Organisation / Brand: Protein Industries Canada

Protein Canada

© Protein Industries Canada
Investments & Finance

Protein Industries Canada Receives $150M CAD in Federal Funding for Next Five Years

Protein Industries Canada (PIC) announces it has received $150M CAD in funding from the Canadian government to continue to accelerate plant-based protein innovation. François Philippe Champagne, the country’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, today announced the renewal as part of a $750M investment into the Global Innovation Cluster program. The renewed investment brings the total funding of the consortium to $353M from 2018 through to 2028, including $30 million from the Pan Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy.  “As a global agricultural powerhouse, Canada has the means, resources, and skill to turn crops into food – and transform the way the world eats, while also bringing solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, including global food security, the environment and human health,” said Bill …

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Canadian Partners Launch Alt Seafood

Representatives from Konscious, Merit and Canadian Pacifico Seaweeds ©Protein Industries Canada
Retail & E-Commerce

Canada: Industry Partners Invest $15.3M to Develop New Line of Alt-Seafood Products

Canada’s Konscious Foods, Merit Functional Foods and Canadian Pacifico Seaweeds announce a new partnership to develop an extensive line of plant-based seafood alternatives. Created with a co-investment from Protein Industries Canada (PIC), the line will bring more than 20 sustainably sourced alt-seafood products to North American grocery stores.  A total of $15.3M has been committed to the project, including a $5.5M contribution from PIC. That investment reportedly acted as a catalyst for the innovative partnership, and allowed the project to move at a faster, more efficient pace. The new products will reportedly match the taste and texture of traditional seafood with a focus on clean-label ingredients. To create the line, plant-based seafood brand Konscious Foods will incorporate Canadian-grown and -processed ingredients, including Merit’s pea and …

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Canada veg

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Agriculture / Agribusiness

Industry Groups Join Forces to Strengthen Canada’s Plant-Based Food Policies

Protein Industries Canada announces it is partnering with Loblaw Companies Ltd., Pulse Canada, and Plant-Based Foods of Canada to strengthen Canada’s plant-based foods regulations and establish a Regulatory Centre of Excellence.  A total of $1.6 million is being invested in the endeavor, which is Protein Industries’ 38th project announcement aimed at supporting Canada’s growing plant-based food and ingredient sector. Through consumer surveys and experiments, the partners will engage with Canada’s government to address critical knowledge gaps in regulating plant-based food products. The group has identified several key policy areas in need of modernization, including: Protein labelling claims (e.g. determining if a product is a “good source of protein”) Naming conventions (how and when companies can use terms such as “plant-based cheese”, “sausage” or “patties”) Development …

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Oat Canada oat milk

©Oat Canada
Agriculture / Agribusiness

Protein Industries Canada Invests $4.1M in Better Oat Protein from Oat Canada & Roquette

Nonprofit consortium Protein Industries Canada (PIC) announces a $4.1 million investment to develop novel, nutritionally superior oat ingredients and products, including Canada’s first oat-based protein.  The project, which will involve a collaboration between beverage brand Oat Canada and ingredient supplier Roquette, aims to build on Canada’s status as a leading global oat producer by expanding applications for its vast oat crop. In order to meet growing demand for sustainably produced foods and to strengthen supply chains, the project also hopes to significantly grow Canada’s domestic processing capabilities.  “Increasing our domestic ingredient processing capacity is one of the most important steps in strengthening Canada’s economy and food supply chain, as well as the health of our environment,” says Protein Industries Canada CEO Bill Greuel.  New oat research …

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Plant Protein Sources

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Investments & Finance

Canadian Firms Seek $200M to Grow Country’s Plant-Based Protein Industry

A group of Canadian investment and protein firms is looking to raise $200 million in equity capital to finance the next generation of plant-based food processors, according to Real Agriculture.  The consortium, led by Bellwood Partners and Champlin Advisory, ultimately aims to build a pool of capital exclusively for the domestic processing sector, says Protein Industries Canada (PIC). To achieve that, the group will first consult an advisory board to identify major barriers to raising capital for plant-based processing.  PIC and its partners are expected to contribute $2.4 million to the equity fund, with the larger consortium program contributing an additional $1.8 million. Staying relevant Plant-based protein is a massive economic opportunity for Canada, said PIC, and the country needs to spend significantly more capital …

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©Merit Functional Foods
Agriculture / Agribusiness

Protein Industries Canada Invests in $7.9M Plant Protein Project for Canadian Brands such as Daiya & Merit Functional Foods

Protein Industries Canada recently announced a co-investment into a project that will utilize some of Canada’s most widely grown crops in the development of new plant-based foods and ingredients. “Adding value to our crops by turning them into innovative food products is a boon for our communities and the Canadian econom” Protein Industries Canada is providing half of the investment into the project, with Merit Functional Foods, TWC Nutrition, Daiya Foods and Grand River Foods together investing the remaining half for a total project investment of $7.9 million. Together the companies will utilize Merit Functional Foods’ pea, canola and blended pea-canola protein ingredients in new plant-based products. As we reported in June 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $100M for the Canadian plant-based industry, through …

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protein powder

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Company News

Protein Industries Canada Partners with Plant-Based Brands to Develop New Uses for Pulse Flours

Protein Industries Canada, a not-for-profit organisation aiming to position Canada as a source of quality plant proteins, has announced a collaboration with several plant-based and gluten-free brands. The organisation will work alongside Avena Foods, Daiya Foods, Big Mountain Foods, Bakenology, and The Village Bakery to research and develop new applications for pulse flours.

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Protein Industries Canada

©Protein Industries Canada
Agriculture / Agribusiness

Protein Industries Canada Invests in the Development of High-Protein Pea Varieties to “Revolutionize the Plant-Based Ecosystem”

Protein Industries Canada is an industry-led supercluster founded to position Canada as a global leader for high-quality plant protein. The mission of the not-for-profit organization is to invest collaboratively in plant-based projects to ensure the competitiveness of the Canadian plant-based sector.

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