Soybeans Fast Becoming Popular Snack Food

Soybeans fast becoming popular snack food FARM HOME Food 9-2-31 "More and more people are turning to soybeans for a tasty yet nutritious snack," says Wisconsin farmer Richard Gumieny of New Berlin. He packages his own soybean crop into "Rich's Soy Nutz." Len Stuttman, president of the Inari Trading Co., Mason, Mich. buys soybeans from the local area for his company's Soynuts. Gumieny explains that he began experimenting with soybean snacks three years ago. "I began by baking them and feeding them to my cattle, sheep, turkeys and chickens. I used to pop a few in my mouth and introduced a few friends to the crunchy treat. They liked the beans and urged me to improve and market them. "I still do a lot of experimenting but I'm finding that the original Nutz, which is grown using only natural fertilizers and then baked and processed with sunflower oil and sea salt, is still the favorite of many. "Until now, I've grown about 80 acres of beans which I bake and package for market. As demand increases, I''ll plant more beans and less corn." Gumieny sells Soy Nutz in 1 oz. snack size bags, and in 8 oz. party boxes. The party boxes sell for $1.98, plus postage. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Richard Gumieny, 21025 West Lawnsdale Rd., New Berlin, Wis. 53151 (ph 414 786-6412). Len Stuttman produces eight different flavored soynuts at his head-quarters ù salted, unsalted, onion-garlic, barbecue, smoky and his three latest ù carob, yogurt and butter toffee covered soynuts. "Soybeans are cheaper than peanuts, have fewer calories, less fat and more protein. They also have double the dietary fiber of wheat and have high amounts of potassium, calcium and phosphorus," says Len. He encourages all soybean farmers and their families to "celebrate with Soynuts ù give the gift you grow!" His company has three sampler sizes of Soynuts to choose from. The Sampler tin weighs 11.5 oz., has seven flavors (smoky is excluded) and sells for $6.95 (shipping is included); Super Sampler weighs 23 oz., contains six flavors (smoky and barbecue are excluded) and sells for $9.95; the Executive contains three large tins of butter toffee, carob and yogurt covered soynuts and sells for $15.25. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Inari Trading Co., 200 State St., Mason, Mich. 48854 (ph 517 676-3836).

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