Protein Industries Canada has announced a new pilot project focused on meeting rising sustainable protein demand through the development of new pea protein ingredients and finished food products.

The initiative will be launched in partnership with global agricultural goods merchant and processor Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) and Seven Oaks Hospital Chronic Disease Innovation Centre (CDIC). A total of CAD 48.7 million (approx. $35.6m) has been committed to work within the project.

Through the partnership, LDC and CDIC will combine their expertise to bring new ingredients and food products to market in Canada. With a focus on taste and nutrition, the new products could help provide a wider selection of healthy protein options for Canadian families, particularly seniors looking to manage muscle loss and sarcopenia.

The ingredient’s use in other food and feed products will also help strengthen Canada’s domestic food supply chain, while increasing market access potential for Canadian pea crops.

LDC has developed a pea protein isolate that will be produced in its new facility, currently under construction in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada. The site is expected to be operational by the end of 2025. It will create new jobs throughout the sector and increase investment into rural Saskatchewan, strengthening the local economy and generating new market opportunities for Canadian farmers.

The new protein isolate will be tested in a range of food products developed by CDIC, with a focus on the ingredient’s sensory properties and potential health benefits. The partners will work together to ensure the ingredient helps make CDIC’s finished products more digestible for an ageing population.

Robert Hunter, CEO of Protein Industries Canada, said: “Canada has the opportunity to lead the global market in value-added agri-food. This investment, with its focus on turning our high-protein pea crops into ingredients and food products with the nutrition and health benefits Canadians are looking for, is the latest example of how we can leverage our sector’s potential to reach our CAD 25 billion opportunity.”