Today, Protein Industries Canada and Innovate-UK unveiled the first collaborative research and development projects from their bilateral partnership. The organizations, along with the consortium members, are investing $5.7 million into two collaborative R&D projects that advance the development and commercialization of plant-based ingredients and foods on both sides of the Atlantic.
“Bilateral relationships such as this one are helping advance the development and commercialization of plant-based ingredients and foods that benefit us all,” says the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “Innovative projects like these are helping strengthen Canada’s supply chains while expanding Canada’s plant-based food sector.”
“These UK-Canada collaborative R&D projects highlight the power of international partnerships in driving forward innovation in the plant-based protein sector. They open up promising export opportunities for the UK, fostering economic growth, while simultaneously responding to global consumer demands for sustainable and nutritious food options,” Interim Executive Chair and Executive Director for the Healthy Living and Agriculture Domain at Innovate UK Dr. Stella Peace said. “By addressing key challenges such as food security, sustainability and public health, these innovations will contribute to a healthier population and a healthier planet, reinforcing the importance of collaboration in making life better.”
The projects are a result of an ongoing partnership between the two countries to further collaboration in the areas of science and innovation, with a focus on plant-based food and ingredients. A joint call for R&D projects was issued in September 2023; since then each country has hosted delegations from the other, resulting in new collaborations in the food and ingredient processing sector.