ADM, Benson Hill enter North American distribution agreement for soy protein ingredients

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ADM (Chicago)and Benson Hill, Inc. (St. Louis) entered a long-term North American licensing partnership to scale soy ingredients for plant-based protein products. Under this new partnership, ADM will process and commercialize a portfolio of proprietary ingredients made up from Benson Hill Ultra-High Protein (UHP) soybeans. Both companies will engage farmer partners seeking opportunities to participate in the “seed-to-fork food revolution.”

“We’re excited to launch this collaboration with Benson Hill, building full seed-to-fork capabilities with cutting-edge technologies that will allow us to offer new, innovative products to our alternative protein customers,” said Leticia Gonçalves, ADM’s president of Global Foods, in a press release. “ADM has expanded global capacity to meet demand with the acquisition of Sojaprotein and the recently announced investment to enhance processing and supply capabilities and build a new protein solutions innovation center in Decatur, Illinois. Now, working with Benson Hill, we’re taking the next step, expanding our value chain and adding new technologies that will power our ability to offer differentiated, high-value products to meet consumer demand for delicious, nutritious alternative proteins.”

Benson Hill’s genetics feature less-processed proteins with significant water and carbon sustainability benefits to create new taste, texture, nutrition, and functionality for alternative protein solutions.

“Seed innovation underpins the seed-to-fork movement by solving food formulation challenges in the farmer’s field, creating ingredients that are better from the beginning,” explained Benson Hill CEO Matt Crisp, in a press release. “This partnership with ADM represents a major milestone in advancing our business to its next stage of growth, which also will serve to broaden our proprietary product portfolio and drive significant scale of ingredients derived from Benson Hill genetics. We are excited to partner with ADM to help address demand in high-value and high-growth protein ingredient markets, while broadly delivering innovation and impact across the agri-food value chain to benefit farmers, food companies, and consumers.”