LifeLine Foods, nestled in the heart of St. Joseph, Missouri, has been a cornerstone of the corn milling industry since its establishment in 2001. The company’s origins trace back to 1996 when forward-thinking farmers across the Midwest formed AgraMarke Quality Grains, Inc., an Identity Preserved production cooperative. In June 2001, this cooperative acquired a 750,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in St. Joseph, laying the foundation for what would become LifeLine Foods.
Our Story
OUR STORY
Today, LifeLine Foods stands as one of the largest corn milling facilities in North America, operating a state-of-the-art Bühler corn mill with an emphasis on food safety and quality. The company is co-owned by over 650 family farmers across Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska, ensuring a steady supply of high-quality corn to various industries. Our product portfolio includes corn grits, corn meals, pregelatinized corn flour, and masa —essential ingredients in foods such as snacks, cereals, baked goods, tortillas, tortilla chips, drywall and more.
Though LifeLine Foods’ facility was built in 1926, it now serves as a modern manufacturing plant, having embraced technological advancements while it continues to honor its rich history. As an SQF Level 2-certified facility, we are dedicated to food safety and employee safety. In fact, LifeLine Foods has received eight consecutive excellent marks on our annual federal food safety audits.
The company has continually invested in expansion in response to growing consumer demand, Notably, in 2020, LifeLine completed a $12 million project to add a second masa mill, enhancing its capacity to manufacture tortilla flour and tortilla chip flour. This expansion bolstered production and created 13 new jobs at its St. Joseph headquarters.
At the heart of LifeLine’s success are its people – dedicated farmers, skilled mill operators, and passionate staff, who blend innovation with tradition and play a crucial role in delivering top-tier corn products to the market. As CEO Kevin Kelly puts it, “People will always be our greatest asset, and we wouldn’t be able to produce the highest quality corn products available without our outstanding farmer-owners and staff.”
In 2026, LifeLine Foods will celebrate its 25th anniversary, marking a quarter-century of growth and innovation in the corn milling industry. With a commitment to continuous improvement and to environmental stewardship, the company is poised to nourish families and support the food industry for many more years to come—all while embracing St. Joseph’s heritage and community.
