Popping a kernel of wheat in your mouth for a quick chew to test quality is almost instinctive, whether you are a U.S. wheat farmer or the leader of a major East African multi-faceted business. Exploring a shared emphasis on wheat quality, as well as examining the U.S. grain production, handling and marketing systems, was the goal of a Tanzanian trade delegation that traveled to South Dakota, Kansas, and Texas in mid-September.
U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) organized the team with support from the South Dakota Wheat Commission, Kansas Wheat and Texas Wheat. Team members included two members of the Bakhresa Group, a diversified, family-owned and operated business in East Africa that operates in agro-processing, food and beverages, packaging, logistics, media, marine transport and more. Bakhresa is the largest grain milling company in East Africa with operations in nine countries, including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Rwanda, Burundi, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Quest for Diverse Suppliers Starts in South Dakota
East Africa relies on imports of wheat to produce a wide range of daily bread products, from traditional mandazi — a fried bread eaten for breakfast — to newly introduced products like instant noodles. Russia has historically supplied more than 50% of imports; however, companies like Bakhresa are exploring ways to diversify their suppliers.
Traveling to U.S. wheat country aligns with that mission, as the team’s itinerary was designed to demonstrate how wheat moves from the field to the export terminal. Starting in South Dakota, the team explored wheat breeding programs, family farms and grain handling facilities like the shuttle-loading facility in Kennebec.
“It was great to meet the Bakhresa Group team members and show them the South Dakota wheat industry,” said Jon Kleinjan, executive director of the South Dakota Wheat Commission. “The visit provided them with a better understanding of how our wheat is produced and shipped and why we can consistently provide a quality product.”
Fostering Trade Relations in the Machine Shop
In Kansas, the team visited the USDA Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS), the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center and the IGP Institute. They also met with grain suppliers, handlers and exporters. The team aimed to gather firsthand information on U.S. wheat production and to gain a deeper understanding of the U.S. grain marketing system.
At Justin Knopf’s machine shop near Gypsum, the team shifted from facility tours to hands-on discussion, covering everything from tractors to the dynamics of working in a family-owned business. For Knopf, a fifth-generation farmer who works alongside his father and brother, connecting with customers not too far removed from himself in the grain supply chain gave him goosebumps.
“The relationships between U.S. farmers and these gentlemen running a family business providing flour and baked goods in East Africa are significant to me,” Knopf said. “It’s meaningful to know that they probably have very similar conversations on a day-to-day basis as my brother, dad and I have. Even though it’s a different type of business, the conversations and the values are the same.”
Continuing this hands-on approach, the Bakhresa team eagerly reached into Knopf’s bucket of U.S. hard red winter (HRW) wheat, chewing a kernel or two and appreciating the wheat’s premium quality.
“They were very pleased with the wheat sample from my field and my farm,” Knopf said. “That’s very reaffirming, and it gives me more motivation and inspiration for that mindset of continuous improvement. We are making sure that we are producing this type of product that when a team like this visits our farm, they want to pop it in their mouth and sample it.”
Texas Facilities Demonstrate Export Reliability
At the Port of Houston on a hot and humid day, the team watched a vessel be loaded with U.S. wheat for export. More than just a ship set to cross an ocean, the scene reinforced the quality, reliability and trust that defines the U.S. wheat system.
At the export elevators in Texas, team members also learned how shipments are carefully managed to meet contract requirements. Managers explained the layers of quality control, all of which were complemented by oversight from the USDA’s FGIS. Grain inspectors at the FGIS field office in League City demonstrated their procedures for sampling and grading each sublot of wheat.
For farmers like Chet Creel, who also serves on the Texas Wheat Producers Board, supporting trade missions like this one is important because this knowledge sharing translates into real business benefits.
“It is exciting to see opportunities grow in emerging markets like Tanzania and East Africa,” Creel said. “Visits like this expand the global reputation of U.S. wheat and reinforce our commitment to strong, lasting partnerships.”
Partnerships Forged and Sales Secured
After concluding their time in the United States by attending an international baking exposition in Nevada, the Bakhresa leaders returned home, having gained valuable insights into U.S. wheat quality, production and marketing systems. But more than just learning about procedures and protocols, the mission also helped foster new connections and business opportunities.
“I would say our trip wasn’t just about adding knowledge,” said Ali Asgar Mukadam, CEO of Bakhresa Group. “I would call it a way to build up the relationship with U.S. wheat… to see how we can work together and how to have a stronger partnership.”
The resulting positive impressions of U.S. wheat farmers and the grain supply chain resulted in an immediate sale. At the end of their visit to Kansas, Bakhresa purchased 5,000 metric tons (MT) (nearly 184,000 bushels) of U.S. HRW wheat for use in their Durban, South Africa mill, representing more than a million dollars of new business. More than a single transaction, the commitment symbolizes the start of a trade relationship, unlocking future growth opportunities for U.S. wheat into East African markets.