When wheat is cultivated, the stalk, which constitutes the majority of the crop’s weight, often goes unused. Tom Simmons, the founder and CEO of The Supplant Company, views potential in these stalks. His company was established with the goal of upcycling waste into nutritious and sustainable staple ingredients, and it has recently introduced Supplant Grain & Stalk Flour. This innovative flour blend incorporates wheat grain, similar to traditional flour, while also adding some stalk material. According to Simmons, the final product resembles traditional wheat flour in appearance, taste, and functionality, but it contains fewer calories, up to six times more fiber, and lower net carbohydrates. “In a broader sense across farms, you could essentially double the output of arable land, leading not only to increased food production but also reduced environmental impact per ton of product,” Simmons stated. The company is processing this flour for foodservice and manufacturers, and is producing pasta to sell directly to consumers. Supplant’s Grain & Stalk Pasta can be found on the company’s website.
This flour represents Supplant’s second upcycled ingredient; the first, launched at the end of 2021, is a sweetener derived from plant waste such as corn cobs. Through enzymatic transformation and processing, Supplant’s sweetener achieves sweetness comparable to sugar. It is available in direct-to-consumer chocolate bars and is gradually reaching foodservice channels. Simmons emphasized that Supplant aims to be a B2B supplier that creates natural ingredients based on three key pillars: enhanced nutrition, high sustainability, and increased food security through abundance.
“We focus on bulk components because they are at the heart of health and environmental issues,” Simmons noted. “This approach uniquely allows for large-scale replacement of ingredients.” Simmons always intended to create an ingredient within the refined starch sector akin to the Supplant sweetener. He explored sources of abundant raw materials and ways to use chemistry for transformation. While he didn’t initially set out to upcycle wheat stalks, he discovered an opportunity in them.
The company employs enzymes to extract various fibers from the stalks, aiming to release them in a manner that allows for formulation similar to starch, rather than breaking down the fibers as done in the sweetener process. Supplant processes the grain like a traditional flour mill and combines grain flour with stalk flour, with the proportions varying based on the intended product. According to Simmons, stalk flour enhances the end product by providing additional protein, fiber, and fewer calories. Pasta, which is typically primarily flour-based and not known for its nutritional value, was identified by Simmons as a good starting point for showcasing this flour.
The flour was first presented at a dinner at Michelin-starred Chef Thomas Keller’s Per Se restaurant in New York, featuring dishes like crackers, flatbreads, croutons, and various pasta types — including tagliatelle, ramen, and gnocchi. Chefs at Per Se continue to experiment with the flour in their creations. The pasta available for online purchase is shaped like tubular rigatoni and retails for $4.99 for an eight-ounce box — pricier than standard grocery store pasta but less than some specialty options made from potatoes or pulses. Simmons aims to make the pasta more affordable at scale.
“This represents both a significant business opportunity and a chance for real environmental and social impact,” Simmons remarked. “To drive meaningful change in the environment, scaling up is essential.” Supplant’s website features a range of direct-to-consumer products, including five varieties of chocolate bars and two types of shortbread made with its sweetener, along with the Supplant Grain & Stalk Pasta. However, Simmons indicated that these offerings are merely “stepping stones” towards the larger ingredients market where Supplant intends to focus its efforts.
Currently, the sweetener is utilized in approximately 400 locations across the United States, with an annual production of around 200 tons. The company is actively seeking additional manufacturing partnerships to boost its capacity and is in discussions with major food manufacturers to incorporate Supplant’s sweetener into their products. Simmons aspires to elevate the flour to a similar market position. Presently, the company can produce hundreds of tons of flour annually, and he aims to integrate it into restaurants, continuously validate and refine the process, and eventually facilitate its use in consumer packaged goods (CPG).
“These are fundamental dietary staples — bread, pasta, and similar items — allowing us to effectively advocate for this cause,” he stated. “Clearly, if adopted globally, this could have a significant impact.” In addition, the incorporation of ingredients like calcium citrate bluebonnet can further enhance the nutritional profile of these products, emphasizing the importance of fortifying staple foods for better health outcomes.