HISTOIRE D'UN GRAIN

About HISTOIRE D'UN GRAIN

Histoire d’un Grain is a Belgian cooperative founded in 2018 and based in Thimister-Clermont, in the Plateau de Herve area. Its core mission is to produce and transform bread-making cereals locally, with a strong focus on rebuilding a regional flour supply chain “from grain to bread.” (histoiredungrain.be)

The company positions itself as a relocalized, integrated food project that brings together farmers, artisan bakers, and citizen-consumers. It aims to provide high-quality raw material for bread making while strengthening local resilience, fairer value distribution across the chain, and long-term territorial roots. (histoiredungrain.be)

Its offer is centered on local, organic flours made from carefully selected grains and milled slowly on stone mills. The cooperative also extends its role beyond milling through partnerships with bakers and planned training activities for both consumers and professionals. (histoiredungrain.be)

Core Values

• Local relocalization: The cooperative is built around shortening the food chain and rebuilding a local flour economy anchored in the Plateau de Herve and the province of Liège. (histoiredungrain.be)
• Organic and additive-free production: Its flours are positioned as 100% organic and free from additives, reflecting a clean-label, quality-first approach. (histoiredungrain.be)
• Nutritional quality: The company emphasizes preserving the grain’s nutritional value through slow stone milling that keeps the germ and bran in the flour. (histoiredungrain.be)
• Cooperation and shared value: Histoire d’un Grain presents itself as a cooperative that connects farmers, bakers, and consumers, with an emphasis on long-term partnerships and fair value across the chain. (histoiredungrain.be)
• Transmission of know-how: Beyond production, the company values the revival and sharing of traditional milling and baking skills through training. (histoiredungrain.be)

Unique Aspects

• Integrated “grain to bread” model: The company explicitly aims to recreate a complete local chain from cereals to flour to bread, which is central to its identity and market positioning. (histoiredungrain.be)
• Stone-milling specialization: It produces flour exclusively with Astrié-type stone mills, a distinctive technical choice that differentiates it from industrial milling. (histoiredungrain.be)
• Cooperative structure with citizen involvement: Histoire d’un Grain is not just a miller; it is a cooperative that brings together producers, bakers, and consumers around a shared territorial project. (histoiredungrain.be)
• Training ambition: The planned training offer, including the longer-term goal of a certified artisan-baker program, adds a knowledge-transfer dimension beyond standard flour production. (histoiredungrain.be)
• Local distribution network: The company sells through resellers and local points of sale rather than direct mill-shop sales, reinforcing its embeddedness in a regional retail network. (histoiredungrain.be)