Soy processors find LeCenter of the world

LeCenter, Minn. — Pure Pride, Inc. is out to prove that international markets are reachable from the heart of Minnesota soybean country.

Pure Pride’s co-founders Todd and Mary Twining say their organic soybean company already has an exclusive distributor in the United Kingdom and they’ve received positive feedback from distributors in Europe and Japan. The increasing interest, which the Twinings have worked hard to cultivate, is fueling plans for an expansion of their operation.

The Twinings have been operating Pure Pride for about a year and a half, producing organic soy oil, protein powder and meal. They process 100,000 to 150,000 bushels of certified organic soybeans from 400 producers every year. Twining says the bulk of the beans comes from Minnesota, and they don’t source any beans from outside the United States. “We’re located here because it’s where the beans are,” he says.

While there is some domestic interest in their organic products, the active markets are overseas, Twining says. He and Mary have cultivated those markets by attending international health, organic and ingredient trade shows. After most shows, “I end up swamped,” he says. “It’s important for us to do these shows to establish our market presence.”

Organic soy oil is used as a salad, stir fry or dipping oil, and as an additive in nut butters. Protein powder is an ingredient in products such as soymilk or bread. “These products are familiar by now and almost staples,” Twining says. “But there are challenges for an operation like ours because we’re certified organic,” and the higher costs “limits our access to some mainstream markets.”

The current plant, formerly owned and built by Agronico where Mary once worked as bookkeeper, was designed as a pilot plant to make sample batches and conduct product research and development. In order to increase the capacity and capture more markets with new products, expansion and redesign will be necessary. As Pure Pride prepares to take this next step, AURI is providing technical assistance on both product and process improvements.

“What is evolving is a lot more nutritional and metabolic information on soybeans,” says Max Norris, AURI fats and oils scientist. “From essential fatty acids to oligosaccharides, we’re going to see soybeans serving as a larger supplement to our diets in the future. Pure Pride is positioned well to meet those markets.”