Nutritional grain specialist, The Healthy Grain (THG) company, has raised $8 million of external capital from the Teijin Group of Japan.
THG specialises in commercialising exclusive, non-GMO, nutritionally enhanced wholegrains with substantiated health-claim benefits which are protected by trademarks, such as BARLEYmax wholegrain and Kebari hulless barley.
The company said the investment from Teijin will provide long-term financial resources to continue developing these and other opportunities for wholegrains that enhance health and wellbeing.
Teijin is a global business with sales of USD7.4 billion, and it will join CSIRO and Australian Capital Ventures Limited (ACVL) as the three major shareholders in THG.
The new investment is THG’s first external capital deal, and follows successful test-marketing of BARLEYmax products in Japan by Teijin, with the product in the final stages of a formal market launch.
"We have been working with Teijin for over two years to evaluate the potential for BARLEYmax foods in Japan,” THG CEO Robert Burbury said.
"Teijin has brought a real enthusiasm of developing the BARLEYmax business."
BARLEYmax wholegrain is used in health foods such as breakfast cereals, bread and muesli bars, and has been available in the Australian market for a number of years.
In June, THG signed an exclusive global license with CSIRO to commercialise Kebari barley for food. Kebari is recognised as gluten free in North America and Europe – a first for any barley worldwide.
