Bob Moore was an evangelist for whole grains and healthy eating, and his “people before profits” mantra made Bob’s Red Mill one of the most admired companies in the U.S.

He also was a force for Pacific Northwest agriculture, with Bob’s Red Mill buying massive amounts of grain, nuts, seeds and berries from the region’s farmers.

The founder of Bob’s Red Mill and the face of the company died on Feb. 10. He was 94 years old.

Moore created Bob’s Red Mill in 1978 in Milwaukie.

The company grew into a global natural foods powerhouse with 200-plus products sold in more than 70 countries.

Moore was instantly recognizable around the world. He had a white beard and often wore glasses, a touring cap, bolo tie and a red company vest — just like on the Bob’s Red Mill logo.

“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 on his 81st birthday,” reads a company statement.

All employees were issued stock certificates for free. More than 700 employees 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.

Winthrop added that the company’s employees feel responsible and motivated to preserve Moore’s old world approach to unprocessed foods, his commitment to high-quality ingredients and his generosity toward educational organizations focused on nutritional health.

Business background

Moore’s first business was a service station. He then had a grain mill building in Redding, Calif., then retired and moved to Oregon intending to study Greek and Hebrew so he could read the Bible in its original languages. Instead, he stumbled across a mill for sale and couldn’t resist starting up again.

He was doing well when an arsonist burned down the mill in 1988. Moore started over and Bob’s Red Mill kept growing.

Moore told others not to amass wealth, but to follow the Golden Rule and treat others as you would like to be treated.

He felt it was his responsibility as an entrepreneur to create sustainability and permanence through competitive wages, health care benefits and profit sharing.

Educational gifts

Moore’s wife, Charlee, died in 2018. They made substantial contributions to Oregon universities and were named honorary Beavers for their donations to Oregon State University, where they provided $5 million for the Moore Family Center for Whole Grain Foods, Nutrition and Preventive Health.

A gift of $25 million also helped create the Bob and Charlee Moore Institute for Nutrition and Wellness at Oregon Health and Science University, as well as other research programs throughout Oregon.

Moore is survived by his three sons, Ken Moore, Bob Moore Jr. and David Moore, nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life is being planned and details will be announced. Friends and fans are encouraged to visit the Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Store in Milwaukie to share memories.