Report: How Sustainable Grains, Once a Niche Sector, Are Transforming F&B Innovation

According to a new report from market researcher SPINS, the continued acceleration of better-for-you products has expanded grains in American diets far beyond the familiar wheat and rice, with the once-niche sustainable grains sector now worth $41 million.

What’s more, heightened consumer interest will help further solidify those sustainable grains – a category that includes teff, sorghum, amaranth, millet, quinoa, farro and buckwheat – as an enhanced ingredient across a wide range of food and beverage categories. Here are the key insights from the report:

Sustainable grains are resilient and adaptable, meaning they can grow in harsh conditions like drought with minimal water. They help mitigate soil disruption by offering increased nutritional content, boosting soil health and reducing the need for herbicides. Currently, the world relies on soil for 95% of food, but one-third of it has already degraded, per SPINS.

The report points to Patagonia Provisions (Regenerative Organic pasta) and Lundberg Family Farms (Regenerative Organic rice) as examples of brands promoting soil stewardship to improve their product quality and taste. Beyond being rich in minerals, healthy soil can produce crops with more complex and richer taste profiles.

Though the seven core sustainable grains’ dollar share fell 4% year-over-year to $41.4 million, farro (+8%), buckwheat (+7%) and amaranth (+1%) are showing continued growth as single products. Farro, a high-yield ancient grain from the Middle East, is being incorporated into products for the whole family, from baby food to frozen entrees.

SPINS emphasized that brands can succeed in the grains category by addressing four consumer mentality shifts:

• • Lifespan Versus Healthspan: Products should focus on digestive health benefits – like De La Calle’s Tepache or Pacha’s Buckwheat Loaf Sourdough bread, which features less gluten and higher protein than traditional breads in addition to natural probiotics.
  • New Global Notions: Brands should watch for region-specific grains like teff (Ethiopia), quinoa (Peru and Bolivia) and amaranth (Central and South America). Swebol Biotech, formerly part of Oatly’s business development team, has been working to create Quiny, a quinoa-based milk alternative.
  • Protecting the Planet: As consumers look for healthier snack options, brands are swapping out traditional corn, wheat and rice flours with quinoa and sorghum.

• Intentional Indulgence: A key example of grains as a value add is in baking mixes, with pancake and cookie mixes from brands like Bob’s Red Mill and Maja providing convenient indulgence paired with ingredients like sorghum and quinoa.

What’s next? A likely expansion of Kernza, a perennial grain developed by Kansas-based non-profit The Land Institute that is now commonly being used in flour form to make baking mixes, pasta and crackers, as well as in grain form for brewing and distilling more sustainable beverages. CPG giant General Mills has been supporting research on Kernza and purchasing the ingredient for its Cascadian Farms products since 2017.

Additionally, SPINS believes certifications and label claims like Detox Project and Regenerative Organic will level up the grains category. The Regenerative Organic certification grew 12% year-over-year in 2024 and through regen ag practices, CPG brands can rehabilitate soil, respect animal welfare and improve the lives of farmers.