World Grain - November 2022 - 52

FEATURE: BERTE QVARN EMBRACING FUTURE WITH OAT REVIVAL
In turn, Berte Qvarn opted to work with Bühler,
Uzwil, Switzerland, for the processing facility, covering
the full value chain from intake to cleaning, dehulling
and kilning.
" From day one, we knew we had a tight schedule, "
said Thomas Höhndorf, area sales manager at Bühler,
who was involved in the project from the first meeting
to the startup of the plant in 2020. " But thanks to our
long-standing relationship in wheat milling and Berte
Qvarn's trust in our solutions for oat processing, we
pulled in the same direction from the go with the clear
goal to deliver the best possible product to Oatly. "
Oat revival
As a family-owned company, Berte Qvarn believes
part of its duty is to consider the well-being of the next
generations in all of its business decisions, Stenström
said. The company is working with local farmers toward
a fossil-free, diversified farm project.
" It focuses on improving every step of the grain's
Berte Qvarn
recently added
an oat mill
to its milling
headquarters
in Slöinge,
Sweden.
journey from farm to fork, " she said. " Oats play a vital
part in the ecosystem in terms of crop rotation and
add valuable nutrients to the soil. They're a very popular,
locally grown grain in Scandinavia, and offer a
high level of antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and essential
minerals. "
Aside from the health and environmental benefits,
now is an opportune time to invest in the booming oat
market. It experienced rapid growth during the pandemic
with consumer demand for healthy food soaring
over the past two years.
The global oat market is projected to reach up to $10
billion by 2028, up from $7.8 billion in 2021, according
to industry research provider The Insight Partners.
Canada accounts for 75% of world oat trade, while
Australia is the second largest global exporter of raw
and processed oats. The United States is the world's
largest importer of oats, followed by Germany and
China. Sweden is among the top 10 largest producers
at about 800,000 tonnes per year.
Gains in oat food and beverage consumption are
expected to continue, according to a report by the
Australian Export Grain Innovation Centre, as concerns
such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease drive
consumers to the health benefits of oats.
" Here in Scandinavia, oats are found everywhere,
it's natural to use oat-based cosmetics, for example, "
Stenström said. " We see that people around the world
have become more aware of what they consume and
put a strong focus on regional, sustainable products
that add health benefits. "
Cutting edge processing
Once it decided to enter the oat market and play a role in
bringing the benefit of oats to people around the world,
Berte Qvarn turned to Bühler for its processing facility.
" Luckily, we have a very experienced and committed
partner on our side with Bühler who already built
World Grain - November 2022

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