From 6.8K to 31.8K Followers: How Pacific Northwest Marketing Helped Cairnspring Mills Flour-ish on Instagram

When Cairnspring Mills set out to spark a global movement for regenerative food systems, they weren’t just building a new kind of flour mill—they were building a new kind of food economy. With a mission rooted in clean, traceable food, economic revitalization of rural communities, and long-term farmland stewardship, Cairnspring Mills needed a social media presence that reflected their bold, values-driven vision. That’s where we came in.

At Pacific Northwest Marketing (formerly Skagit Marketing), we were proud to partner with Cairnspring Mills to craft and implement a social media strategy that would elevate their voice, connect with like-minded followers, and showcase their mission in action. And the results? They speak for themselves.

When we began our partnership, Cairnspring Mills had 6,887 followers on Instagram. Today, they have 31.8K+ highly engaged fans who aren’t just scrolling—they’re baking, learning, sharing, and participating in a growing movement around sustainable, local food systems.

Crafting a Strategy as Thoughtful as the Mission

Cairnspring’s brand is rooted in transparency, integrity, and quality, and it was important that our strategy matched that energy. We didn’t want to just “market” the brand—we wanted to amplify the real stories of the farmers, bakers, and food lovers behind it.

Our strategy included:

• Brand Storytelling through photo, video, and written content that connected followers to Cairnspring’s mission and impact.
• Influencer Partnerships with bakers, chefs, and food system thought leaders who aligned with Cairnspring’s values.
• Community Engagement through thoughtful comment moderation, DMs, and responses to foster a genuine connection with the audience.
• #BaketoSustain: More Than a Hashtag

One of our biggest wins was the launch of the branded hashtag #BaketoSustain, a call-to-action that captured the essence of Cairnspring’s mission. More than just a marketing tool, the hashtag has become a digital gathering point for home bakers, chefs, food activists, and regenerative agriculture advocates to share how they’re baking with purpose.

The hashtag now features thousands of posts that tell a collective story of better food and better farming.

Turning Followers into a Flour-Powered Community

To grow engagement and spread the word, we developed creative social contests, featuring Cairnspring’s signature flours and exclusive merchandise. These not only increased reach but also cultivated a vibrant community of passionate home bakers and professionals alike.

We also worked closely with influencers and thought leaders in the baking and sustainability spaces, helping to generate authentic buzz and boost visibility among aligned audiences.

More Than Marketing—A Movement

Cairnspring Mills isn’t just selling flour—they’re redefining what food systems can be. From lifting farmers out of commodity pricing traps to creating new rural jobs and promoting land stewardship, their values aren’t an afterthought—they’re the foundation.

Together, we’ve helped share that vision with tens of thousands of people who care deeply about where their food comes from and the world they want to live in.

Cairnspring’s social media presence continues to grow, and they now have an in-house marketing manager.  But we feel a part of their dream of transforming the food system, one clean, flavorful, traceable bag of flour at a time.