December 4, 2024 - Protein Industries Canada recently announced a new project with partners Alinova Canada, Marusan Ai, Earth's Own Foods and Flamaglo Foods to bring more soy processing to Canada, while strengthening international market opportunities for soy products.
"By increasing processing capacity, this project will help capture economic opportunity and bolster Canada's reputation as a leading supplier of high-value ingredients and food products," said the Honourable Farçois-Philippe Champagne, Canada's Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. "Here is another example of how the Protein Industries Cluster is helping Canadian companies scale up and grow, attract investments and strengthen Canada's agri-food security through plant-based innovation."
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Alinova Canada, a joint venture between DJ Hendrick International Inc (DJHII) and Marusan Ai, will lead the partners in developing and commercialising a new soy powder. This builds on the success seen in DJHII's previous Protein Industries Canada project, in which the initial partners assessed the feasibility of a commercial soy powder processing plant in Eastern Canada. The new project will see the pilot-scale facility built in Ontario, a region of high soy production in Canada. Both the operation of the new facility and its ideal location will allow the partners to more efficiently focus on product development work and market testing, with Japan being a particular focus.
Bringing this processing into Canada is expected to add value to the country's soy crop, the majority of which is currently exported for processing internationally. By building on Japan's established standing as a significant soy market, the project's focus on commercialising there will help Canada capture new economic opportunity and strengthen its global competitiveness.
"Canada's agriculture sector has a strong reputation for high-quality crops, and we can build on this by bringing the processing of those crops back home to Canadian soil. Value-added processing and whole-seed utilisation here at home will secure our position as a leading supplier of high-value ingredients and food products, while providing families here in Canada, and around the world with a new selection of high-quality protein options," Protein Industries Canada CFO Kassandra Quayle said.
As the pilot-scale facility is being built, Earth's Own and Flamaglo Foods will test small batches of the new soymilk powder in products destined for grocery store shelves across Canada. Once the facility is built, Alinova Canada and Marusan Ai will work to fully expand processing capacity of the soymilk powder and test its commercial viability in the Japanese market.
A total of $23.9 million has been committed to the project, with Protein Industries Canada investing $6.7 million and the partners together investing the remainder.
"Exporting food-grade non-GMO whole soybeans from Eastern Ontario has been a long-standing tradition with rewards for producers and exporters alike. Now we have a chance to take that pride and reward to the next level - a made-in-Canada ingredient. We intend to build on our relationships with growers in Eastern Ontario, our soymilk partner in Japan and the two Canadian soyfood formulators joining on this initiative, to make this manufacturing company a reality for Morrisburg, and a contributor to our community well-being," said Alinova Canada Executive Vice President David Hendrick.
"In Japan, we at Marusan Ai recognise the importance of plant protein for the well-being of global consumers. We predict the possibility of a global storage. We have discussed this possibility with our Canadian partner, DJHII, and together we have a plan to mitigate this risk by working with Eastern Ontario non-GMO soybean growers, and two Canadian plant protein formulation partners. We believe that together with your reliable supply of Canadian soybeans, and our longstanding experience in food processing technology, we can manufacture a novel made in Canada soymilk powder ingredient and find many food product applications. We also recognise and support the contribution that this project can have for the Morrisburg community. We hope to meet many of you at our opening in early 2026," said Alinova Canada President Hiroyui Inagaki.
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