
For more than a century, King Milling Company has turned American wheat into flour—and family legacy into lasting enterprise. Now led by the fifth generation of the Doyle family, the Lowell-based company remains one of the oldest continuously operating family-owned flour mills in the country.
Flour, Family, and Five Generations in Lowell
As King Milling celebrates its 135th anniversary, fifth-generation leaders Patrick and Regan Doyle—alongside fourth-generation family members Steve, Jim, and Brian Doyle—reflect on their family’s history, values, and vision for the future.
Today, it’s also the largest flour producer in Michigan—and ranks among the top 15 nationwide, with four mills producing over 2.5 million pounds of flour daily. That scale expanded significantly in 2024 with the completion of a six-floor mill and state-of-the-art grain handling facility, boosting output and positioning King Milling for the next era of growth.

Roughly 40 percent of the company’s wheat—used to produce soft flour for pastries and cookies—is grown in Michigan. The rest, harder wheat varieties for bread and pizza dough, comes from states like Kansas and the Dakotas. While the grain travels far, the company itself has never strayed from the community where it began.
“Lowell’s home to us,” said Patrick Doyle, the company’s president. “We live here. We work here, and we’ve always tried to do things the right way—with our people, our community, and the customers we serve.”
From Fire to Flourishing

Founded in 1890, King Milling remains under family ownership for five generations. The business began with the acquisition of the bankrupt Superior Mill on the west side of Lowell by Francis King and partners, though the site itself had milled grain since the 1840s.
The Doyle family joined King Milling in 1900, and by the 1930s had taken full control. Steady modernization followed—even through crisis.
“We had a fire in the 1940s during World War II,” recalled Jim Doyle, former president and now chairman. “To rebuild, our grandfather had to take a train to the War Department in Washington, D.C., just to requisition enough steel—because it was all going into bullets.”
The new concrete mill opened in 1945. Ten days later, William Doyle—the driving force behind the rebuild—died suddenly. His sons, King and Mike, took over. King, then serving in the Pacific, came home on emergency leave to help stabilize the business.
“They could’ve walked away,” said Patrick Doyle. “But they pushed forward. That decision defined who we are.”
Progress with a Purpose

Progress at King Milling is not accidental. The company’s reputation for durability is built on foresight and discipline.
“We’ve never taken shortcuts,” said Patrick Doyle. “That’s just not how we do things.”
After the 1943 fire, William Doyle rebuilt the facility with the most advanced milling technology of its time. By the 1960s, King Milling was among the first in the U.S. to adopt pneumatic elevators. Automation followed in the 1980s, and the company introduced its proprietary Ceres® line, extending flour shelf life through enzyme control.
“From the beginning, we’ve looked for ways to do things better,” said Steve Doyle, senior vice president. “That mindset is what’s kept us competitive for 135 years.”
Innovation continued into 2023, when the company opened its newest facility, the D-Mill, increasing daily white flour capacity to 21,000 hundredweights (cwt), with total output—including whole wheat—reaching 25,000 cwt. As output increased, so did the need for speed and scale.
“We built a system to load 50,000 pounds of flour into a trailer in just five minutes,” said Patrick Doyle. “Other mills had done that—but we were the first to engineer a way to load multiple trailers from a single bin.”
Problem-solving at that level isn’t just about efficiency, it reflects a broader mindset.
“We’re always looking at what’s next—not just for us, but for our customers,” Patrick added. “That’s how we stay ahead.”
The Golden Rule

At King Milling, fairness, respect, and community involvement remain central to how the business is run.
“We try to follow the golden rule—treat people the way we want to be treated,” said Patrick.
King Milling supports numerous civic projects in Lowell—from sponsoring the rebuild of a major playground to volunteering time and resources at the local food pantry. Family members also serve on boards including the Rotary Club, Downtown Development Authority, and Historic District Commission.
“We’re integrated here,” said Steve. “We’re not just a business in Lowell—we’re part of the community”
That sense of connection runs deep inside the mill, too.
“We’re proud of our employees’ longevity,” said Steve Doyle. “We have 63 people here, and we know each one personally. They feel like family. Many have been with us a long time—which we hope reflects the respect we have for each of them.”
Advancing the Legacy
As King Milling charts its next century, the fifth generation is already carrying the load.
“We’re in the process of handing things off to the next generation,” said Jim Doyle. “They’re doing the heavy lifting now.”
That continuity is intentional. Patrick and Regan Doyle have worked across nearly every part of the business for more than two decades. Michael Doyle is doing the same. The handoff is deliberate, measured—and entirely on brand.
With its values intact, operations expanding, and a leadership pipeline firmly in place, King Milling isn’t just celebrating 135 years in business, it’s steadily shaping the future of the industry it helped define.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Email fba@fbagr.org if you are interested in exploring feature opportunities.
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