ST. LOUIS–Benson Hill, Inc. (NYSE: BHIL, the “Company” or “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-healthy1 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.2
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.
“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 serving3 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.”
About Benson Hill
Benson Hill moves food forward with the CropOS® platform, a cutting-edge food innovation engine that combines data science and machine learning with biology and genetics. Benson Hill empowers innovators to unlock nature’s genetic diversity from plant to plate, with the purpose of creating nutritious, great-tasting food and ingredient options that are both widely accessible and sustainable. More information can be found at bensonhill.com or on Twitter at @bensonhillinc.
About Schnuck Markets, Inc.
Founded in St. Louis in 1939, Schnuck Markets, Inc. is a third and fourth generation, family-owned grocery retailer committed to nourishing people’s lives. Schnucks operates 112 stores, serving customers in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin and employs 12,000 teammates. According to Forbes’ 2021 rankings, Schnucks is the 160th largest privately-owned company in the United States and the 15th largest privately-owned grocer. Schnucks is committed to helping communities thrive and as a champion for reducing hunger, the company annually donates more than $13 million in food to pantries that help those in need.
| 1 | Supportive but not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that daily consumption of about 1½ tablespoons (20 grams) of oils containing high levels of oleic acid, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. To achieve this possible benefit, oleic acid-containing oils should replace fats and oils higher in saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day. One serving of high oleic soybean oil provides 10 grams of oleic acid (which is 11 grams of monounsaturated fatty acid). |
| 2 | Compared with expeller-pressed high oleic canola and sunflower oil based on preliminary LCA results from Blonk Consultants based on economic allocation and industry averages. |
| 3 | See nutrition information for fat and saturated fat content. |
