United Pulse Trading, a US-based supplier of pulses and special crops, has opened a $30m food processing plant in Minot, North Dakota.
The new facility, which is located in Minot's value-added agriculture complex, will process lentils, chickpeas, dry beans and other pulse crops. In addition to traditional processing, it will also produce flours, proteins, fibers and other high-quality food ingredients.
North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple said that state-of-the-art processing plant is good news for North Dakota farmers and the entire state.
"With the completion of this plant, United Pulse Trading will expand the market opportunities for our farmers and help drive our continued growth in exports by supplying more of our quality food products to consumers around the world," Dalrymple added.
United Pulse Trading expects the facility to process more than 75,000 metric tons of pulse crops.
The processing facility will market its food products through its parent company, Alliance Grain Traders, which sells pulse crops in more than 100 countries.
According to the company officials, Minot was chosen for setting up the facility as the location is ideal to source high-quality pulse crops and it serves as a major transportation hub for agriculture commodities shipped throughout the US and the world.
The facility is expected to employ 45 people, bringing the company's total employment in North Dakota to 100 workers. United Pulse Trading also operates a processing plant in Williston and a business office in Bismarck.
United Pulse Trading is a subsidiary of Canada-based Alliance Grain Traders, a processor of pulse, staple food and ingredients for export and domestic markets.