New plant-based protein facility being built in Manitoba

Merit Functional Foods’ new plant-based protein plant is under construction in in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and the company learned it is getting a boost from the federal and provincial governments.

Roy Graber Headshot
(fintastique, Bigstock)
(fintastique, Bigstock)

Merit Functional Foods’ new plant-based protein facility is under construction in in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and the company learned it is getting a boost from the federal and provincial governments.

About the facility

In June, Merit Functional Foods announced that construction of its new 94,000-square-foot production facility in Winnipeg was well underway. The facility’s superstructure was assembled in May, and the initial placement of equipment and enclosure of the building was progressing.

Once completed, the plant would be the first and only commercial facility with the capability to produce food-grade canola protein, which Merit Functional Foods described as a “new and exciting entrant to the plant-based protein ingredient segment.”

“This facility is going to be key in redefining plant-based protein,” Merit Co-CEO Ryan Bracken said in a press release. “It’s a flexible facility that will produce an unprecedented pea protein and the first canola protein available for use in foods and beverages. Both of these proteins will have functional and nutritional characteristics that will set them apart from other ingredients available on the market.”

Government assistance

In a press release from the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada agency, it was announced that governments of Canada and Manitoba will invest up to CA$2.5 million (US$1.9 million)in cost-shared funding under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership program to support new technologies in Merit Functional Foods’ new plant.

Through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the governments of Canada and Manitoba will be providing Merit Functional Foods with funding for new equipment purchases that will support the transformation of raw inputs into value-added goods. This investment will bring new technology into the production process for Merit Functional Foods, the company to be competitive on the global market, and creating up to 85 local jobs as part of their Phase 1 project, growing to more than 200 jobs in future phases.

“The development of the Merit Functional Foods facility will create new, immediate jobs helping our economy restart after the COVID-19 pandemic and support the Manitoba Protein Advantage Strategy. This project will enhance Manitoba’s economy by providing economic opportunities for the agricultural industry including employment and contributing to the growth of Manitoba’s growing protein processing sector and further establish Manitoba as a Canadian leader in plant protein extraction,” said Blaine Pedersen, Manitoba agriculture and resource development minister

“We’re incredibly grateful for the province and federal support, which will help facilitate the rapid progression of our facility’s construction. It’s been just a bit over a year since we commissioned our project, and we’re nearing an on-track completion for the end of the year.  We’re proud to put Manitoba on the map as a leader in the plant-based protein movement,” Bracken said.

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