Cairnspring Mills

What they do

Co-founded in 2016 by CEO Kevin Morse and COO Tim Hunton among a group of Skagit Valley farmers, economic development leaders, and bakers, Cairnspring Mills is a regenerative flour mill located in northwest Washington that produces fresh stone-milled flours made from fully traceable, identity-preserved grains purchased from a network of small regional farmers they know and trust.

Cairnspring Mills also wants “to ensure they [farmers] are more than fairly compensated for the superior product they grow for us.”

Customers remark that their flours have great textures. What’s more, the flours are clean, meaning they don’t contain added bleach, treatments, stabilizers, or other enrichments.

Why we invested

The Cairnspring Mills team recognizes how central food production is to nourishing communities, rural economies, and the land.

By milling specialty grains for regional farmers, Cairnspring Mills connects farmers with wholesalers and retail customers, thus enabling farmers to focus on being stewards of the land—growing high-quality soil-regenerating rotation crops and commanding a higher price while preserving soil health.

Currently, Cairnspring Mills products can be found online and in over 100 Whole Foods and smaller local grocers in Washington and Oregon. As Cairnspring Mills continues to grow, they see the opportunity to purchase equipment and grain to prepare for the next summer harvest.

Despite this track record, Cairnspring has experienced an uphill battle in finding adequate capital and favorable financing terms. Cairnspring has had to use equity for the purchase of grains. Many small farms have been pushed out of business due to the price wars on commodities prices.

Focus on investing in value-added processors to create a viable market where producers and land stewards can better afford to embrace regenerative practices and scale to sell into larger supply chains.

Updates

06/2022 — Mission Driven Finance invested in Cairnspring Mills a second time to support another round of grain purchasing.