Press Releases

Zumbro River Brand, Albert Lea, MN - High Protein Snack Base 1-5-2012
Foods with higher protein content are desirable, but they can be challenging to formulate. Zumbro River Brand has developed a tasty nutritious snack base made from soy protein and potato with a protein level of 55%.  A flavored 28 gram serving delivers 12 g of protein. The product is low in fat and has an appealing crunchy texture. The soy/potato snack can be produced in a variety of shapes.  Because the base has a pleasant potato flavor, the product lends itself well to a variety of flavors including barbeque, ranch, cheese, taco or sour cream.

ZRB can also package the finished snack in form/fill/seal packages for retail sale.  The new potato/soy pieces join a line of snacks and cereals available for contract manufacture to desired specifications.  www.zumbroriverbrand.com

10-10-11 Albert Lea, MN
Looking for a great tasting, gluten free, high protein snack or cereal??? Zumbro River Brand in conjunction with Roquette Americia has developed snacks and cereals made from NUTRALYS(r) pea protein. NUTRALYS(r) is made from Yellow Pea (Pisum sativum) using a mild and environmentally friendly process that is free of organic solvents. Exceptional stability to processing, outstanding nutritional profile and friendly labeling make NUTRALYS(r) a promising new protein ingredient because of its. As the Yellow Pea is not listed among the Big 8 allergens that require labeling declaration, NUTRALYS(r) enables the so-called "Allergen-free" formulations. Thanks to its high protein content (85% dry weight), NUTRALYS(r) enables protein enriched snacks and cereals.As an example; a 1 oz serving would deliver 14 grams of protein without compromising taste and mouth feel of the finished product. Because of such unique value proposition, snacks and cereals made from NUTRALYS(r) have generated a high level of interest in the market.

5-15-11 Albert Lea, MN
Zumbro River Brand introduces Oat Bran Cereal/Snack Base and Oat Bran Crisps prototypes for contract manufacturing.   The whole grain product has a mildly sweet flavor and light crunchy texture.  A 32 g serving delivers 5 g of dietary fiber (20% of the RDA) and 4 g of oat bran.  These products have no sodium or cholesterol.  
Fiber-containing products are known to increase feelings of satiety and assist with weight control.  In addition soluble fiber from oat bran has been shown to reduce both serum cholesterol and fluctuations in blood glucose after a meal.
Oat Bran Cereal/Snack Base can be produced in a variety of shapes and flavored with sweet or savory options.   Oat Bran Crisps can be incorporated in bars for crunch and fiber.  Zumbro River Brand also has packaging capabilities to make this a totally turnkey project.

March 15, 2011
Zumbro River Brand – Albert Lea, MN; has added a 70% milk protein crisp to their line of whey protein crisps. The crisps are made using a proprietary extrusion process and have the superior nutrition of milk protein. The texture and composition is ideal for a variety of novel applications including protein bars and cereals. Milk protein isolate is the purest form of protein, according to the American Dietetic Association. It contains very little fat, carbohydrates or lactose and can be used as a daily supplement for those who do not consume the recommended amount of protein in their diet. Although milk protein isolate is a derivative of milk, the Mayo Clinic website finds that it may be beneficial for those who are lactose intolerant.  MPI is a slow release protein which wards off hunger and aids in the maintenance of lean muscle. Studies suggest that MPI is a low-calorie, low sugar option if you are looking to lose weight, increase your metabolism or manage your blood sugar.
For more information contact Ginny Busch at

July 1, 2010, Greg Fischer joins Zumbro River Brand, Inc. as Sales Manager - New Business Development.  Greg's background is in ingredient marketing and sales with Dairy Management, Inc., Gehrke Company, and Kerry Ingredients. Greg will help Zumbro River Brand reach customers who are looking for contract manufacturing and product development.

Low Sodium Snacks & Cereals Zumbro River Brand, Inc.
Albert Lea. MN  April 20, 2010

Americans consume on average 3300 mg of sodium/day -- significantly more than the recommended 2400 mg/day and twice the 1500 mg/day level suggested to reduce high blood pressure.   Today almost 50% of the 76 million baby boomers have hypertension.   A lower sodium intake is not only effective in directly reducing blood pressure, but it may also enhance the effectiveness of high blood pressure medications and other non-drug treatments, such as weight loss.  Reduced sodium consumption has also been associated with a reduced risk of dying from a stroke, reversal of heart enlargement, and a reduced risk of kidney stones and osteoporosis.   

Even consumers looking to limit sodium are looking for savory snacking items and tasty cereal.   Zumbro River Brand has developed two new snack and cereal bases with minimal sodium - ancient grains puffs with no appreciable sodium/28 g serving and whey/multigrain scoops with 30 mg of sodium/28 g serving.   The whey/multigrain base also provides 13 mg of protein/28 g serving with both the benefit of low sodium and that of significant protein for muscle building and weight loss plans.  

Both of these snacking bases can be flavored with low sodium tomato basil seasoning to provide 80 mg of sodium/28 g serving for the ancient grains base and 100 mg of sodium/28 g serving for the whey/multigrain base.

These same bases can be used in cereal applications with minimal sodium content.

Zumbro River Brand has a development team ready to help you design your low sodium snack or cereal. Please contact Hal Volkman at 507-446-9097 ext 103 or Ginny Busch 507-446-9097 ext 102
www.zumbroriverbrand.com

For Immediate Release – April 13th, 2010 |

Suntava, Zumbro River Brand
Showcase Natural Antioxidant Ingredient in Snacks 
Purple Corn Application Expands Healthful and Nutritive Value of Whole Grain  

Afton , Minnesota, April 13, 2010 – Ingredient technology company Suntava™ has entered into an alliance with Zumbro River Brand, Inc., a contract processor, to manufacture extruded food products, further expanding the versatility of Suntava’s proprietary purple corn. 

Zumbro River Brand, working from its Albert Lea , Minnesota location, utilizes Twin Screw Extrusion Technology to produce crunchy, good-tasting snacks, cereals and crispy pieces in a variety of shapes, using the flour from Suntava’s purple corn. The pieces can be flavored or seasoned to fruit or savory flavors -- berry and salsa-flavored snack prototypes have been developed. The extruded purple corn pieces exhibit a natural purple/blue color, which changes to raspberry red with surface application of food grade acidulents. 

Suntava’s whole grain purple corn flour is non-GMO, gluten-free and displays a high concentration of antioxidants. So powerful, in fact, that snacks and cereals produced from this flour demonstrate four times the antioxidant power of blueberries.  They also contain cyanidin-3-glucosides, natural organic compounds, which are believed to minimize the effects of aging, while reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease.  Suntava’s whole grains also contain health-promoting vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

The end product that will come as a result of this association will be another move toward what the American consumer seeks:  Applications that have both high nutritional value and excellent taste. 

For more information on the company that has helped unlock nature’s brilliance, please visit www.suntava.com.

February 9, 2010 - Whey Crisps with Natural Colors: 
Zumbro River Brand has developed a line of colored whey crisps containing from 50% - 80% protein.   Natural colors such as turmeric and annatto are used in production of these crisps.   High protein crisps can help to answer the formulation challenge of producing desirable higher protein foods. 
Made using a proprietary extrusion process (Patent #6,242,033), the crisps have a crunchy texture and a mild dairy flavor.  The texture and mild flavor make them ideal for nutrition bars.  Research clearly defines that whey protein has beneficial properties in the areas of sports nutrition, satiety, body composition and weight management, and healthy aging.
For more information contact

For Immediate Release – September 1, 2009 | Zumbro River Brand is pleased to announce that Hal Volkman has joined the company as Director of Research & Development.  A former manager at Ralston, Gristmill and Kerry Ingredients, Hal brings 42 years of experience in extrusion technology and product development.  His expertise will benefit ZRB’s customers in product development, scale up and production efficiency.  Contact Hal by email or by phone: 507-676-4095

For Immediate Release – August 15th, 2008 | Zumbro River Brand has met the criteria for certification as a “Women’s Business Enterprise ” in partnership with the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. More

For Immediate Release – July 1, 2008 | Contract Coating Services

ZRB offers experienced custom production of your coated ingredients. To optimize product consistency, equipment accommodates large coating batches -- up to 3 tons per batch. Capabilities include aqueous or lipid coatings over a wide temperature range. Improved product attributes may include taste masking, moisture and environmental protection, pH or temperature-triggered release, controlled / sustained release and odor control.

For further information contact Gary Masters – 507-446-9097  – .

For Immediate Release – March 27, 2008

Albert Lea, MN  56007Quality Packaging for Small and Medium Quantities --

Customized Packaging Services for Stand-up Pouches, Bartelt Packs and Form-Fill-Seal Bags are offered by Zumbro River Brand, Inc.  Specializing in medium and small volume runs, ZRB is pleased do your product start-up, market testing and show samples. Two compartment Bartelt Packs are also an option.    Blending, Agglomeration, Extrusion and Flavoring services are available prior to packaging for turn-key operation.   Kosher Certification, Organic-Certified and Gluten-Free processing and packaging are available at both ZRB facilities  --Owatonna and Albert Lea, MN. 

For further information contact Virginia Busch – 507-446-9097 X 102  – .

March 10, 2008, Zumbro River Brand and PowerCap® Team to Create Solutions

 Zumbro River Brand (ZRB) agglomeration services can successfully transform your ingredient or dry mix product by improving product flowability and generating dispersability for lump-free solutions.  Agglomerating several ingredient components produces a homogeneous blend that will not segregate on handling or packaging.  More...

Oct 23, 2007 — Owatonna , MN   55060 –  In response to pressure from parents and educational professionals, sodas and sugary treats are being removed from school vending machines.   Zumbro River Brand, Inc.  has developed a variety of good-for-you snacks which deliver the crunch and flavor impact of conventional snacks in a higher protein, low fat snack product.  Cheesy taco, black pepper pizza, honey mustard, and potato chip flavored snacks are available as prototypes in this line.  A variety of shapes including zig zags, rings, mini pizza slices and scoops appeal to kids.   Some products offer low sodium levels.  Single serve packaging is also available for these products.  Zumbro River Brand will work with manufacturers to tailor the products to their specifications.

Sept 10, 2007, Albert Lea, MN 56007– Zumbro River Brand, Inc. has developed several nutritious, crunchy snack products with low sodium and high protein levels. These snacks provide a generous serving size in 100 calorie packs. They are available in a variety of shapes and flavoring choices for contract production to meet customer specifications.

Reduced-sodium Memphis Barbeque Multi-Grain Chips contain only 140 mg of sodium per 25 g serving. This is about half the sodium content of most conventional snack chips. These whole grain chips also offer 3 g of dietary fiber and 3 g of protein per serving.

Texas Barbeque Whey-Soy Chips provide 10 g of protein and 4 g of fiber per 30g/100 calorie serving. Benefits of whey protein to health and weight maintenance are a plus for this formulation. Derived from inulin and oat fiber sources, both soluble and insoluble fiber types are included in the corn-based chip.

Cheese-Taco Potato-Soy Bites are a tasty 70 calorie treat when 28g are packaged for convenient snacking. This generous one ounce snack portion effectively supports weight loss efforts by providing 13g of protein and 2 g of fiber. This serving size of protein helps curb the appetite and provides a satisfied feeling.

At our new plant in Albert Lea, Zumbro River Brand can help customers develop products, produce the extruded base snack, and then flavor and package it for retail sale.

  Sept 1, 2007 - Ginny Busch has been promoted to Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

May 1, 2007 Doris Maki has been promoted to Director of Product Development.

ZRB would like to welcome Peter Croatt as the Director of Quality Assurance.  Peter comes to us with an extensive background in the food industry including Vision Pharma Technogolies, Protient, IFP, Inc., Form-A-Feed, Quali -Tech and Kallestad Laboratories.

Gary Masters has been promoted to Owatonna Plant Manager. Gary has more that a decades worth of experience in the contract manufacturing business.

Apr 15, 2007 - Zumbro River Brand, Owatonna, MN announces that their new contract processing facility in Albert Lea, MN is operational. This plant has agglomeration, blending and packaging capabilities.  ZRB offers packaging of snack and cereal items as well as powders.  Bartelt packaging featuring divided pouches for items like pasta and dry sauce mix are available.  A new Wenger twin screw extrusion system will be operational in Oct of 2007, offering another 6 million pounds of extrusion capacity.  ZRB will continue to provide extrusion and agglomeration custom processing services in their Owatonna, MN plant.  A pilot size extruder is also available for trials and small runs.  An 10,000 sq ft addition to the Albert Lea facility has been recently completed for  additional warehouse space.

Apr 1, 2007 - Jim Fischer has been promoted to Executive Vice President.