Star of The West Milling Co.

What Star of The West Milling Co. does

Star of The West Milling Co. is a privately held, employee-owned flour milling and grain handling company founded in 1870 and headquartered in Frankenmuth, Michigan. The company operates an integrated grain origination-to-finished-product platform spanning five flour mills across Indiana, Michigan, New York, and Ohio, with 33,400 cwts of daily milling capacity and over 10 million cwts milled in 2022. Its product portfolio includes specialty soft white winter wheat flours (pastry, cake, whole wheat, organic, low-emission), ready-to-eat flaked wheat, dry edible beans (conventional and organic), and food-grade soybeans, supported by a network of 30+ grain elevators, 14 bean processing facilities, and 8 agronomy locations staffed by 30+ Certified Crop Advisors.

The company generates revenue through direct B2B sales of flour and grain ingredients to commercial bakeries, cereal manufacturers, canners, and CPG companies — with named customers including Campbell's/Pepperidge Farm and Nestlé-Gerber — alongside grain procurement transactions from growers and agronomy professional services. Distribution is overwhelmingly direct/enterprise, with limited retail flour sales through a handful of local Frankenmuth-area retailers. Star of the West also exports dry edible beans and food-grade soybeans internationally, bolstered by the 2002 acquisition of Citizens Grain LLC.

Recent strategic activity centers on capacity rationalization (the closure of the Quincy, MI wheat mill and tripling of Ligonier output with new U.S. flour pasteurizing capability), a planned corn mill at the Quincy site, the rollout of a proprietary sustainability data platform (STAR program) through a 2025 partnership with Sweden's Improvin', and USDA-funded climate-smart grower programs. The company is led by President and CEO Jim Howe, who also holds ownership in Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Name

Star of The West Milling Co.

Legal name

Star of the West Milling Company

Website

https://starofthewest.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1870

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Star of The West Milling Co. is a privately held, employee-owned flour miller and grain originator founded in 1870, operating five flour mills, 18+ grain elevators, and 14 bean processing facilities across six U.S. states. It produces specialty wheat flours, ready-to-eat flaked wheat, dry edible beans, and food-grade soybeans for commercial bakeries, cereal manufacturers, and CPG customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Flour Milling and Grain Processing

NAICS

Flour Milling and Malt Manufacturing (31121), Flour Milling (311211), Grain and Oilseed Milling (3112)

SIC

Grain Mill Products (2040), Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Flour & Milling Products Manufacturing (wheat, corn, rice, specialty flours) (AFAKABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Country & Inland Grain Elevators (Receiving/Shipping) (AFAOAAAA), Grain & Agri-Bulk Terminals (Elevators, Silos, Feed Grains) (TLAHABAD), Bulk Loadout Systems (Railcar/Truck/Vessel) (AFAOAAAH)

Keywords

• Specialty wheat flour milling
• Dry edible bean processing
• Food-grade soybean production
• Grain elevator operations
• Agronomy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankenmuth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Flour Sales: Sale of milled wheat products including pastry flour, cake flour, whole wheat flour, organic flour, and specialty flour products (high ash, germ, bran) to commercial baking companies, cereal manufacturers, and food processors. The company mills over 10 million cwts of flour annually.
2. Ready-to-Eat Wheat Products: Production and sale of flaked wheat, crushed wheat, quality cleaned wheat, and whole wheat flour products for use in cereals, crackers, cookies, pastries, and other baked goods.
3. Dry Edible Bean Processing and Sales: Processing and sale of dry edible beans including black, navy, pinto, garbanzo, kidney, pink, adzuki, and other varieties. Services include bean washing, drying, and polishing. The division also handles organic beans through Everbest Organics.
4. Food-Grade Soybean Sales: Non-GMO, transitional, high protein, and natto food-grade soybean sales from two dedicated food-grade-only processing facilities in Michigan. Includes marketing, drying, seed sales, and grower contracting.
5. Agronomy Services: Agronomy division providing crop inputs (seed, fertilizer, crop protection), custom application, precision agriculture technology, soil sampling, crop scouting, and sustainability assessment services to growers.
6. Grain Elevator Operations: Acceptance and marketing of wheat, corn, and soybeans through a network of over 30 elevators across multiple states, providing cash bids and grain procurement services to growers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Star of the West Milling Company operates a system of flour mills and grain elevators producing specialty soft wheat flour products (pastry, cake, whole wheat, organic, low emission), ready-to-eat flaked wheat, dry edible beans, and food-grade soybeans for commercial bakers, cereal manufacturers, canners, and packagers. The company also runs a network of 30+ grain elevators and provides agronomy services including seed, fertilizer, crop protection, and sustainability program support to Midwest growers.

Product overview

Star of the West Milling Company operates five flour mills across Indiana, Michigan, New York, and Ohio with a daily milling capacity of 33,400 cwts, making it the 11th largest miller in the US. The company offers two primary product lines: Flour & Wheat Products (including Cake Flour, Pastry Flour, Whole Wheat Flour, Organic Wheat, Flaked Wheat, Quality Cleaned Wheat, Light Bran, Heavy Bran, Germ, Crushed Wheat, High Ash Flour, and Low Emission Flour) and Edible Bean Products (including Dry Edible Beans and Food-Grade Soybeans). The company also operates a dedicated agronomy division with over 30 Certified Crop Advisors, an elevator network of over 30 locations, and a digital sustainability platform (built with Improvin') for the STAR program that tracks nitrogen use efficiency and sustainability metrics using satellite imagery data. Organic products are offered through the Everbest Organics sub-brand. The company processes corn, soybeans, soft red winter wheat, and soft white winter wheat across its facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nightingale: Nightingale Pastry Flour brand - a straight-grade flour milled from Soft Winter Wheat used in pastries and baked goods.
• Star Patent
• Cardinal
• Peerless
• Serenade
• Patriot
• Everbest

Products and services

• Pastry Flour Straight-grade flour milled from Soft Winter Wheat used in pastries, cookies, crackers, doughnuts, ice cream cones, and pies. Available in 25 lb bags, 50 lb bags, totes, or bulk. Certifications include Kosher. Brands include Star Patent, Cardinal, Peerless, and Nightingale.
• Cake Flour Low ash, high ratio flour milled from Soft Winter Wheat traditionally treated for both performance and aesthetics. Used in angel food, cupcakes, and sheet cake. Brand includes Serenade.
• Whole Wheat Flour Milled from Soft White Winter Wheat with lighter-colored and sweeter-tasting bran particles. Can substitute conventional flour to boost dietary fiber and meet National School Lunch Program requirements. Brand includes Patriot.
• Organic Wheat Organic soft white winter wheat harvested regionally, milled into organic flour and light bran, or shipped as organic cleaned wheat product. Brand includes Everbest.
• Flaked Wheat Cooked, ready-to-eat flake produced from Soft White Winter Wheat with applications in cereals. Mottled golden brown and white in color.
• Quality Cleaned Wheat Whole berry of soft white winter wheat grown primarily in Michigan, cleaned to food grade standards through aspiration, sizing, scouring, and in-series metal detection for use in ready-to-eat breakfast cereals.
• Low Emission Flour Limited supply flour with quantified greenhouse gas emissions from field to flour. Star of the West works directly with wheat growers to receive field-level data enabling emission quantification to assist customers with sustainability goals.
• Heavy Bran Specialty bran product milled from soft white and red winter wheat, produced by butterflying the wheat kernel and releasing a definitive amount of endosperm. Mottled light tan and white in color.
• Light Bran High-fiber bran milled from soft white and red winter wheat. Applications include pet food and snack foods.
• Germ Wheat germ separated during milling, obtained from soft wheat. Economical source of high-quality protein, B-complex vitamins, and trace minerals. Applications include pet foods.
• Crushed Wheat Ultra coarse whole wheat flake milled from soft white and red winter wheat, produced by butterflying the wheat kernel and retaining the entire product stream including loose endosperm, with an extreme continuum of particle sizes from large pieces of bran to break flour.
• High Ash Flour Ash Flour milled from cleaned soft red winter wheat, combining straight grade flour with select high ash streams. Used in breading, batter, and pretzel products.
• Dry Edible Beans Dry bean processing division offering conventional, organic, and transitional beans including Black, Navy, Small Red, Pinto, Garbanzo, Dark Red Kidney, Pink, Adzuki, Mayocoba, Black Eye Peas, Great Northern, Cannellini, and Light Red varieties. Processing facilities in Michigan, Minnesota, and North Dakota.
• Food-Grade Soybeans Non-GMO Food-Grade Soybean Program offering Non-GMO, Transitional, High Protein, and Natto soybean classes. Two dedicated food-grade-only processing facilities in Fairgrove, MI and Charlotte, MI.
• Everbest Organics Organic division with 60% stake (plans for 100% ownership) operating in Munger, Michigan; McCanna, North Dakota; and St. Hilaire, Minnesota. Processes organic dry beans and organic food-grade soybeans.
• Agronomy Services Agronomy division offering crop inputs (seed, custom application, blending), ag technology (soil sampling, crop scouting, imagery, yield mapping), and sustainability services, with over 30 Certified Crop Advisors working directly with Michigan farmers.
• STAR Program (Sustainable Tracking of Agronomic Resources) Wheat sustainability program focused on the Maumee River watershed that baselines and improves nitrogen use efficiency through data tracking and practices including split nitrogen application, nitrogen stabilizers, and cover crops. Engages the entire value chain including food companies to ensure fair grower compensation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Milled over 10 million cwts of flour in 2022, up from about 750,000 cwts in the late 1970s — a more than 13x increase over 45 years.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Improvin'coreTechnology or Integration · 27 March 2025Star of the West partnered with Swedish technology company Improvin' to launch a digital platform for grower programs and sustainability data management. The platform streamlines grower participation in sustainability programs and operationalizes Star of the West's STAR (Sustainable Tracking of Agronomic Resources) program, focusing on wheat in the Maumee River watershed. The platform combines modeled satellite data with farmer validation to reduce administrative burden in data tracking.
• Brown Milling Co. Inc.minorOthers · 29 November 2022Star of the West acquired Brown Milling Co. Inc., a grain handler and agronomy supplier based in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Financial terms were not disclosed. The acquisition bolsters key capabilities and expands Star of the West's presence in Michigan.
• St. Hilaire BeanminorOthers · 1 January 2020Star of the West's recent acquisitions include St. Hilaire Bean (2020), which added to the company's dry edible bean processing capabilities and expanded the network of facilities in Minnesota.
• Everbest OrganicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Star of the West acquired a 60% stake in Everbest Organics in 2018, which contracts with farmers to grow soybeans and dry edible beans including garbanzo beans, and operates a processing facility in Munger, Michigan. Plans call for Star of the West to eventually have a 100% stake.
• Citizens LLC (Citizens Grain LLC)coreOthers · 1 January 2002Star of the West acquired Citizens LLC, a Michigan-based grain handler, agronomy supplier and global exporter. The acquisition bolstered Star of the West's food-grade soybean exports, grain receiving and marketing, and agronomy services. Citizens LLC had been operating since 2002.
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTNC and Star of the West collaborate on the Sustainable Option Wheat (SOW) pilot program, expanding from initial acres to 3,200 acres. TNC handles farm evaluations and verification of in-field conservation practices. The program includes enrolling wheat growers, farm assessments, and verification of practices like cover crops and reduced tillage. TNC also provides farmer advisors with tools to communicate about conservation and regenerative agriculture.
• USDA Advancing Markets for Producers (AMP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStar of the West received confirmation that grower-focused grant funding has been reinstated through the USDA's AMP program. This follows the termination of their original $4.9 million grant under the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities (PCSC) program. The AMP program emphasizes direct producer benefits with minimum funding requirements for farmers.
• Nestlé-GerberminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNestlé-Gerber is working with Michigan farmers on sustainability incentive programs as part of its commitment to make its entire product portfolio carbon neutral by 2035. Star of the West participates as a connecting partner bringing farmers and food companies together for conservation agriculture.
• Land O'Lakes, Inc.minorOthersJim Howe is president and CEO of Star of the West and also an owner of Land O'Lakes, Inc., a major agricultural cooperative.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Grain Craft: Grain Craft is one of the largest independent flour millers in the US, operating a network of mills serving baking, foodservice, and cereal customers. Its multi-regional milling footprint, specialty wheat capabilities, and B2B customer mix make it the closest direct independent peer to Star of the West.
• King Arthur Baking Company:
• Bay State Milling Company: Bay State Milling is a privately held, family-owned flour miller producing specialty and traditional flours for baking, cereal, and snack customers across multiple US facilities. Its specialty wheat focus (including wheat bran and ancient grains) and similar scale make it a strong direct comparable to Star of the West.

Broad incumbents

• Ardent Mills: Ardent Mills is the largest flour miller in North America, jointly owned by Cargill, ConAgra, and CHS. It directly overlaps Star of the West in commercial flour milling but operates a much broader national footprint and product portfolio across bakery, cereal, and foodservice customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/star-of-the-west-milling-co
• Xx.com/StaroftheWest1

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Star of The West Milling Co.