Key Takeaways
- Strategic Collaboration Announced: Protein Industries Canada has initiated a partnership with Verve Seed Solutions, Farmer’s Business Network Canada, and Fresh Hemp Foods to enhance hemp yield and introduce competitively priced, high-quality hemp protein to the market.
- Government and Economic Implications: This venture is endorsed by Canadian government officials, emphasizing its potential to diversify and sustain agricultural outputs, stimulate job creation, and encourage economic growth nationwide.
- Financial Commitment to Innovation: The project will see a $5.7 million investment in developing hybrid hemp cultivars and an innovative value chain, with Protein Industries Canada funding $2.5 million.
- Comprehensive Benefits: The initiative is expected to offer widespread advantages, including increased profitability for farmers, more sustainable and healthy protein options for manufacturers, and enhanced plant-based consumer products.
- Pioneering Efforts in Hemp Protein: By addressing current market limitations such as nutritional content, cost, and sensory qualities, the collaboration aims to position hemp protein as a viable alternative in the plant-based protein sector.
Enhancing the Hemp Protein Market: A Neutral Overview
Collaborative Effort to Elevate Hemp
Protein Industries Canada has unveiled a collaborative project with Verve Seed Solutions, Farmer’s Business Network Canada (FBN), and Fresh Hemp Foods (FHF). The goal is to bolster hemp’s yield per acre and deliver high-quality, affordable hemp protein to consumers, aligning with growing demands for plant-based protein sources.
Government Endorsement and Economic Impact
The initiative has garnered support from notable government figures, including the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, who stated, “It is great to see Protein Industries Canada continue supporting projects that add value to, and create new markets for, Canadian crops… By developing a hybrid hemp seed with higher yield, this project is helping strengthen the diversity and sustainability of Canada’s crops while solidifying Canada’s global leadership in plant-based ingredients.”
Similarly, The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, highlighted the project’s role in enhancing the agricultural sector and contributing to creating novel-food ingredients and products.
Investment Details
The project entails a $5.7 million investment towards the creation of an innovation value chain and hybrid hemp cultivars. Protein Industries Canada’s CEO, Bill Greuel, commented on the significance of this investment: “Improving the yield of hemp increases the profitability of the crop, bringing benefit to farmers, while also bringing more healthy and sustainable high-protein options for ingredient manufacturers and food processors.”
Industry Leaders’ Roles
Fresh Hemp Foods, Verve Seed Solutions, and FBN are key participants, each bringing unique expertise to the table. Verve Seed Solutions, through Scott Horner, emphasized the consumer demand for plant-based proteins and the aim to overcome existing challenges in nutrition, price, and sensory attributes with hemp protein.
Marko Gjuric of FBN detailed their achievements and aspirations within hemp breeding, signaling the project’s potential to integrate hemp more fully into Canadian agriculture.
Objective and Expected Outcomes
The partnership aims to produce commercially viable hybrid hemp cultivars, addressing the need for a nutritional, cost-effective, and palatable plant-based protein. Clarence Shwaluk of Fresh Hemp Foods highlighted hemp’s nutritional benefits and the project’s capacity to maintain the company’s leading position in the global hemp food market.
Photo by Matteo Paganelli on Unsplash
