US organic food company New Barn Organics has acquired the buckwheat milk recipes of BAM the Brand, Inc. (BAM) and has begun rolling out its own Buckwheat Milk at regional Whole Foods Market stores. Under the agreement, New Barn becomes the first commercial customer for BAM’s Buckwheat Milk Powder.
“Buckwheat Milk is a natural next step as consumers seek regenerative, delicious ways to diversify their diets”
The launch covers the Whole Foods regions of Southern Pacific, Northern California, Southwest, Rocky Mountain and Florida. The milk is made with BAM’s shelf-stable powder and is gluten-free, Certified Seed Oil Free and Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC). According to New Barn, it is the first product in its range developed as ROC from the outset.
Startup repositions as a B2B supplier
BAM, which says it launched the first buckwheat-based plant milk in the US, now sells its organic Buckwheat Milk Powder to food and beverage manufacturers as an ingredient. With New Barn’s order in place, the company plans to scale its ROC buckwheat supply chain and introduce the powder in further product categories.
“The CPG industry is competitive, and we saw a unique opportunity to be stronger together. Plant-based milk remains a core category, and Buckwheat Milk is a natural next step as consumers seek regenerative, delicious ways to diversify their diets. This partnership accelerates category growth and enables BAM to expand buckwheat into new formats,” said Paige Hansen, founder and CEO of BAM.
Both companies worked with the Regenerative Organic Alliance, the nonprofit that administers the ROC standard, to set up the buckwheat supply chain for the product line. According to BAM, buckwheat suppresses weeds, attracts pollinators and replenishes soil, which it uses as the basis for its regenerative positioning.
Retailer accelerator brought the brands together
The two companies met through Whole Foods Market’s Local and Emerging Accelerator Program (LEAP), where BAM was selected as a participant and paired with New Barn as its mentor.
New Barn will sell the product under its own brand, giving BAM’s ingredient access to the larger company’s existing retail distribution.
Lisa Tosun, Emerging Brands Forager at Whole Foods Market, explained, “At Whole Foods Market, one of our core values is to practice win-win partnerships with our suppliers, so it’s an extra win for us when two of our suppliers join forces like this. I’ve had the pleasure of working with New Barn Organics for about nine years now and knew when BAM joined our LEAP cohort back in 2023 that these two brands would instantly connect through their commitment to regenerative agriculture. I look forward to seeing the good they accomplish together!”
