Non-GMO Feed Helped This Business Grow Quickly

2015 - Volume #39, Issue #6, Page #06

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James Frantzen made a spur-of-the-minute decision to enter the non-GMO feed business 2 years ago, and he hasn’t regretted it a minute since. With the help of his father Jim, an organic farmer in Alta Vista, Iowa, he started Riverside Feeds in January 2013.
  “The supplier my dad was working with offered him a good supply of non-GMO soy product, but he only had 48 hrs. to make up his mind,” says Frantzen, who’s an energetic 26-year-old. “Dad knew I was interested in setting up my own business, so we started an LLC, opened a bank account, and arranged for a rental warehouse to store 7 truck loads of incoming product.”
  The business took off literally overnight, and a month later Frantzen opened at a different facility in Riceville, Iowa. That location has a 13,000 sq. ft. warehouse along with a new 358 New Holland hammermill and ribbon mixer. From that location Frantzen does all the milling for Riverside and also does custom milling for Frantzen Farm Feeds, the business his father has operated for 15 years.
  Frantzen produces and sells specialized soy proteins, pelletized soy products for ruminants, pre-mixes for hogs, and minerals and other meal products for dairy and beef. His customers for these products, along with soy hulls, grits and powders, are in 12 Midwestern states. Most of his ingredients are sourced from soy processing plants in the central U.S.
  Early in 2014, Frantzen realized there was a growing market for other specialized products, so he introduced Riverside Feeds Complete Non-GMO Poultry Feed. Frantzen set a tonnage goal for 2014 and doubled it at year’s end. In 2015 he hopes to double production again. It’s available in 50-lb. bags for starter chicks, grower-broilers and laying hens.
  Frantzen says his business produces a very high quality certified organic product, and more poultry and livestock producers are “flocking” to his brand. “I think we’re in the right place at the right time, and I hope it continues,” Frantzen says. His customers include smaller-scale feeding operations, CSAs and farm-to-market farmers. He has employees to keep things moving smoothly. His retail operation also sells pine shavings, organic kelp, soybean oil, vitamins and minerals.
   Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Riverside Feeds, 20199 Key Ave., Elma, Iowa 50628 (ph 563 380-6259; www.riversidefeeds.net; jfrantzen06@gmail.com).

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Non-GMO Feed Helped This Business Grow Quickly LIVESTOCK Feeding Equipment James Frantzen made a spur-of-the-minute decision to enter the non-GMO feed business 2 years ago and he hasn’t regretted it a minute since With the help of his father Jim an organic farmer in Alta Vista Iowa he started Riverside Feeds in January 2013 “The supplier my dad was working with offered him a good supply of non-GMO soy product but he only had 48 hrs to make up his mind ” says Frantzen who’s an energetic 26-year-old “Dad knew I was interested in setting up my own business so we started an LLC opened a bank account and arranged for a rental warehouse to store 7 truck loads of incoming product ” The business took off literally overnight and a month later Frantzen opened at a different facility in Riceville Iowa That location has a 13 000 sq ft warehouse along with a new 358 New Holland hammermill and ribbon mixer From that location Frantzen does all the milling for Riverside and also does custom milling for Frantzen Farm Feeds the business his father has operated for 15 years Frantzen produces and sells specialized soy proteins pelletized soy products for ruminants pre-mixes for hogs and minerals and other meal products for dairy and beef His customers for these products along with soy hulls grits and powders are in 12 Midwestern states Most of his ingredients are sourced from soy processing plants in the central U S Early in 2014 Frantzen realized there was a growing market for other specialized products so he introduced Riverside Feeds Complete Non-GMO Poultry Feed Frantzen set a tonnage goal for 2014 and doubled it at year’s end In 2015 he hopes to double production again It’s available in 50-lb bags for starter chicks grower-broilers and laying hens Frantzen says his business produces a very high quality certified organic product and more poultry and livestock producers are “flocking” to his brand “I think we’re in the right place at the right time and I hope it continues ” Frantzen says His customers include smaller-scale feeding operations CSAs and farm-to-market farmers He has employees to keep things moving smoothly His retail operation also sells pine shavings organic kelp soybean oil vitamins and minerals Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Riverside Feeds 20199 Key Ave Elma Iowa 50628 ph 563 380-6259; www riversidefeeds net; jfrantzen06@gmail com

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