Two St. Louis-based Food Innovators Partner to Form More Sustainable Seed-to-shopper Supply Chain
Schnuck Markets, Inc. selects Benson Hill’s Veri brand cooking oil, sourced from Midwest-grown, proprietary soybeans for use in its prepared foods
Benson Hill, a food tech company unlocking the natural genetic diversity of plants, has signed a supplier agreement with Schnuck Markets, Inc. to roll out Veri brand cooking oil for use in prepared foods in the grocery chain’s more than 100 stores across Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. As part of the grocery retailer’s initiative to find more local, more sustainable suppliers, Schnucks will use Benson Hill’s Midwest-grown soybean oil across a variety of foodservice applications.
“Benson Hill has developed an oil with industry-leading sustainability benefits and a heart-healthy nutritional profile that matches up perfectly with our commitment to nourish people’s lives,” said Geoff Wexler, Vice President of Deli & Prepared Foods for Schnucks. “As a family-owned grocer headquartered in St. Louis, we are excited to be working with another St. Louis company whose values align with our mission. Together we will introduce Veri for use in our prepared foods, while at the same time, maintaining the flavor and top quality our customers have come to know and love.”
Veri brand cooking oil is sourced from Benson Hill’s proprietary soybeans and can serve as a more sustainable alternative to other vegetable oils like canola, one of the most common oils used in foodservice today. In fact, Veri uses significantly less water, reduces CO2e emissions and takes less land to produce than canola or sunflower oil.
As a food tech company, Benson Hill combines soybean seed innovation with a closed-loop business model to help bring more nutritious, more sustainable, and better tasting food options to market. Benson Hill works directly with farmers to grow its soybean varieties in a transparent supply chain with an emphasis on adopting regenerative agriculture practices, leading to additional traceability and sustainability benefits.
See related article: Benson Hill’s Inaugural ESG Report Links Food Science, Data Science and Plant Science To Drive Modernization of the Food System
“Buying trends at the retail level are increasingly shaped by Gen Z consumers who seek out food choices that align with their personal values, promote better health and can be sourced locally,” said Connie Diekman, Registered Dietitian and Past President of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “When consumers can check all those boxes seamlessly and at multiple access points such as local grocery stores, everyone benefits. Better food choices then become possible at scale.”
Designed to meet the changing needs of today’s health-conscious consumer, Veri also offers 10 grams of Omega-9 fatty acids per serving like those found in olive oil.
Veri has independent certification from the Non-GMO Project and performs in any style of cooking including frying, pan searing, vegetable roasting and baking.
“We believe everyone should have access to nutritious food options,” said Nicole Balderas, Vice President and General Manager of Benson Hill’s specialty oil business. “A better-for-you oil starts with better soybeans that are grown right here in the Midwest. When using Veri, retailers can offer their consumers a great tasting, more sustainable product.”
