plant-based protein Archives

Chocolate chip cookie dough made with chickpea flour. Pulse starches are being explored for use in batters, breading, pastas and various snack foods.

Starch market search yields results for pulses

Food scientists look to improve pulse crops’ value proposition beyond their proteins

By Janelle Rudolph February 9, 2025

Glacier FarmMedia — Protein is normally the focus of pulse production, but research shows value can also be gained from the starch byproduct. Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan are seeking new uses for pulse starches in the food and biomaterial sectors. Byproduct market research aims to reduce food waste, increase efficiency and add more […] Read more

Crops, Pulses

Research lights up pulse flours’ specific properties

A project uses Saskatoon’s synchrotron to dissect the best flours for given food uses

By Janelle Rudolph February 9, 2025

Glacier FarmMedia — Pulses have a niche in the plant protein space, but the industry hopes new markets and new end-uses will help those crops expand their footprint. Chitra Sivakumar, a doctoral researcher at the University of Manitoba, is one of the people trying to make that happen. In a recent project, she and her […] Read more

File photo of signage outside Maple Leaf Foods’ Lagimodiere Boulevard plant in Winnipeg. (Dave Bedard photo)

General, Markets

Maple Leaf combines plant, meat protein divisions

Meat sales struggle in fourth quarter, plant sales drop

By Geralyn Wichers, GFM Network News February 29, 2024

Maple Leaf will merge its plant and meat protein divisions and plans to expand in the U.S. market, the company said in February.

(Merit Functional Foods video screengrab via YouTube)

Crops

Merit Foods co-owner Burcon partnering on bid for assets

Unnamed 'plant protein company' now in on Burcon's bid

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News April 26, 2023

A major shareholder in beleaguered pea and canola protein processor Merit Functional Foods has brought on an unnamed partner in its bid to buy the business out of receivership. After announcing last month it would submit a bid for the next-to-new Merit assets, Vancouver-based plant protein firm Burcon NutraScience said Monday it’s now “participating in […] Read more

(Screengrab from Merit Functional Foods video via YouTube)

Canola, Crops, Peas

Bidding open for Merit Foods for two more weeks

Stakeholder Burcon plans to put up 'compelling bid'

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News April 6, 2023

The fate of Winnipeg pea- and canola-based protein processor Merit Functional Foods won’t be confirmed until the end of April at the earliest. Merit, whose major shareholders include Vancouver plant-based protein firm Burcon NutraScience, U.S. agrifood firm Bunge and former executives of Hemp Oil Canada, was placed into receivership March 1. According to the first […] Read more

Canola, Crops, Peas

Plant protein processor Merit Foods in receivership

Company owes $95 million to EDC, FCC

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News March 2, 2023

The company behind a new Prairie processing plant extracting plant-based proteins from peas and canola has landed in receivership, in the high eight figures’ debt to its secured lenders. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) on Wednesday announced it’s the receiver for both Merit Functional Foods Corp. and the numbered company that owns Merit’s processing plant and property in […] Read more

(Ozo Foods video screeengrab via YouTube)

Crops, Reuters

Meatpacker JBS to close U.S. plant-based foods business

By Tom Polansek, GFM Network News October 4, 2022

Chicago | Reuters — Brazilian meatpacker JBS is closing its U.S. plant-based foods business, Planterra Foods, after about two years, the company said on Monday. The closure signals increasing troubles in the plant-based protein sector, where U.S. sales are flattening. Colorado-based Planterra sold fake meat under the Ozo brand, but JBS will now focus on […] Read more

The McDonald’s “P.L.T.” (CNW Group/McDonald’s Canada)

Crops, Pulses, Reuters

McDonald’s to make its own ‘McPlant’ items

Beyond Meat says co-created patty

By Reuters, GFM Network News November 9, 2020

Reuters — Burger chain McDonald’s on Monday decided to debut its own plant-based meat alternatives line called “McPlant” in 2021, including a patty that Beyond Meat subsequently said it helped co-create. “Beyond Meat and McDonald’s co-created the plant-based patty which will be available as part of their McPlant platform,” a Beyond Meat spokesperson said in […] Read more

Crops, Peas, Reuters

Nestle launching pea-based vegan alternative to tuna

'Vuna' going first to Swiss supermarkets

By Reuters, GFM Network News August 20, 2020

Zurich | Reuters — Food giant Nestle is launching a new plant-based tuna alternative in Switzerland this month ahead of a global rollout, hoping that consumers eating at home during the COVID-19 pandemic will stay eager to try new products. Known for Maggi soups and bouillon cubes, Nestle has been investing in plant-based food to […] Read more

Cargill’s existing protein ingredient lines include Prosante textured soy flour (TSF), which is already used in plant-based ground beef substitutes. (Cargill.com)

Crops, Pulses, Soybeans

Cargill to enter faux-meat market

Major processor/packer expanding plant-based protein product line

By GFM Network News February 24, 2020

U.S. agrifood giant Cargill is set to bring its crop supply chain further into its proteins business via a new line of plant-based patty and ground products for the retail and foodservice sectors. Already a major player in meat protein, with assets including two major Canadian packing plants processing up to 6,000 head of cattle […] Read more

Alberta crop conditions improve: report

U.S. grains: Corn sets contract lows on expectations for big US crop

U.S. livestock: Cattle strength continues

GFM Network News