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 the Honourable 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 the Honourable 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 The Honourable 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 innovative 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.
“Prairie Fava, DL Seeds and Three Farmers have taken a full value chain approach to strengthening the fava bean supply chain and market in Canada—an approach that’s needed if we’re going to make Canada truly competitive in the global plant protein space,” Protein Industries Canada CEO Bill Greuel said. “By working together across the ecosystem, crop breeders, ingredient manufacturers and food processors can capture the growing global protein opportunity, while providing consumers with a variety of healthy, high-protein snack options.”
The development of each the new varieties, ingredients and finished products will strengthen the supply of fava beans in the Canadian market, helping meet the rising demand for new sources of sustainable protein. The project will also enable each company to scale its product offerings and operations, including at Three Farmers’ recently opened facility in Saskatoon. Together, the partners will create new jobs and new opportunities for Canadians.
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.
“Prairie Fava welcomes the opportunity to work with DL Seeds to expand development of high-quality fava varieties for our grower community. Three Farmers is an important partner as they share our corporate goals and passion about agriculture and healthy food,” Prairie Fava Co-Founder Hailey Jefferies said. “We are excited to undertake this new Protein Industries Canada project to extend our knowledge about the versality of fava to others to result in a greater number and range of fava-based products for consumers that will benefit farmers and the environment we rely on.”
“Fava represents a tremendous opportunity for Canada’s food and agriculture sector. DL Seeds is proud to be part of this project to focus on improving fava in ways that benefit consumers as well as producers. Prairie Fava and Three Farmers are tremendous partners and share our vision for the future of fava. We are thrilled to be partnered with these dynamic organizations to innovate and grow the fava value chain,” DL Seeds General Manager Chris Anderson said.
“Three Farmers is thrilled to embark on this journey with our new Protein Industries Canada consortium, dedicated to amplifying production and innovation in the realm of fava beans as a value-added food item. We remain committed to enhancing the agricultural landscape of the prairies, continuously adding value to crops and fostering growth for our communities,” Three Farmers Founder and CEO Natasha Vandenhurk said.
