Industry Profile: Cascade Organic Flour/Cascade Milling

Cascade Milling was among the exhibitors at the recent International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) in Las Vegas.

Read more about the factors that make Cascade Milling so successful as largest family-owned, vertically-integrated organic wheat growing and organic wheat flour milling operation in the United States…

Cascade Milling was among the exhibitors at the recent International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) in Las Vegas.

Cascade Organic Flour is a family-owned, vertically-integrated operation which grows several thousand acres of certified organic wheat and other crops near the Columbia River in central Washington. Its mill (near the farm in the Columbia Basin) produces several million lbs. of organic flour per year. It is the largest family-owned, vertically-integrated organic wheat growing and organic wheat flour milling operation in the United States.

The rich volcanic soil and ideal climate conditions along the east slopes of the Cascade Mountains provides the optimum mix of essential nutrients and the best natural environment for growing some of the highest quality organic wheat in the world. As a result, they are able to mill organic wheat flour (from their own organic wheat) that is high in protein and rich in other key nutrients.

The organic wheat is stored in state-of-the-art grain storage facilities which allows Cascade to have a year-round stable supply of organic wheat at affordable and consistent prices. Additionally, their organic flour is milled at a modern facility at their farm.

Cascade Organic Flour’s special milling system utilizes the entire organic whole grain wheat to produce healthy and natural organic 100% whole wheat flour(s).

Unfortunately, most flour offered today by traditional mills is reconstituted or refined. In particular, refining a grain removes about a quarter of the protein in the grain, and half to two thirds or more of a score of nutrients, leaving the grain a mere shadow of its original self.

On the other hand, Cascade Organic Flour’s highly efficient one-pass mill naturally processes the bran, germ, and other beneficial elements of the organic whole wheat in one-step into a very nutritious organic whole wheat flour. The resulting organic whole wheat flour contains more macronutrients and vitamins than refined fortified white flour.

In addition, their organic flour is made up of much smaller particles and has similar functional, convenient and easy-baking qualities as white refined flour, while still retaining all of the natural beneficial nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fiber, bran, and germ of the whole grain. Furthermore, through their modern flour milling facility, they can meet various specifications requested by customers.

As a result of Cascade Organic Flour’s special dry milling process, the moisture content of the flour produced is 8% or lower, which is much less than the moisture content of flour (about 13% to 14% or higher) from mills which use water in the milling process. Various research studies have shown that flour with lower moisture content (9% or lower) has longer and more consistent storage stability, better retention of nutrients and protein, and little or no deterioration of baking quality. On the other hand, flours with higher moisture content can have mold and fungal growth as well as an increased breakdown of protein and other nutrients.

Using flour from Cascade Organic Flour gives 4% to 6% more volume of flour for the same cost or price than flour from mills that use water in their process. For example, for every 100,000 lbs. of flour, Cascade gets two to three more tons (i.e…4,000 to 6,000 lbs.) of flour from Cascade Organic Flour.

• Cascade Organic Flour offers a wide array of organic products including:
• Organic Whole Wheat Flour (Bread Flour): 12.5% to 16% Protein
• Organic All Purpose Flour: 10% to 12% Protein
• Organic Pastry Flour: 7% to 9% Protein
• Organic Miller’s Bran
• Organic Wheat Berries

Additionally, they can produce and ship the above mentioned products in the following packaging/shipping sizes:

• Bulk in Pneumatic Trailers
• 2,000 lb. or 1 MT Totes or Super Sacks
• 50 lb. or 20 kg. Bags

Cascade Organic Flour has the following accreditations/certifications:

• Organic
• Non-GMO
• Kosher

For more information, visit www.cascadeorganicflour.com.