1847 Stone Milling has been grinding to build a strong reputation for local grain-sourced organic flour, and now they’re looking to Canadianize atta flour.
“We’re such great grain growers here in Canada that it makes sense for us to (produce atta flour) here,” said Melissa McKeown, co-owner of 1847 Stone Milling. “Because we’re in the stone-milled field anyway, it only makes sense for us to move in that direction.”
WHY IT MATTERS: Atta is a popular, finely stone-milled wheat flour imported from India, used in the production of flatbreads, such as roti, and chakki.
McKeown explained that creating Canadian atta flour requires working with someone at the University of Guelph to reverse-engineer the best blend of grains comparable to those used by imported brands.
“That’s a little bit proprietary right now,” she said. The idea is that Canadian atta flour can be substituted one-for-one. “Atta flour is fairly high in protein, and that higher protein bread is a staple for a lot of people.”
1847 Stone Milling produces a variety of organic flours crafted from locally grown grains which are packaged and shipped directly to consumers in a variety sizes from 2.5 to 20 kilogram bags. Photo: Diana Martin
The 12-year-old company hopes to produce 100 tonnes of atta flour annually within the next three years once it lands on a winning flour recipe.
McKeown said being selected as one of Protein Industries Canada’s Strengthening the Canadian Supply Chain program projects couldn’t have aligned any better to get the flour to market.
To be eligible for the program, projects must create, reformulate, scale up or commercialize food products made with domestic ingredients for Canadians. This strengthens domestic supply chains, mitigates trade risks, and enhances product competitiveness.
Canadian atta market-disruptor
Protein Industries Canada’s CEO, Tyler Groeneveld, said 1847 Stone Milling’s project is unique within the program, given that its goal is to disrupt the Indian atta flour import market with a “sophisticated” high-protein, Canadian-grown, formulated and milled flour option.
“Protein Industries Canada helps them de-risk the activities, including looking at alternative ingredients, testing,” explained Groeneveld. “All the costs that would be incurred in sensory and nutritional evaluations and costs also affiliated with new ingredient panels.”
1847 Stone Milling co-owner Tyler McKeown, left, and miller, Jesse Eby, right, package and seal bags of hard red spring wheat organic flour. Photo: Diana Martin
Reworking an existing food may require changes to processing, nutritional evaluation, and proof-of-concept to ensure taste and texture aren’t compromised and there’s no drastic material change. These could affect the product’s success, especially if it’s a well-established brand like atta flour.
Groeneveld said the program covers up to 75 per cent of the total project costs, ranging from $50,000 to $200,000, but industry must lead with the initial investment. Approved projects must be completed within 12 months.
“A company needs to demonstrate that they’re continuing to meet the milestones,” he said. Domestic ingredients must also meet the threshold for success as an end-use food product under the supply chain program.
This includes feedstocks or ingredients derived from field crops, such as wheat, oats, barley, peas, soy or fava beans and emerging crops such as lupin or hemp.
Organic hard red spring wheat berries ready to be ground into flour at 1847 Stone Milling near Fergus, Ont. Photo: Diana Martin
New domestic market
The investment will develop a new Canadian flour market, support Canadian growers and feed consumer demand.
McKeown said even capturing two per cent of the atta flour import market would be huge, given its popularity, particularly in southern Ontario.
Add in the geopolitical instability in the Middle East and in atta-flour-producing countries, which create export-limiting, protectionist environments, making expanding into Canadian production timely.
“The sky’s really the limit right now because we’re ramping up our facility,” she said, adding that if borders do close, “we’ll need to pivot very quickly in order to keep up with the high demand of this flour.”
Protein Industries Canada supporting a wide range of projects
To date, Protein Industries Canada’s Strengthening the Canadian Supply Chain program has supported 13 Canadian companies, including four in Ontario and one in Quebec:
- Oat & Mill’s reformulation of its oat-based ice cream with Canadian protein ingredients, replacing pea protein from the United States.
- Cedar Valley’s incorporation of Canadian pulses into its pita chips reduces oil absorption, making the snack healthier and more sustainable.
- YoFiit Inc. is developing a high-protein, drinkable yogurt made with legumes, oats, and flax to boost its omega-3 and probiotic content for better gut health.
- Henry’s Tempeh is scaling up marinated tempeh made from Canadian organic soybeans, strengthening the national plant protein supply chain.
- Grazy switched its frozen dessert line to all-Canadian pea and fava bean plant-based proteins, enhancing national plant protein sourcing and clean-label offerings.
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