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producer in the world, and the only one with facilities on both sides of the Atlantic.

Speaking in 2020, Dominique Baumann, Managing Director of Roquette Canada, explained the plant is part of the company’s mission to help feed a growing global population, sustainably. An estimated 60% increase in food production is needed by 2050.

“Our purpose at Roquette is really to help in taking on this challenge and we think that plant-based proteins are one of the answers because pulses and peas are using much less water and are generating less carbon dioxide,” said Baumann.

The company recently launched a new range of organic pea protein and starch products, expanding an already impressive plant-based portfolio.

Fertile ground for alternative proteins

With its foothold established in Canada, Roquette has become an active contributor to the country’s alternative proteins ecosystem, including participation in four Protein Industries Canada (PIC) projects. PIC is the agency tasked with stimulating Canada’s plantbased proteins industry.

As one of the country’s five Global

Innovation Clusters, PIC works to accelerate innovation in plant-based protein. Its portfolio spans nearly half a billion dollars (CAD) in innovative R&D projects.

Aside from allocating direct funding, PIC supports envelope-pushing companies by facilitating industry partnerships and opening doors to other investment opportunities. In doing so, it creates a structure that both mitigates risk and supports bold initiatives for creating new ingredients and food products.

The right ingredients

Canada has all the ingredients to create the food of the future: Abundant pulses, innovation, sustainable infrastructure, and government support.

These qualities helped attract Hollywood director James Cameron, who invested in a Saskatchewan-based pea protein facility in 2017 in support of a global transition to a more plant-based diet. Verdient Foods was acquired by Fortune 500 company Ingredion in 2020. Illinois-based Ingredion expanded the manufacturing facility in Vanscoy, Saskatchewan in 2021. Cameron, meanwhile, continues to be involved in the Canadian market through his T Base 4 Investments company.

www.pip-international.com