Protein Industries Canada and Innovate UK have announced a new partnership aiming to advance innovation in the plant-based food industry.

Protein Industries Canada is one of Canada’s five Global Innovation Clusters. The bilateral partnership with the UK’s national innovation agency Innovate UK will aim to develop greater connections between the food sectors in both countries.

The UK minister of Science, George Freeman, met Canada’s minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, François-Philippe Champagne, in Ottawa earlier this month to agree on deeper collaboration.

In a statement, Champagne commented: “Our government is proud to announce the strategic partnership between Protein Industries Canada and Innovate UK to propel innovation in the plant-based food and ingredients sector”.

“This collaboration represents a pivotal step toward not only building a sustainable future but also enhancing environmental and human health and boosting economies. These visionary organisations are poised to transform the landscape of the plant-based food industry, pioneering a new era of global partnerships.”

Protein Industries Canada and Innovate UK will make introductions between Canadian and UK companies to create mutually beneficial partnerships to help develop new plant-based food and ingredients. The aim is to leverage each country’s strengths so that companies on both sides can benefit through access to new technologies and research, new customers and the growth of their companies.

Katrina Hayter, executive director of the Healthy Living and Agriculture Domain at Innovate UK said: “Our vision is to enable people to live longer, healthier lives and we can achieve this by transforming our food system into one that is more productive, sustainable and resilient”.

She added: “Having the opportunity to learn and collaborate with counterparts in Canada is vital for ensuring that technology, practices and sustainability benefits continue to develop, and this partnership represents a landmark moment in bringing the expertise of both nations together in the plant-based foods space”.

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