Granite Falls Energy
Granite Falls Energy, LLC is a privately held Minnesota corn ethanol producer operating two plants (~128M gallons combined annual capacity, permitted ~142M), selling fuel-grade ethanol plus distillers grains and corn oil to fuel blenders, livestock feed markets, and international buyers via marketing agreements.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersMinnesota City, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Granite Falls Energy does
Granite Falls Energy, LLC is a privately held Minnesota limited liability company that has produced fuel-grade ethanol since 2005 from corn feedstock via dry-mill fermentation. The company operates two production assets: the Granite Falls facility (~63M gallons annual capacity, permitted up to 70M gallons on a twelve-month rolling sum) and the wholly owned Heron Lake BioEnergy (HLBE) facility near Heron Lake, MN (~65M gallons, permitted up to 72.3M gallons). HLBE additionally operates a natural gas pipeline through a wholly owned subsidiary, providing energy to the ethanol plant and to other customers. Core technology is a conventional corn-to-ethanol process chain — milling, enzymatic liquefaction and saccharification, yeast fermentation, multi-column distillation, molecular-sieve dehydration, and denaturing — yielding anhydrous fuel-grade ethanol alongside three co-products: dried distillers grains with solubles (min 25% crude protein), modified wet distillers grains with solubles (min 13.5% crude protein, max 55% moisture), and crude corn oil.
Granite Falls Energy monetizes output through four revenue streams: (1) ethanol sold via marketing agreements across the continental US and international markets, (2) DDG and MWDG sold as high-protein feed supplements to dairy, beef, swine, and poultry producers, (3) crude corn oil sold via marketing agreements, and (4) corn procurement from regional growers via cash bids, HTAs, basis contracts, and JSA Select Pricing — the latter supporting both feedstock supply and an adjacent grower-services revenue line. The company employs 51-100 staff and is led by CEO Kenton Johnson and CFO Stacie Schuler across both GFE and HLBE operations.
Customer base is broad and undifferentiated: ethanol is sold as a fungible commodity to fuel blenders and distributors under marketing agreements rather than to named enterprise accounts, and co-products flow into commodity livestock-feed channels. The company supports investor liquidity through private capital unit trading on FNC Securities, reflecting its membership-interest LLC structure. There are no disclosed funding rounds, no public revenue figures, and no AI/ML technology layer evident in the available data — Granite Falls Energy is best understood as a mature, mid-scale commodity ethanol producer whose economics are driven by corn crush margins, ethanol pricing, and co-product realization.
Granite Falls Energy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Granite Falls Energy
- Legal name
- Granite Falls Energy, LLC
- Website
- https://granitefallsenergy.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Granite Falls Energy, LLC is a privately held Minnesota corn ethanol producer operating two plants (~128M gallons combined annual capacity, permitted ~142M), selling fuel-grade ethanol plus distillers grains and corn oil to fuel blenders, livestock feed markets, and international buyers via marketing agreements.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Granite Falls Energy industry classification
Industry- NAICS
- Ethyl Alcohol Manufacturing (325193)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Grain & Sugar-Based Ethanol Production (EUAAAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Biofuel Co-products & Byproduct Processing (DDGS, Glycerin, CO2, Lignin) (EUAAAHAJ)
Keywords
Where Granite Falls Energy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minnesota City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Granite Falls Energy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Ethanol Sales: Sale of fuel-grade ethanol produced from corn fermentation. Sells throughout the continental U.S. and international markets pursuant to marketing agreements.
- Distillers Grains Sales: Sale of dried distillers grains (DDG) and modified wet distillers grains with solubles, which are high-protein, high-energy animal feed supplements marketed to dairy, beef, swine, and poultry industries.
- Crude Corn Oil Sales: Sale of crude corn oil extracted during ethanol production process.
- Capital Units Trading: Trading of membership/capital units through FNC Securities, LLC platform (fncagstock.com). The LLC structure allows investor participation in company ownership.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Corn cash bids posted daily with futures, basis, and bid prices |
| Other | Monthly | Maintenance Technician/Welder position |
| Other | Monthly | Process Operator position |
| Other | Monthly | Shift-Lead Operator position |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Granite Falls Energy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Granite Falls Energy, LLC produces and sells fuel-grade ethanol from corn fermentation at its southwest Minnesota facility (63M gallon capacity, permitted up to 70M), complemented by dried distillers grains (DDG) and modified wet distillers grains (MWDG) sold as high-protein livestock feed to dairy, beef, swine, and poultry industries, plus crude corn oil extracted during processing. Through its 100% owned subsidiary Heron Lake BioEnergy, LLC, it adds a second 65M gallon ethanol plant near Heron Lake, Minnesota. Products are sold via marketing agreements throughout the U.S. and international markets.
Product overview
Granite Falls Energy, LLC is a Minnesota-based renewable fuels producer offering a portfolio of ethanol and co-products. The core product is fuel-grade ethanol (63 million gallon annual capacity, permitted up to 70 million gallons), complemented by dried and wet distillers grains sold as high-protein livestock feed ingredients, and crude corn oil. The company also operates a corn purchasing service offering cash bids through multiple contract structures. GFE maintains 100% ownership of Heron Lake BioEnergy, LLC, adding 65 million gallon ethanol capacity and a natural gas pipeline operation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduces smog-forming emissions by 25% since 1990 (per American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Granite Falls Energy
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Granite Falls Energy technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Granite Falls Energy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Heron Lake BioEnergy, LLC (HLBE)core100% owned subsidiary of Granite Falls Energy, LLC. HLBE is a Minnesota limited liability company producing fuel-grade ethanol, distillers grains, and crude corn oil near Heron Lake, Minnesota with approximately 65 million gallons annual production capacity (permitted up to 72.3 million gallons). Additionally, HLBE operates a natural gas pipeline through a wholly owned subsidiary that provides natural gas to the ethanol facility and other customers.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Granite Falls Energy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Cargill: Cargill operates grain origination and renewable fuel activities at scale; both it and Granite Falls Energy compete to source corn from the same regional grower pool and access similar downstream ethanol/distillers grains markets.
- Valero Renewable Fuels: Valero operates a U.S. ethanol platform producing corn ethanol as part of its broader refining business; directly competitive on fuel ethanol supply and adjacent to corn merchandising practices used by Granite Falls Energy.
- Archer Daniels Midland (ADM): ADM's Corn Processing segment produces ethanol and co-products at industrial scale via wet and dry milling; competes head-on with Granite Falls Energy on ethanol output and competes with it as a buyer on regional corn origination.
Direct peers
- Green Plains Inc. Green Plains is a publicly traded pure-play corn ethanol producer with multiple plants and an explicit focus on co-products (DDG, crude corn oil); directly comparable on feedstock, technology stack, and revenue mix to Granite Falls Energy.
- Alto Ingredients: Alto Ingredients owns and operates corn ethanol plants producing ethanol, DDG, and CO2; directly comparable in scale profile and product mix to Granite Falls Energy's GFE/HLBE footprint.
- REX American Resources: REX is a pure-play ethanol producer with multiple corn ethanol plants across the Midwest; directly comparable operating model, scale profile, and exposure to RFS policy.
- POET Biorefining: POET is the largest U.S. corn-starch ethanol producer with multi-billion-gallon annual capacity across multiple Midwestern plants; directly comparable to Granite Falls Energy in feedstock, dry-grind process, and co-product mix.
Others
- ICM, Inc. ICM is the dominant process technology licensor for dry-grind corn ethanol plants; its technology stack underlies most U.S. ethanol capacity including dry-grind facilities of Granite Falls Energy's type, shaping the company's capex and operating profile.
Emerging players
- Aemetis: Aemetis is a low-carbon renewable fuels and SAF developer with legacy corn ethanol assets; partially comparable as a transition story from conventional ethanol toward renewable fuels aligned with future regulation.
Regional players
- Andersons Inc. The Andersons operates grain elevator and commodity merchandising businesses in the Midwest, including corn origination that competes directly with Granite Falls Energy's grower procurement function in southwest Minnesota.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Granite Falls Energy social profiles
Digital presenceGranite Falls Energy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Granite Falls Energy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Granite Falls Energy subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Granite Falls Energy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Granite Falls Energy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Granite Falls Energy
What does Granite Falls Energy do?
Granite Falls Energy, LLC produces and sells fuel-grade ethanol from corn fermentation at its southwest Minnesota facility (63M gallon capacity, permitted up to 70M), complemented by dried distillers grains (DDG) and modified wet distillers grains (MWDG) sold as high-protein livestock feed to dairy, beef, swine, and poultry industries, plus crude corn oil extracted during processing. Through its 100% owned subsidiary Heron Lake BioEnergy, LLC, it adds a second 65M gallon ethanol plant near Heron Lake, Minnesota. Products are sold via marketing agreements throughout the U.S. and international markets.
Is Granite Falls Energy a public or private company?
Granite Falls Energy is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was Granite Falls Energy founded?
Granite Falls Energy was founded in 2005. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Granite Falls Energy based?
Granite Falls Energy is headquartered in Minnesota City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Granite Falls Energy make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ethanol Sales are the primary driver. The others are distillers Grains Sales, crude Corn Oil Sales and capital Units Trading.
Who are Granite Falls Energy's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Cargill, Valero Renewable Fuels and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM). Direct peers are Green Plains Inc., Alto Ingredients, REX American Resources and POET Biorefining. ICM, Inc. is listed as an others. Aemetis is listed as an emerging player. Andersons Inc. is listed as a regional player.
Does Granite Falls Energy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Granite Falls Energy.
What industry is Granite Falls Energy in?
Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAAAHAA, Grain & Sugar-Based Ethanol Production, with a secondary code of EUAAAHAJ, Biofuel Co-products & Byproduct Processing (DDGS, Glycerin, CO2, Lignin). Its NAICS code is 325193.