Bulk Quinoa
Quinoa from the Andean highlands of Peru and Bolivia arrives cleaned and desaponified to export specification, in white, red, black, and tricolor lots, conventional or organic.
Tell us the variety and grade you need, and we will quote Peruvian or Bolivian lots.
Product Data
| Botanical Identity | Chenopodium quinoa |
|---|---|
| Varieties | White, red, black, tricolor |
| Purity | 99.9% min (up to 99.99%) |
| Whole Grains | 96–97% min |
| Grain Size | Majority retained on 1.4 mm sieve; larger grades available |
| Moisture | 12.5–13.5% max |
| Saponin | Absent to below 0.12%, depending on processor |
| Origin Countries | Peru, Bolivia |
| Packaging | 25 kg kraft or multiwall bags; 25 and 50 lb bags; 1 MT big bags; retail packs on request |
| Shelf Life | 24 months (up to 36 months, depending on processor) |
| Storage Conditions | Clean, dry, pest-free area below 25–35°C, in sealed packaging |
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Certifications & Compliance
Depending on supplier and lot, quinoa ships with USDA, EU, JAS, or Canada Organic certification, plus Kosher, Halal, and GFCO gluten free options.
Quinoa processors vary in their audits, with BRCGS, HACCP, Sedex, and SMETA among those held.
Production & Sourcing
Source86 sources quinoa from established growing regions in the Andean highlands, including the Peruvian departments of Puno, Cusco, Arequipa, Ayacucho, ApurÃmac, JunÃn and La Libertad, as well as Bolivia. Working with multiple processors across both countries supports year-round availability and reduces dependency on any single region or harvest.
How It’s Produced
- Harvesting and Threshing: Mature plants are harvested and threshed to separate the grain.
- Cleaning: Grain is cleaned to remove dust, stones, stems and foreign matter.
- Desaponification: Grain is scarified and washed to remove the natural bitter saponin coating.
- Drying: Washed grain is dried to the target moisture.
- Sorting and Grading: Grain is sorted by size and color, and defective grains are removed, to meet purity and defect specifications.
- Testing and Packing: Grain that passes lot testing is bagged for bulk shipment.
Harvest & Supply Availability
Quinoa in the Andean highlands is typically harvested in the Southern Hemisphere autumn, roughly April to July, with timing varying by altitude and region. Grain is stored and processed year-round, so bulk supply is available throughout the year.
Applications
- Ready Meals and Meal Kits: Grain bowls, pilafs, salads, frozen sides, and canned or frozen soups and entrees.
- Grain Blends and Rice Alternatives: Pre-packaged grain mixes and side-dish blends.
- Gluten-Free Bakery: Whole or milled into flour for gluten-free breads, muffins, cookies, crackers and pancake mixes.
- Gluten-Free Pasta and Noodles: Adds protein and structure to gluten-free pasta formulations.
- Cereals and Granola: Toasted, flaked or puffed quinoa in breakfast cereals and granola.
- Snacks and Bars: Quinoa chips, crackers, puffed clusters, protein bars and energy bites.
- Plant-Based Protein Products: Base ingredient in veggie burgers, meat alternatives and plant-protein blends.
- Specialty Foods and Toppings: Stuffing mixes, stuffed vegetables, side dishes and garnish.
- Pet Food: Grain component in premium and grain-inclusive pet food.
Physical & Functional Characteristics
Small, round, uniform grains; cream (white), red, black or mixed (tricolor).
Low to absent after processing, so no bitterness.
Soft (white) to firm (black) after cooking.
12.5–13.5% max.
Whole grain Chenopodium quinoa, cleaned and desaponified; tricolor is a blend of the white, red, and black grains.
Naturally gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian, with gluten-free certified options.
Whole grain Chenopodium quinoa, cleaned and desaponified; tricolor is a blend of the white, red, and black grains.
Functionality
- Protein Contribution: Adds plant protein to grain-based and plant-based formulations.
- Texture: Provides a light, separate-grain texture with a gentle bite after cooking.
- Binding: Cooked or milled quinoa supports cohesion in patties, bars and baked goods.
- Gluten-Free Structure: Functions as a grain base or flour component in gluten-free systems.
- Visual Appeal: Red, black and tricolor varieties add color contrast to blends and bowls.
- Processing Versatility: Can be cooked, toasted, puffed, flaked or milled for different product formats.
Benefits for Commercial Manufacturing
- Four Varieties, One Supplier: White, red, black and tricolor from a single sourcing program simplifies procurement.
- Custom Tricolor Ratios: Blends supplied to standard or customer-specified ratios.
- Defined Grain and Defect Specs: Purity, size and defect limits support consistent QA approval.
- Organic and Conventional Supply: Organic Supply for Export Markets: USDA, EU, JAS, and Canada Organic options let one quinoa program serve several organic markets.
- Gluten-Free Assurance: GFCO-certified options for gluten-free product lines.
- Bulk Format Range: From 25 kg bags to 1 MT big bags, plus retail packs for private label.
- Shelf-Stable Inventory: Quinoa holds 24 months in dry storage, up to 36 with some processors, so buyers can stock ahead of the April to July harvest.
- Multi-Origin Supply: Processors across seven Peruvian departments plus Bolivia keep grain moving when one region has a short crop.
