New customers for Western Cdn. pulses

Pulse producers will soon have more potential customers thanks to a recent project focused on plant-based foods

A recent partnership between two Saskatchewan companies will provide pulse producers across Western Canada with more end users for their crops.

On June 25, Protein Industries Canada (PIC) announced $11.3 million in funding for a project between AGT Food and Ingredients and ulivit. AGT is a processor of value-added pulses, food ingredients and staple foods for domestic and export markets. Ulivit is a start-up food company that uses pulse protein.

“These two Saskatchewan-based companies will work together to create new plant-based foods using pulses grown and processed right here on the Prairies,” Bill Greuel, CEO of PIC, said in a virtual press conference yesterday. “They intend to process pea, lentil and faba bean protein concentrates into a variety of vegetarian and flexitarian diet products.”

Thanks to the funding and partnership, ulivit can collaborate with Canadian food scientists and research institutions to develop, create and manufacture new foods, said Laura Gustafson, founder of ulivit, in the press conference.

“We will add value across the whole value chain – from the farmers to academia to manufacturing to restaurants and chefs to Canadian consumers. With the collaboration between PIC, AGT Food and Ingredients and ulivit, we will create a healthier and more sustainable world with clean Canadian protein,” she said.

This new partnership gives Canadian pulse producers another domestic option for selling their crops, said Murad Al-Katib, president and CEO of AGT, in the press conference.

“We believe (this partnership) will raise the overall return per acre as the protein extraction, milling, and co-product food processing develops,” said Al-Katib.

AGT and ulivit expect to have their products on the market by September.

Photo Credit: AGT Food and Ingredients