Today, Protein Industries Canada announced a partnership to help
build on the use of pea and hemp in plant-based food and
ingredients.
NRGene Canada, Farmers Business Network Canada, Inc., Pulse
Genetics and Manitoba Harvest are coming together to develop new
pea and hemp varieties for use in food and ingredient processing,
including a new pea-hemp flour blend. The partners will focus on
increasing the protein content and improving the starch content and
texture of ingredients derived from the new varieties, potentially
increasing their use in plant-based foods and beverages across
Canada and internationally.
“With this project, Canada’s small and medium-sized enterprises
are once again showing us that they are at the forefront of
innovation in the plant-based protein industry,” said the
Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation,
Science and Industry. “This collaboration will enable the partners
to develop products and create new plant-protein varieties more
rapidly and at a lower cost, helping meet the demands of Canadians
and offering them more choices for high-protein plant-based
products at their local grocery stores.”
“Canada’s agricultural sector is a global frontrunner in
innovative research, creating new agri-food ingredients and
products, developing new marketing opportunities, and adding value
to Canadian-grown commodities. This partnership between Canada’s
pea and hemp sectors will work to develop new varieties of both
commodities, improving their protein and starch contents, and
opening up new opportunities in plant-based foods and beverages,”
said Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food, the Honourable
Marie-Claude Bibeau.
Pulse Genetics will focus on improving Canada’s well-established
pea sector, while Farmers Business Network Canada, Inc. will focus
on the country’s growing hemp sector; both will utilize NRGene’s
genomics technology in their efforts to develop new varieties.
While commercialization of the new varieties won’t occur until
after the project’s completion, Manitoba Harvest will work with
existing varieties to develop a pea-hemp flour blend that will
become a base formulation they will improve upon once access to the
new varieties becomes available.
“Through this project, NRGene, Farmers Business Network Canada,
Inc., Pulse Genetics and Manitoba Harvest are displaying the
diverse commodities Canada has to offer, while also helping meet
the needs of food manufacturers and consumers,” Protein Industries
Canada CEO Bill Greuel said. “By focusing on an established protein
crop, like peas, and one that’s still growing in popularity, like
hemp, they’re helping diversify our sector even further—an
important step in opening new markets and establishing the country
as a leader in meeting consumer plant-based food demands.”
The development of these new varieties, as well as the pea-hemp
flour blend, is expected to create new market opportunities along
Canada’s plant-based food and ingredients value chain, including
for farmers, ingredient processors and food manufacturers. The
utilization and scaling up of NRGene’s genomics technology will
also supply researchers and crop breeders with advanced breeding
tools that will shorten breeding cycles, particularly for pea and
hemp varieties.
NRGene, Farmers Business Network Canada, Inc., Pulse Genetics
and Manitoba Harvest are together investing $3.3 million into the
project, with Protein Industries Canada investing an additional
$1.8 million. The total project investment is $5.1 million.
“We are thrilled to take part in this partnership that will
advance the plant-based protein sector—one of the growing sectors
impacting global sustainability,” NRGene CEO and Co-Founder Dr. Gil
Ronen said. “This project is one of a kind, as it ties together
companies from different stages of the industry value chain. The
fact that we can apply NRGene’s cutting-edge genomics to help our
partners naturally develop and grow varieties with characteristics
required to the specific end-product—the pea-hemp flour blend—will
bring to the market improved product in a significantly shorter
time. I believe it will provide great value and global advantage to
the Canadian alternative protein industry.”
“At FBN, we're constantly striving to provide our members with
as many options as possible to maximize their operation's profit
potential," FBN Direct, Global, President Tom Staples said.
"We're looking forward to collaborating with Protein Industries
Canada to bring a range of new hemp varieties to market."
“As a newcomer to the plant breeding community, Pulse Genetics
is excited to be a part of this strategic partnership which
combines expertise to develop innovative new products for Canada’s
fast-growing plant-based protein industry,” Pulse Genetics Owner
Pete Giesbrecht said.
“As the largest and longest standing hemp brand in North
America, we are committed to providing our customers with the best
hemp products available,” Manitoba Harvest President Jared Simon
said. “Developing plant-based protein products with superior taste,
functionality and nutrition aligns perfectly with our objectives as
a brand, and we have a history of leadership at the farm level,
working directly with growers to improve quality throughout the
hemp supply chain.”
This is Protein Industries Canada’s 24th project announcement,
and their 22nd under their Technology stream. Together with
industry, they have invested more than $377 million to the Canadian
plant-based food, feed and ingredients sector.
Media may contact:
Miranda BurskiRegina,
SKmiranda@proteinsupercluster.ca306-581-1340
About NRGene Canada
NRGene Canada is NRGene's subsidiary in Saskatoon, Canada,
providing Canadian partners with NRGene's cutting-edge AI-based
genomic tools, which are reshaping agriculture and livestock
worldwide. Their cloud-based software solutions are designed to
analyze big data generated by next-generation sequencing
technologies in an affordable, scalable and precise manner.
Coupled with a genomics lab and on-site capabilities, NRGene Canada
is focusing on Canadian specialty crops such as canola, wheat,
soybean, cannabis and more, and accelerates their breeding programs
to significantly increase crop yield and save time and money for
NRGene’s partners.
About Farmers Business Network Canada, Inc.
Farmers Business Network, Inc. is an independent ag tech
platform and farmer-to-farmer network with a mission to power the
prosperity of family farmers around the world, while working
towards a sustainable future. Its Farmers First promise has
attracted more than 27,000 members to the network with a common
goal of maximizing their farm’s profit potential. FBN has
set out to redefine value and convenience for farmers by helping
reduce the cost of production and maximize the value of their
crops.
The FBN network has grown to cover more than 70
million acres of member farms in the United States, Canada and
Australia. Blending the best of Midwestern agricultural roots and
Silicon Valley technology, the company has more than 600 personnel
and offices in San Carlos, Calif., Chicago, Ill., Sioux Falls,
S.D., a Canadian Headquarters in High River, Alta. and an
Australian Headquarters in Perth. “FBN”, “FBN Direct” and “Farmers
First” are registered trademarks of Farmers Business Network,
Inc.
About Pulse Genetics
Pulse Genetics, based in Winkler, Man., is a plant breeding
company focused on developing elite green and yellow field pea
lines with solid agronomics and improved protein. The breeding
program was initiated in 2010, and its operations officially became
known as Pulse Genetics in 2018. With a focus on creativity and
collaboration, newly created partnerships and investment in
infrastructure will support the future development of innovative
new pea varieties for the plant protein sector.
About Manitoba Harvest
Founded in 1998, Manitoba Harvest is a pioneer and leader in
branded, hemp-based foods, with the fastest-growing products in the
global hemp food market. The company's all-natural product
portfolio includes hemp hearts (shelled hemp seed), hemp protein,
hemp protein blends, wellness bars, granola and hemp oil. Manitoba
Harvest's products are sold globally, including in approximately
17,000 retail stores across the United
States and Canada.
Manitoba Harvest is a Certified B Corporation and the first
Canadian food company to attain a CarbonZero Certification. A
wholly owned subsidiary of Tilray, Inc. (NASDAQ | TSX: TLRY),
Manitoba Harvest is a mission-based company dedicated to inspiring
and empowering the worldwide community to live their very best life
by providing them with products that meet the needs of their mind,
body and soul and invoke a sense of wellbeing.
Tilray Brands (NASDAQ:TLRY)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
Tilray Brands (NASDAQ:TLRY)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024