In the 1970s Charlee Moore developed an interest in nutrition and whole grain cooking, this inspired her husband Bob to rent a farm where she began baking her own bread. After reading John Goffe’s Mill, George Woodbury’s memoir about restoring his family’s water mill, Bob began voraciously researching the practice of stone milling.
Charlee and Bob in 1961
At the time, stone milling had fallen out of favor, as metal roller mills proliferated the market. Think of a wheat grain as an egg: The bran is the shell, the germ is the yolk, and the endosperm is the white. The bran and germ retain most of the nutrients in a grain; however, the way roller mills process grain only separates out the endosperm from the germ and bran. Stone milling, on the other hand, grinds up the whole grain, retaining the germ and bran in the flour. Today, many celebrated flour brands — King Arthur, Camas Country, Cairnspring — rely on stone mills. So when Bob and Charlee opened Moores’ Flour Mill in Redding, California in 1974, they were keeping a culinary tradition alive, one that would continue to influence bakers around the country.
Bob Moore, founder of Bob’s Red Mill and one of the most recognized figures in the natural foods industry, peacefully passed away at home on Saturday, February 10, 2024, at the age of 94. Moore will be remembered for his larger-than-life personality, his leadership and passion for whole grains, his strong work ethic (he remained a Board Member of his beloved Bob’s Red Mill until his death) and his generosity in establishing the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) on his 81st birthday.
Bob Moore, founder of Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods, inspects grains at the company’s facility in Milwaukie, Ore. The pioneering manufacturer of gluten-free products invests in whole grains as well as beans, seeds, nuts, dried fruits, spices and herbs.
A perennial entrepreneur, Moore’s passion for healthy foods and milling whole grains coincided with parenthood, and later led to the formation of Bob’s Red Mill in 1978. The company initially served only Portland, Ore.-area locals, but quickly grew to be a natural foods powerhouse. It is now a leading global food brand offering 200+ products in more than 70 countries. Thanks to the ESOP that Moore established in 2010, the company’s legacy was secured by transferring ownership to the people who helped Bob and Charlee build and grow it. More than 700 employee owners now own the company.
“Bob’s legacy will live on forever in all of us who had the opportunity to work with him and is infused into the Bob’s Red Mill brand,” said Bob’s Red Mill CEO Trey Winthrop. “He did everything in his power to leave us on a strong path forward. All of us feel responsible and motivated to preserve his old-world approach to unprocessed foods; his commitment to pure, high-quality ingredients; and his generosity to employee owners and educational organizations focused on nutritional health.”
Bob Moore, founder of Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods, photographed for Whole Foods Market Wednesday 10/31/12. © 2012 Fred Joe / www.fredjoephoto.com
Bob and Charlee Moore have helped shaped the way we eat, for the better. Their legacy as entrepreneurs and philanthropists will live on through their incredible products and exceptional company.
with files from Eater and Bob’s Red Mill
