What Safflower Technologies International does

Safflower Technologies International (STI) is a Montana-based agricultural technology company that operates the world's largest safflower breeding program in partnership with Montana State University, where its proprietary varieties — NutraSaff™, Healthola, and Montola 2004 — were developed. STI's core business is large-volume B2B commodity sales and contracting programs for safflower (30–50 million lbs/year), sunflower (10–20 million lbs/year), pulse crops, and other grains, supplied through 40,000–50,000 contracted acres across Eastern Montana, North Dakota, Central Montana, and South Dakota. The company segments its products into differentiated niche offerings: NutraSaff™ for the wild bird feed market (40% thinner hull, 25% higher protein, 30% higher fat, 2:1 bird preference, squirrel deterrence) and Healthola high-oleic safflower oil (up to 85% oleic, only 6% saturates, 0% trans fats) positioned against olive and canola oils for food, infant formula, snack, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and supplement manufacturers.

STI monetizes primarily through transaction-based commodity sales to wholesalers, distributors, and food/health product manufacturers, supplemented by international licensing and marketing rights for Healthola across Europe, Canada, Japan, and Australia. Distribution runs through direct B2B sales channels backed by BN/UP rail locations, bulk trucks, totes, and custom 20–50 lb bagging, with a regional sales rep network (Scott Senn, Chad Workman, Ken Schultz) handling producer relationships. A strategic alliance with a third-party breeder enables hybrid safflower production for higher yields and broader genetic traits. STI is a privately held LLC (no disclosed institutional capital, no parent company, no M&A history) led by Mike Bergman (President) and Jerry Bergman (R&D).

Name

Safflower Technologies International

Legal name

Safflower Technologies International, LLC

Website

https://safflowertech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Safflower Technologies International is a Montana-based agricultural technology company that develops proprietary safflower varieties (NutraSaff™, Healthola, Montola 2004) in partnership with Montana State University and sells identity-preserved safflower, sunflower, pulse, and grain commodities to wholesalers, distributors, and food/health-product manufacturers domestically and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Agricultural Products

NAICS

Starch and Vegetable Fats and Oils Manufacturing (31122)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Plant Breeding & Variety Development (Conventional) (AFAGAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Open-Pollinated/Varietal Seed Multiplication (AFAGAIAE), Registered Seed Production (AFAGAIAB)

Keywords

• Safflower breeding
• Specialty crop production
• Identity-preserved oils
• Bird feed ingredients
• Pulse crops

Headquarters

HQ city

Billings

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Safflower Product Sales: Large-volume commodity sales of safflower including NutraSaff™ birdseed, hybrid safflower, oleic/linoleic varieties, and edible oils. Annual sale volumes of 30-50 million lbs/year. Revenue generated through contracting programs with producers.
2. Sunflower Product Sales: Sales of sunflower products including black oil, confection, sunflower chips, and con-oils. Annual sales volume of 10-20 million lbs/year.
3. Pulse Crops Sales: Sales of pulse crops including yellow/green peas, chickpeas, maple peas, Austrian winter peas, and lentils.
4. Other Crops Sales: Sales of barley, wheat, millet, flax and other crops available upon request.
5. International Licensing and Marketing Rights: Revenue from licensing and marketing rights for Healthola safflower oil in Europe, Canada, Japan, Australia and other foreign countries. STI holds foreign patent and marketing rights for the premier safflower oil.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Safflower Technologies International (STI) develops proprietary non-GMO safflower varieties through a long-standing safflower breeding program with Montana State University, and produces and sells specialty safflower products (including NutraSaff™ bird feed and Healthola safflower oil), sunflower products, and pulse crops to wholesalers, distributors, and food/health product manufacturers. The company also runs contracting programs for growers and markets a portfolio of safflower varieties, sunflower types, and other small grains.

Product overview

Safflower Technologies International is an agricultural commodities company operating the world's largest safflower breeding program in partnership with Montana State University. The company offers a portfolio of identity-preserved safflower products including NutraSaff™ bird feed and Healthola high oleic safflower oil, alongside sunflower products (Black Oil, Confection, Chips, Con-Oils), pulse crops (peas, chickpeas, lentils), and other grains. The core offerings center on proprietary safflower varieties (NutraSaff™, Healthola, Montola 2004, Hybrid Safflower) developed through genetic breeding programs, with contracting programs supporting 40,000-50,000 acres and annual sales volumes of 30-50 million lbs for safflower and 10-20 million lbs for sunflower products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NutraSaff™: Golden Safflower bird seed product with 40% thinner hull, 15% more oil content, 25% higher protein, and 30% higher fat content than traditional safflower. Non-GMO, organic, chemical-free feed that birds prefer 2 to 1 over traditional safflower.
• Healthola
• Montola 2004

Products and services

• NutraSaff™ Safflower
• Healthola Safflower Oil
• Montola 2004 Safflower Variety
• Hybrid Safflower Seed
• Oleic, Linoleic and Spineless Safflower Varieties
• Black Oil Sunflower
• Confection Sunflower
• Sunflower Chips
• Pulse Crops
• Other Crops (Barley, Millet, Flax, Wheat)
• Crop Contracting Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• NutraSaff™ has 40% thinner outer hull than traditional safflower
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Montana State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTI has a deep partnership with Montana State University, home to the world's largest safflower breeding program. The company developed NutraSaff™, Healthola, and Montola 2004 proprietary varieties through university scientists. STI acquired foreign patent and marketing rights for Healthola released by Montana State University. The university remains a key research and development partner.
• Third Party Breeder (Strategic Alliance)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTI has a strategic alliance with a third party breeder to produce hybrid safflower varieties. This partnership enables higher yields and wider range of genetic traits to supply high oleic safflower and high linoleic safflower to international markets.

Scale indicators5 records

Direct peers

• SunOpta: Specialty plant-based ingredients company focused on non-GMO, organic, and identity-preserved oils, ingredients, and beverages. Closely comparable to STI in identity-preserved oil positioning, non-GMO sourcing, and target industrial buyer segments (food, beverage, nutrition).
• Montana Specialty Mills: Montana-based processor of specialty oilseeds (including safflower, flax, and mustard) into food-grade oils and meals. Highly comparable to STI as a regional specialty oilseed player operating in the same Northern Plains contracting geography with overlapping grower relationships.
• S&W Seed Company: Public specialty crop seed company developing and commercializing proprietary varieties of alfalfa, sorghum, sunflower, and other crops. Like STI, it contracts production acres and sells proprietary seed genetics through B2B channels, making it a directly comparable specialty seed breeder with similar revenue model mechanics.

Broad incumbents

• ADM (Archer Daniels Midland): Global agricultural processor and oilseed refiner with significant specialty oil and plant-based ingredient operations. Competes with STI for industrial buyers of edible oils (food, infant nutrition, cosmetics) and has the scale, logistics, and global marketing footprint that STI's Healthola aspires to reach via partners.
• Cargill: Largest privately held agricultural commodities company globally, with extensive oilseed origination, processing, and specialty oil businesses including high-oleic sunflower and canola. Directly competes with Healthola in the industrial edible-oil buyer segment and dwarfs STI in scale, distribution, and R&D budgets.
• Corteva Agriscience: Large agricultural input and seed genetics company with active high-oleic soybean, canola, and sunflower breeding programs. Overlaps with STI in the breeding/IP space and represents a long-term competitive threat as Corteva's high-oleic traits replicate Healthola's fatty-acid profile in higher-volume crops.
• Perdue AgriBusiness: Diversified agricultural commodities business with grain origination, oilseed processing, and specialty ingredients operations. Competes with STI for producer contracting in the Mid-Atlantic and adjacent regions and for industrial edible-oil buyer relationships.
• Bunge Global: Major oilseed processor and edible oil merchandiser with broad specialty oil capabilities. Competes with STI in the industrial and food-grade vegetable oil segment and represents the type of international distribution counterpart STI is targeting for Healthola.

Regional players

• CHS Inc. US farmer-owned cooperative and major grain/oilseed merchandiser with significant presence in the Northern Plains and Mountain West — the same geography as STI's contracted acres. Comparable as a regional oilseed buyer/processor that competes with STI for producer contracting relationships.

Emerging players

• Asoyia (Mid-Oleic Soybean Platform): Identity-preserved, low-linolenic soybean oil program targeting the same industrial 'zero-trans' edible-oil specification that Healthola addresses. Comparable as a smaller-scale, identity-preserved oil challenger competing for the same industrial buyer attention.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Safflower Technologies International