Long before Bob Moore announced that Bob’s Red Mill was to become an employee-owned company, people were clamoring to know more about the man behind the mill. Since that momentous announcement in 2010, the clamor has grown to a roar and the inquiries just keep flooding the phone lines. Who is Bob Moore? Is he even real? What led him to start grinding whole grain flours on stone mills? Why does he make flour with stone mills?

As our customers, you know that Bob is very much a real person, but you may not know all the details of how he got his start in milling and what led to Bob’s Red Mill becoming a leading manufacturer of stone ground, whole grain flours, cereals and baking mixes. This is why we are thrilled to announce the release of Bob’s biography: People Before Profit: The Inspiring Story of the Founder of Bob’s Red Mill. This inspiring biography details how Bob overcame challenge after challenge to build our company and become the world’s foremost provider of whole grain foods for every meal of the day.

Bob spent countless hours over the last two years working with author Ken Koopman telling his story from his modest beginnings to where he stands today. Bob says, “I am truly humbled by the release of this book. I am amazed to think that there are people who would be interested in reading my life story, and the fact that this book exists is a true testament to everyone who has helped to make Bob’s Red Mill what it is today.”

To celebrate the launch of Bob’s biography, we’re pleased to give away 3 signed copies of this book. You can have it signed generally, or have it made out to someone special. As a big reader, I can truly say this book is worthwhile. Don’t want to wait? You can pick up a copy for the special introductory price of $17.95 on our website.

{Giveaway}

We had a few hiccups during our last few giveaways, so I’m going to try and explain myself a little better for this one. We are going to use this handy app (handy for us) to count and tally everyone’s entries. There is a great 45 second tutorial for how to use this app here. It’s pretty simple, enter using your Facebook login or an email address and password. You absolutely must leave a comment to be counted. I do double check, so don’t think clicking on “I did this” and not commenting will win you a prize. Do be sure to leave your comment and click on “I did this” or you won’t be entered.

Mandatory Entry:
Fact: Bob’s favorite cereal is our Scottish Oatmeal. What is your favorite Bob’s Red Mill cereal? Tell us in the comments to be entered (then be sure to click “I did this” in the app below).

(more…)

Today marks the 83rd birthday of our Founder and CEO, Bob Moore. Not only is 83 years a wonderful reason to celebrate, but I just found out that it marks his 40th year of stone milling. Now we have two reasons to celebrate. After all, if Bob never found his love of stone milling, Bob’s Red Mill wouldn’t exist. Bob and Charlee would probably be off traveling the world and pinching the cheeks of their great-grandchildren. Instead, Bob still pulls 8 hour days at the mill Monday through Friday making sure us “kids” are holding true to his dream. Sure, he still takes wonderful vacations and sometimes a long weekend, but for the most part he’s here every day doing his part to bring whole grains to the world.

We’re having a little party at our Whole Grain Store today and would love if you joined us to toast our founder. There will be Dixie-land music and freebies, cake and singing. Festivities run from noon to 2 pm, with speeches and cake cutting starting at 12:30 pm. We hope to see you there!

Whole Grain Store
5000 SE International Way
Milwaukie, OR 97222
503-607-6455

P.S. Ever wanted to know more about Bob and how he got his start? Well, then, we have good news for you! Bob will be releasing a biography next month. We’ll have more details as the book launch grows closer.

As part of my role at Bob’s Red Mill, I field all sorts of requests for product- from magazines and food writers to professional athletes and movies. I have never gotten a request for samples from a musician, until I met Naomi LaViolette.

Naomi contacted me a few months ago to let us know that she had used our organic quinoa in her album. Evidently, her team was looking for a specific shaker sound and nothing was producing the right noise. Heading back to the kitchen, she told me, her producer had a moment of inspiration when he spotted our bag of quinoa on his shelves. It turned out that quinoa was just the sound they were seeking!

Naomi uses quinoa in her song “Somewhere New to Stand” on her soon-to-be released self-titled album.  Her music falls somewhere beautiful between folk and jazz. Naomi is one of many musicians who hails from Portland and we think she’s really something special. Check out her website and music- we hope you think it’s as special as we do.

After a long flight to Edinburgh via Amsterdam and a train trek across the peaty countryside of Scotland to Inverness-shire, our hearty little band of whole grain evangelists arrived in the Mecca of porridge, Carrbridge, for the World Porridge Making Championships. The four of us from Bob’s Red Mill and our fan-competitor, Merry Graham, woke in Edinburgh today a bit jet-lagged and bleary-eyed, but nonetheless thrilled to be in this wonderful country to tell the world our secret: oats aren’t just a boring breakfast gruel.

Recall that we wrested the Golden Spurtle from its Scottish clutches in 2009. This year, facing unprecedented competition from the Scots, we tapped into the collective intelligence of Bob’s Red Mill’s myriad of incredibly creative fans by hosting an American elimination heat, the winner of which would be bound to represent the company at this most important and unusual competition. What we uncovered was the tireless imagination and porridge making talent of Southern California-based culinarian, Merry Graham.

Merry’s traditional porridge uses a couple of special secrets I can’t share yet, but take it from me, the former champ, Merry’s porridge is the best I’ve tasted. It’s simple as can be but makes the essential flavors of oats dive into one’s taste buds. Merry’s Specialty Category—the secondary category—recipe pulls together a bunch of her favorite native flavors of the Southwest, like fresh spring onions, tomato and cilantro, all atop a patty of steel cut oats and black beans that redefines comfort food.

Tomorrow is dedicated to preparation for Sunday’s big event but we’ve got things fairly well wrapped up. Now it’s just a matter of time and nerves. There is a tension that hangs like fog over the hamlet of Carrbridge as the competitors flood into town but we’re all feeling quite at ease here at the Fairwinds B&B. Technique matters. Salt matters. Clean water matters. We stand tall and confident with the power of the most important variable in such epicurean fisticuffs—the world’s best ingredients. Nonetheless, we thrive on your support and look forward to you following the event’s unfolding on Sunday. Wish us luck!

Matthew Cox

Marketing Director

Dear Friends,

As many of you may be aware, my wife Charlee and I recently made a commitment to make a donation to Oregon Health & Science University. We have dedicated our lives to improving health throughout the world and our intent in helping OHSU establish a nutrition and wellness institute was to focus on childhood obesity, chronic disease, much of which begins at a very early age — even at conception and in the womb. Our monies are dedicated to support research toward better nutrition, with a particular focus on development in the womb, as well as related education and community outreach. It has come to our attention that some people may be concerned about how our donation is to be used at OHSU and whether any of it will go toward animal research.

I assure you that no part of our donation will be used to fund animal research. It was never our intent that any of our gift be used in that way. We have discussed these concerns with OHSU and reaffirmed their commitment that our donation will only be used to improve nutrition and wellness in a manner consistent with our intent. Here is a link to a statement from Dr. Mark Richardson, who is the Dean of the OHSU School of Medicine (www.ohsu.edu/blogs/news/about/statement/), which confirms OHSU’s commitment to use our donation only as we intended.

We are confident that in working together with OHSU we can have a profound impact on health and wellness for many generations to come, and we thank you for your kind messages.

To your good health,

Bob and Charlee Moore
Founders
Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods

We welcome your feedback and will publish your comments, we only ask you to please keep it civil. We are unable to post any comments that are abusive. 

I have worked at Bob’s Red Mill for over 8 years. In that time, I’ve watched the customer service department grow from just two employees to ten. I’ve helped at countless events, created incalculable baked goods and spoken with hundreds of thousands of customers. I’ve learned a lot about whole grains and the gluten free lifestyle and I’ve made meaningful friendships, both with my coworkers and with some customers. I’ve been here so long that I consider Bob’s Red Mill to be my family. This fall, however, it’s time for me to say goodbye.

My passion in life has always been helping animals, so I’ve made the decision to go back to school in pursuit of a degree in wildlife biology with a focus on marine mammal health. I’m very excited about this new adventure, but it’s a bittersweet excitement, as I will miss my Bob’s Red Mill family a lot. I adore the people I work with daily and will miss their laughter and encouragement.

My proudest accomplishment here was the development of our Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix, with the help of our Marketing Department and customers like you. (We really do listen to our customers! Your feedback helped us decide which flours to use in this mix.)  We hear on a weekly basis how ecstatic people are when they learn that pizza can be incorporated into their gluten free diet again. Stories about how this mix has changed the way customers approach the gluten free lifestyle make me feel so honored that I was given the opportunity to develop this product.

I have also developed almost 100 recipes in my short time here, many of which are gluten free and/or vegan to accommodate food allergies and special diets. Below are a few of my favorite recipes to leave you with. Enjoy, and take care!

Vanilla Almond Sugar Cookies

These cookies were developed when Bob’s Red Mill introduced Organic Coconut Flour to the market. I really like them because they’re light, but packed with flavor.

Barley Almond Coconut Cookies

I love how these cookies are whole grain and surprisingly flavorful.

Lemon Chia Bread

This recipe emerged out of a 30 minute time crunch when I was craving something sweet but should have been at my desk. It was such a delightful surprise. You should ask Elizabeth in customer service how many loaves she’s made at home since the development of this recipe.

Cannellini Herb Spread

I really enjoy hummus, but sometimes it’s fun to add a little variety. This spread uses the mild flavor of cannellini beans and the
pungent flavor of herbs. I think it will really change your idea of bean-based spreads.

Hemp No Meat Loaf

When we added Hemp Seeds to our product line, we needed some recipes to go with them. This recipe seemed to be the sleeper hit. The customer service team hounds me to make this dish for company potlucks more than anything else.

The story of Bob’s Red Mill cannot be told without first talking about Bob and what makes Bob so special. When Bob and his wife, Charlee, first thought to open what was once a small company, it was with the inspiration to provide wholesome, whole grain flour to a community that lacked the resource. What started with a mission to feed their three boys nutritious foods turned into a lifelong drive to feed the world high quality, whole grain foods. Bob and Charlee poured their hearts into Bob’s Red Mill which started slowly, but began to grow quickly and continues to grow to this day.

A walk around the mill with Bob reveals how much he values his employees. He knows the name of each of his 200+ employees and he probably knows what their spouse does, how old each of their children are and how long that employee has worked for him. He’s that kind of boss. He’s the kind of boss that keeps employees for 25+ years because he gives them challenges and pushes them to grow, and rewards them well for making the grade. He’s the kind of boss that you don’t ever want to leave. And Charlee? Meeting her once is enough to love her forever.

When Bob and Charlee announced that Bob’s Red Mill was to become employee-owned in February of 2010, surprise was the public reaction, but for the employees this was just another sign of his huge heart and unrelenting generosity. This is what Bob does. He’s not like other CEOs. He doesn’t want to sell the company in a get-rich-quick scheme. He wants to ensure that his employees have jobs and that we will keep Bob’s Red Mill running and continue to providing healthy foods to the world.

Today an announcement was made that will forever shape our community—whether you live here in Portland or across the world, Bob and Charlee have taken steps to ensure that their lifelong mission will be fulfilled. Today’s announcement is the third in a series of incredibly generous investments that Bob and Charlee are making in the health of our nation.

It started small, if you can say that, last January with a donation of $1.3 million to NCNM, the National College of Natural Medicine here in Portland, Oregon, one of the most prestigious natural medicine colleges in the country. A few weeks later, a gift of $5 million was given to Oregon State University to establish the Moore Family Center for Whole Grain Foods, Nutrition and Preventive Health. Today, it was announced at a press conference that Bob and Charlee have pledged $25 million to OHSU, Oregon Health and Science University.

The pledge will establish the Bob and Charlee Moore Institute for Nutrition and Wellness at OHSU. Its ambitious aim: to confront the rampant health problems caused by unhealthy eating and inadequate nutrition through cutting-edge research and community outreach. With these three commitments to Oregon’s top nutrition science institutes, Bob and Charlee are ensuring that their mission to improve the health of our nation will continue to thrive.

This is all good and well, but it’s not what makes this story special to us at Bob’s Red Mill. What makes this story extra special is where this money came from. When our company went employee-owned last year, the company had to essentially buy itself from Bob’s business partners. Instead of doing what so many people would do, like buying vacation homes, exotic cars and luxury vacations, Bob and Charlee committed to give their money to these educational institutions to make our world a better place. To help the institutes build a connection between health and nutrition in the minds of Americans; to fix the diabetes epidemic and keep our children healthy; to create a hopeful future for our nation. Bob is that kind of boss.

Read More:

• Official Press Release
• Blog: How This Will Affect OHSU’s Research Mission
• Blog: OHSU President Joe Robertson Reacts
• Blog: Perspective From one OHSU Medical Student
• OHSU Foundation
• Oregon Health & Science University
• Support OHSU

It was as if I had been whisked away to Scotland! The bagpiper started playing, beginning the processional that led two competitors and I to our cooking stations. I was a stew pot of nerves, excitement, confidence, and giddiness! My time had arrived. Could I make the winning steel cut oat dish? Would my 15 practice sessions before the cook-off give me an edge? Would my extra effort of renting a butane burner which I used during my practice sessions before arriving on Bob’s turf, help me to stay calm if the burners went wacko or failed? Prior to the cook-off, while we were preparing our ingredients, a butane burner caught fire, but I remained calm.

During the cook-off in the middle of frying my black bean patties, my butane burner stopped – but I simply moved it to the next burner. I guess you can say, practice sometimes makes perfect; my Black Bean Porridge Patties were declared the Spurtle champion!

So, let me back up to the beginning of my experience with Bob’s Red Mill Spar for the Spurtle Ultimate Oatmeal Throwdown. I’ve enjoyed Bob’s Red Mill products for 30 years. My children grew up on Bob’s oatmeal and pancake mix, so much so, that my son’s first sentence was, “More….pancakes….please”! So when I heard about the contest, it was a given, and I had to compete.

When I began thinking about my recipe, first I played with titles and thought that ‘Black Bean Porridge Patties’ smoothly rolled off the tongue. After selecting the name, my strategy was to concoct a savory porridge in patty-form!  The patties turned out crisp on the outside and deliciously moist on the inside. I was hooked! I knew the porridge patties were a winner!

When I received a call from Julie at Bob’s Red Mill, announcing that I was a finalist, I spilled forth with way too much enthusiasm and excitement!  She patiently lent a listening ear, as did the judges at the Throwdown, as I bubbled with pride and passion talking about my black bean porridge patties.

I’m still in awe of it all! To become a finalist was exhilarating, and to travel to Portland, Oregon for the cook-off seemed as if I was going home. There was something so familiar in it all!

Many of Bob’s Red Mill’s staff had their hands in the porridge pot, making the cook-off a success.  They were all so kind, helpful, detailed and informative.  When it comes to my first trip to Scotland to compete in the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship, I sure won’t feel like I’m going home. Yet, I’m confident that the Bob’s Red Mill team will continue to be detailed, kind, and patient with my “spillovers.”

To wrap this blog post up, there is only one thing I’ve done to prepare for my trip to the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championships in Scotland: I purposely didn’t unpack my prized myrtle spurtle from the suitcase!

Delicious International Soups with Laura B. Russell!
Thursday, October 20, 2011 5:00-7:00 p.m. 
Take a trip around the world with cookbook author and columnist Laura Russell as she incorporates whole grains and beans into hearty, satisfying soups and accompaniments. We’ll start in Africa with a Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup followed by a layover in India for Creamy Curried Millet and Vegetable Soup. Two stops in South America bring us an addictive tapioca-based Brazilian Cheese Bread and Peruvian Quinoa Chowder. Back home in the U.S., we’ll dig into wedges of Cornbread and a chunky Wild Rice Soup with Smoked Sausage. Please join us in welcoming Laura Russell to our cooking school while enjoying some of her wonderful dishes!

Note: In addition to this menu being gluten-free, both breads are vegetarian, one soup is vegan, and one soup has a vegan option.

Supplies to bring:  enjoy the sampling!              Class Fee:  $40.00

Cozy Italian Dishes with Ivy Manning!
Thursday, October 27, 2011 5:00 -7:00 p.m.
As the cold winds begin to blow, we all begin to crave wholesome comfort foods to warm our bellies.  Join cookbook author and Oregonian columnist Chef Ivy Manning for an evening full of the perfect Italian-inspired recipes that you’ll use all season long. We’ll start with a warm Insalata di Farro & Roasted Peppers, hearty Winter Squash & Pearl Barley Soup, tuck into a delicious vegetarian entree of Creamy Mascarpone Polenta with Wild Mushroom Sauce, and finish the meal with Torta Maria, a decadently rich chocolate-almond cake that can ward off even the deepest winter chill.

Supplies to bring:  enjoy the sampling!              Class Fee:  $40.00

My apologizes for the delay in announcing our Spar for the Spurtle winner. It’s taken me a few days to organize my thoughts enough to share with you. The event was a resounding success and just about the most fun I’ve ever had at work (with the actual Golden Spurtle winning out). Here’s the deal- it’s hard to recap the whole thing and give you those little details that really made the day. At the end of this post, head over and check out all of our photos. The images convey much more than I can fit into a simple blog post. Props to our very own Julie Garner for the beautiful photography!

On Friday I awoke with the familiar butterflies that signal a day much anticipated. I didn’t have to compete, but was I ever excited about the shindig and also a wee bit nervous about all of the details (would the bagpiper show up on time? would the burners work? would the judges find the store ok?).

Our three contenders kicked off the day with a personal tour with Bob, something few people get to experience and no one ever forgets. I can tell you about our mill history until I’m blue in the face, but it doesn’t compare to hearing the words from Bob himself.  I think they all left a little star struck. I hope it didn’t affect their kitchen skills too much!

The Spar for the Spurtle competition kicked off at 2 pm at our Whole Grain Store and Visitors Center on Friday, August 26th with a beautiful bagpipe procession lead by Maire O’Brien. Matthew Cox, our former World Porridge Champion, and Bob welcomed the relatively small crowd of friends and family that had gathered to watch the festivities.

Celebrity judges Rachel MacRitchie, Leather Storrs and Kim Sunée waited with eager appetites to try these dishes for themselves while our three contenders got every last detail settled before Matthew started the clock. Each contestant had 30 minutes to create their dish from start to finish, making timing the key ingredient to success.

Rachel MacRitchie, Leather Storrs and Kim Sunée

Naturally, the burners that worked fine an hour before the competition were finicky and not holding even temperatures, so we had a few minutes of head scratching and tapping on the burners to get them started again. It’s so hard with this kind of thing. On the one hand, we don’t want any of our contestants to have an unfair advantage. On the other hand, this kind of thing did happen at the real Golden Spurtle and no one was going around handing out extra minutes there.  BUT, since we are stateside, we made up our own rules and got all the burners started prior to starting the clock. That didn’t keep them from hiccuping during the competition, but at some point, you’ve done all you can do.

My memory is a little blurry, but I believe Jim Schafer was done first with his Nutty Coconut Oatmeal and had the advantage (or disadvantage depending on your perspective) to serve first. What I really liked about Jim’s dish beyond the obvious (read: peanut butter and oatmeal) was that he really took to heart each ingredient. He made his own butter folks. You can’t say that about someone very often. He also made his own almond milk and put a lot of thought into which kind of peanuts and peanut butter he used in his recipe. Additionally, he broke plating tradition and served each judge a unique bowl to demonstrate the versatility of his dish. I was impressed.

Nutty Coconut Oatmeal

Rachel was next up with her Gingerbread Oatmeal with fresh custard. I think Rachel deserves a little bonus point for the sheer simplicity of her dish. It was very traditional porridge with gingerbread spices, molasses and fresh custard. Where Jim went elaborate with ingredients, Rachel went simple. To top it off, she had baked tiny gingerbread heart cookies to place on her dish. Double points for cuteness!

Gingerbread Oatmeal

Merry served her Black Bean Porridge Patties last. Of all the recipes that were entered in our competition, this is one that really intrigued me. I love the concept of a breakfast food being used in a new (and savory!) way. Her patties were just so perfect and her pico de gallo looked simple and tasty.

Black Bean Porridge Patties

After the judges had tasted all three dishes, they left and kept us waiting for what felt like forever. They came back and handed Bob the result. He happily announced that Merry Graham was our Spar for the Spurtle winner and would be joining our team in Scotland this October to compete in the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship. Merry was very excited and simply beaming.

(L to R) Maire O'Brien, Rachel MacRitchie, Leather Storrs, Bob Moore, Merry Graham, Matthew Cox, Kim Sunée

The judges told us they had a very hard time choosing, but ultimately chose her dish for its  taste, creativity, and overall presentation. I was so glad it wasn’t up to me. I think we’d still be there tasting and discussing!

What happens next? Matthew and Merry will train over the phone and work together to get her ready for the Golden Spurtle on October 9th. Merry will be working to get her recipe down to a single burner and learning the ins and outs of making a perfect pot of porridge—all under 30 minutes. We’ll keep you posted on her progress and update you when the competition gets closer.

In the meantime, check out the photos and videos. I’ll be working to get Merry’s recipe along with all of the other amazing recipes that were submitted up here and on our website and will keep you up to date when new recipes are added.