing ethical and sustainable
production processes to larger markets through the
partnership.
" In addition to enabling our partners to offer premium local
flour, it's also important for us to be a valuable ESG (Environmental,
Social and Governance) resource, " says Webster. " Given
the current state of climate change, we have an ethical responsibility
to produce wheat and flour products sustainably and support
our partners who share these values. "
Balls Food Stores is the second retailer in as many months to
take on Farmer Direct Foods' line of artisan flours. West Coast
grocery chain Smart & Final launched Farmer Direct's whole
white wheat and whole red wheat flours in-store in November.
Founded in 2022, Farmer Direct Foods produces premium,
whole grain flours that are regeneratively farmed, ground, milled,
and sold with intention and integrity. Thecompany's flours can
be traced straight back to its wheat fields and are minimally processed
to preserve the natural nutrition and complete character
of the grain. Farmer Direct Foods is leading a return to wholesome
ingredients that are deeply flavorful and transcendently
better, while also creating products that are good for consumers,
farmers, and the earth.
06 < JAN - FEB 2023 | bakemag.com
©EMOJI SMILEYS PEOPLE, ©VIKTOR-STOCK.ADOBE.COM
http://www.bakemag.com
bake - January/February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of bake - January/February 2023
