As other sectors of American Agriculture feel pressure, pulse crop supplier, processor, and distributor, Columbia Grains International, has seen bean demand soar.
The pandemic has spurred an increased demand for shelf-stable foods, especially beans and lentils. Jeff Van Pevenage is the President and CEO of Columbia Grain International and looks for this demand to continue.
He states, “People will like them because, one, they’re stable...These items that you can pick up and store at home for three to six months and know that you’re going to have them available ...On top of that, you will find that people’s desire for more healthy foods is becoming a big trend all over the world, and these fit into the category people are looking for.”
Van Pevenage adds that Columbia Grain has experienced a 40 percent increase in demand for the shelf-stable protein and its plants are working around the clock to fulfill an ever-increasing number of orders. CGI’s investment into new processing plants have been beneficial to both farmers and consumers.
Van Pevenage states, “Columbia Grain has been investing into high-quality manufacturing processing facilities that will enable us to clean, bag, and provide products that the majority of the world want.”
Two months ago, Columbia Grain thought they would see reduced pulse crop acreage in the U.S., but now farmers are forecasted to increase what is being planted because of the increase in demand. They expect orders to continue to rise well into the future.