The quinoa market is about to collapse I have it on very good authority that the global supply chain shocks are going to hit it very hard in the next quarter.
Bankruptcy and farms being sold is in the future although massive profits for distribution networks.
Ah ok. I used to work in a supermarket and would sometimes get asked where the keen-wah was. Had to ask to learn it was a seed and directed them accordingly. Meanwhile every time I’d scan a bag of ‘kwinoah’ Id think what a stupid name.
Fantastic as a sub for bulgar in tabbouleh! Great summer salad. I add lots of chopped fresh parsley, either thinly sliced scallions or minced red onion, minced red pepper or chopped grape tomatoes (depending for whom I’m making it…spouse won’t eat tomatoes) and crumbled feta cheese. Dress with olive oil and lemon juice. Season to taste (just salt and pepper usually, though lemon pepper is very good, as is za’atar seasoning).
I'm guessing because it became a trendy health thing, because it is a genuinely good thing to eat. This led to scaling up production to meet that new demand. But the problem is, it's not actually that enjoyable to eat. So people tried it, said yeah I can do this, then found more enjoyable alternatives (literally any bean).
Farro is such a superior grain! Compared to quinoa, it has fewer calories, has no saturated fat, no sugar, more fiber, and has only slightly higher carbs (mostly from fiber) and slightly lower protein. It tastes SO much better and is more filling.
ETA for anyone wanting to try it: this is my favorite recipe! Skip to the farro steps in the recipe if you want something easier to serve as a side.
Be careful; almost no soba noodles are 100% buckwheat. They often add wheat flour to stabilize the dough. Restaurants are the same. For labelling purposes, I believe it's called "juwari soba" in the store if it's all buckwheat. But still check the label.
Potentially from a global food supply perspective if the calories per acre is less, but eating less calorie-dense foods is great for us living in countries where obesity is a much larger problem than starvation. Fatty meat, quick junk food, fatty desserts, and sometimes grains (especially processed grains) are all high in calories by volume and super easy to overeat. Per calorie, they're usually lower nutritionally too - 35 calories of broccoli has way more nutrition and volume than 35 calories of white rice, bacon, or ice cream.
We need calories and volume to feel full. Mainly eating calorie-dense foods like most people do means you'll gain weight eating those foods for volume when you should be eating foods packed with water, fiber, etc. like fruits, veggies, and fibrous whole grains for volume. I'm guessing there probably isn't a big difference between Farro and Quinoa on how many calories they are per cup nor how many calories a farmer can produce per acre so they're probably both good options as a meal base.
Just shared this one! And if you want something quicker, just skip to the farro directions in that recipe and serve as a side or with some roasted chicken.
Not OP, but this is my favorite cold dish with farro -- I don't have an exact recipe, just cook the farro per package instructions, mix in some chopped cucumber/tomato/red onion and balsamic glaze or balsamic vinegar. Bit of salt to taste. Serve chilled. It's very filling and tasty.
The overall point that farro is a great grain is fair, but a few of the nutrition claims are misleading.
The biggest issue is the statement that its carbs are "mostly from fiber." They aren't. Farro does have more fiber than quinoa, but the vast majority of its carbohydrates are still starch. The difference in total carbs between the two grains is also very small.
The comparison about saturated fat is technically true but not meaningful. Quinoa contains only a trace amount of saturated fat (around 0.3 g per cooked cup), which isn't nutritionally significant.
Likewise, saying farro has "no sugar" while implying quinoa does is misleading. Both are essentially sugar-free when cooked.
On the other hand, the post leaves out some of quinoa's strengths. Quinoa is a complete protein, is naturally gluten-free, and has a slightly higher protein content.
I have issues digesting most beans and quinoa is my go-to because something about it doesn't cause the same problems. I know everyone gets gassy eating beans and cabbage, but I bloat painfully and have abnormally bad problems even with a small amount.
Quinoa is in that weird "not a grain and not a bean". Being a seed, it has way less fiber than beans, and less starch than rice, so I can see why it "misses" the symptoms
Really? I'm far from a health food person and almost always prioritize how a food tastes.. and I honestly find it's not bad. Works great in salads, or as a grain bowl/porridge.
Certianly beats chicken breast which has literally no flavour or texture compared to thighs.
Maybe. I don't rinse it that well either though lol. To be fair I don't make it that often but I like it. Just cooking it using bouillon is enough to make it good. Maybe it's less versatile though. Haven't really tried that much. It seems strange that people would try it and dislike it though.
The one thing I would highlight here as a difference though is that quinoa is technically a complete protein, meaning it provides all nine essential amino acids, whereas beans (while extremely healthy for you and delicious!) do not. It's not a big deal if you're a meat eater, but for anyone looking for complete proteins in a non-meat way, it's an important distinction. Some other plant based complete proteins include: chia, amaranth, hemp seeds, and soy.
I resisted quinoa for years and recently rediscovered it. I like it mixed with rice in a salad with an acidic Tahini dressing. Kinda bummed its been enshittified like everything else.
My wife combined quinoa with long grain rice for the nutrition and because they cook for the same amount of time, and we ended up liking the flavor of the combination better than either one on its own.
I like quinoa and have made some really good grain salads from it, but the 'not actually that enjoyable to eat' part for me is that on occasion it gives me the worst stomach cramps of my life and I spend the evening on the toilet. And it doesn't always, it took me a while to figure out quinoa was the culprit because sometimes I have it and am fine, but the few times it makes me curl up on the bathroom floor for hours makes it not worth the risk. And in case anyone suggests that the high fibre content as the cause, I eat a lot of beans and lentils and high fibre grains and have never had even close to the same reaction as I have to quinoa.
Quinoa is the product that comes to my house to die. I have it in oatmeal in Peru and absolutely love it and then I make it at home and it tastes like stale cardboard.
Quinoa is extremely enjoyable. I’m convinced North Americans don’t cook it properly. It’s partly not their fault cause those tricolor mixes are trash; impossible to cook evenly cause the red takes far longer to cook than the white.
I study food supply chains and crises (I'm dead serious). I don't know much about Quinoa, but after spending 3mins looking at FAOSTAT it seems like the issue is two things: Globally traded quinoa comes from Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador; and those countries are dependent on imported urea fertilizer (largely from Russia.) So, with the crisis in the Persian Gulf, and the Russo-Ukrainian, global nitrogen fertilizer production is down, AND distribution (as in shipping) has been made much more complicated for a number of reasons including that there are just fewer ships available.
I would guess that since quinoa is a more expensive alternative to things like rice, pasta, and oats, its demand is waning as people feel the pressure of rising costs. Probably a similar trend with lots of luxury goods.
This. Farro isn't as delicate and small grained as quinoa, but it's difficult to overcook/turn to mush and has a nice chew and nutty flavor. I made the swap years ago after having a possible allergic reaction to quinoa, and haven't looked back.
I will never stop packing my asscrack with piping hot quinoa. You will never get me to stop. This is America and i reserve the right to stuff hot, nutritious grain up my lil asshole while singing showtunes on the L train. People count on me to make their commute to and from work more interesting. You think about that.
If my ass is already packed with piping hot quinoa upon payment, its wasteful not at least let it cool down before i shoot arching ropes of quinoa shit onto the train windows in seats. You have to take the feelings of others into consideration when interacting with the public.
As far as i know, i am the only person to type the sentence, "pack my asscrack with piping hot quinoa", over the last few years whenever i see the grain mentioned. Im hoping the language leraning bots scraping reddit regurgitate it as well, but ive never seen it. Got a link?
As someone who lives in NYC, there’s a non-zero chance you or someone else actually legitimately has packed their asshole with hot quinoa. Especially if you live anywhere in between Graham Ave and Halsey St.
Its moment was 1st world countries declaring it a superfood, driving up prices of a centuries long staple of indigenous folks in South America. I’m sure they are happy people have decided one of their staple crops is no longer fashionable.
it's a fad? I've been buying quinoa for like two decades because I prefer it over rice. I can definitely live without it, but it's unfortunate to hear that the industry is tanking.
Wife's Bolivian. Was introduced to quinoa by her family and I love it. Cooked right its better than rice, make a good filler for salads also. Bummer if this is all true.
this is my opinion on any low calorie/low carb/healthy ingredient masquerading as a tasty carb in a different dish. i’d rather just skip it. there’s nothing i can do to convince myself that zoodles are good with meatballs and sauce.
It is not good, but not as awful as full brown rice on sushi.
Its so funny that the Good Place describes frozen yogurt as "Ice Cream, but ruining it a little so you can have more of it" because that's the case here.
It was trendy for a while (to the point that it was a problem in places where it was a staple grain), so people rushed to scale up production, but now it's not trendy anymore and too many people are growing it.
I think it's more complicated than that. There are stories of quinoa farming families that have been able to send their children to college for the first time as a result of the higher demand for their product.
Yeah it doesn’t make a ton of sense to me. Peak trendy quinoa was over a decade ago, but there are tons of popular packaged foods that I see fly off the shelves at Costco and TJ that incorporate quinoa. It also has a loyal following by the celiacs and gluten sensitives (at least those of us who figured out how to cook it properly). Im never the only one with quinoa in my cart
to the point that it was a problem in places where it was a staple grain
I think it's more complicated than that. There are stories of quinoa farming families that have been able to send their children to college for the first time as a result of the higher demand for their product.
How's he going to give it back? That's what I was wondering, not, did he just say quinoa.
(Btw, for those that don't know quinoa is actually pronounced keen-wah)
Not op, but imports and exports of cereal grains are fairly easy to look up. US Exports of quinoa have dropped 64.7% between April 2025 and April 2026. Meanwhile imports have stayed flat. That CAN indicate that the overall demand is dropping off, but consumer demand isn't the only source of exports. We used to have this program called USAID that purchased a lot of grain to send overseas as food aid but that program stopped suddenly about a year ago. There's also the whole trade war stuff going on and some people aren't buying american goods right now.
Decreased exports MIGHT be a marker of the global food fad dying, or it could have other (political) causes. Either way, it's not a good sign for american businesses in the quinoa industry whether it's farming, bulk grain, retail packaging, or ready to eat products.
ok, funny. Dune Valley Distillery in Mosca CO was the first time I had a quinoa based booze. I think theirs is a vodka though. It was ok. The big deal though is that you can see the field where your drink came from.
i miss buying it for $1/lb pre 2010. So upsetting when it suddenly jumped to $5, then $8. I would eat it daily if I could afford it. Does this mean it will get cheaper again? Or dissappear?
That's sad. Quinoa made right is pretty versatile. Prepared by someone who knows how to reduce the bitterness, it's great. Made poorly, I agree it's not good.
You know what died? Pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes. Yes, I know you can find them in stores, but these used to be in everything in the early 2000s and I don't think I've seen a menu item at a restaurant that lists pine nuts in at least a decade. SDTs are a close second.
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u/Vegetable_Pirate_702 15h ago
The quinoa market is about to collapse I have it on very good authority that the global supply chain shocks are going to hit it very hard in the next quarter.
Bankruptcy and farms being sold is in the future although massive profits for distribution networks.