Creating new opportunity for Canadian-grown and -processed soy

Processing Canadian crops in Canada holds significant opportunity for the country’s agriculture, ingredient and food sectors. Today, Protein Industries Canada announced a new project with partners Alinova Canada Inc., Marusan Ai Co., Earth’s Own Foods and Flamaglo Foods to bring more soy processing home to Canada, while strengthening international market opportunities for soy products.

Alinova Canada Inc., a joint venture between DJ Hendrick International Inc (DJHII) and Marusan Ai Co., will lead the partners in developing and commercializing a new soy powder. This builds on success seen in DJHII’s previous Protein Industries Canada project, in which the initial partners assessed the feasibility of a commercial soy powder processing plant in Eastern Canada. The new project will see the pilot-scale facility built in Ontario, a region of high soy production in Canada. Both the operation of the new facility and its ideal location will allow the partners to more efficiently focus on product development work and market testing, with Japan being a particular focus.

Bringing this processing into Canada is expected to add value to the country’s soy crop, the majority of which is currently exported for processing internationally. By building on Japan’s established standing as a significant soy market, the project’s focus on commercializing there will help Canada capture new economic opportunity and strengthen its global competitiveness.

“Canada’s agriculture sector has a strong reputation for high-quality crops, and we can build on this by bringing the processing of those crops back home to Canadian soil. Value-added processing and whole-seed utilization here at home will secure our position as a leading supplier of high-value ingredients and food products, while providing families here in Canada, and around the world with a new selection of high-quality protein options,” Protein Industries Canada CFO Kassandra Quayle said.

As the pilot-scale facility is being built, Earth’s Own and Flamaglo Foods will test small batches of the new soymilk powder in products destined for grocery store shelves across Canada. Once the facility is built, Alinova Canada Inc. and Marusan Ai Co. will work to fully expand processing capacity of the soymilk powder and test its commercial viability in the Japanese market.