Protein Industries Canada invests in fava beans production to support food mfg.

Protein Industries Canada invests in fava beans production to support food mfg. (Protein Industries Canada)

WINNIPEG — On Mar. 6, Protein Industries Canada announced a new co-investment into advancing the Canadian fava bean ecosystem. Building on the success of past projects, partners Prairie Fava, DL Seeds and Three Farmers are coming together to test the functionality of new fava bean varieties for use in consumer-facing products, particularly snack foods.

“By bolstering the cultivation and processing of fava beans for use in Canadian ingredients and food, this project will increase the selection of healthy and sustainable food options for Canadians,” said François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “Projects like these show how Protein Industries Canada and its partners’ innovative approaches to food will not only increase Canadians’ access to nutritious options but also build stronger and more resilient supply chains in Canada and abroad.”

“This innovative project exemplifies the potential of our agricultural sector, which is cultivating economic growth not only locally but also across Canada. We are proud to support initiatives like this one that present Canada as a strong and competitive leader in the food industry,” said Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency.

“Canada is a top global producer of high-protein crops and we’re leading the way with cutting-edge research. This partnership is an excellent example of cooperation across the value chain to grow new crop varieties and bring high-quality protein ingredients to Canadian-made products,” said Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

As a crop growing in both acreage and use in plant-based products, fava is an ideal option for work in the ingredient and finished goods market. Prairie Fava is building on this by growing DL Seeds’ fava varieties and then utilizing them in their patented processing methods, testing them for functionality and feeding information back to DL Seeds in order to inform new variety development. They’ll then supply Three Farmers with fava ingredients for further functionality testing in Three Farmers’ line of snack foods.

A total of $13.2 million has been committed to the project, with Protein Industries Canada investing $5.4 million and the partners investing the remainder.