We started to hear things on social media the other day that suggested Skagit Valley Malting in Burlington, Washington had closed. In the words of one employee, “The powers that be decided to pull the plug.” In fact, something showed up on the company’s official Instagram page suggesting as much, but it seems that post was removed.
I do not like to rely on social media as a source, but by all indications the news is true. More than one team member at Skagit Valley Malting says that, indeed, the company has been shuttered and all of the employees are now jobless. What happens next, we will see.
We first reported on Skagit Valley Malting back in 2012 when we learned about the new company, which was described as “a partnership among entrepreneurs, grain researchers, the Port of Skagit, and local farmers.” At the time micro-maltsters, or boutique malted barley producers, were rare. Today, they’ve become more common, but Skagit Valley Malting is/was one of the pioneers.
I expect the company to reach out to its regular customers and to the media to clarify the situation. I will continue to follow this story and share any official news from Skagit Valley Malting itself. Here are a couple of comments I found on social media, from two separate individuals. I am not sharing their names.
“Another chapter has sunset too soon. Skagit Valley Malting no longer exists and I look to chart a new path.”
“I’m no longer at [Skagit Valley Malting]. No one technically is. Our goal to create a sustainable agricultural system by making great craft malt ended yesterday when the powers that be pulled the plug. The company no longer exists… Sucks to end it this abruptly, but it is what it is.”
Stay tuned for more info as it becomes available.