Pitura Seeds Partners in Supercluster Funded Project
Winnipeg, MB – Today, Pitura Seeds announced their involvement in a Protein Industries Canada funded project. The project will develop high-quality pea and canola proteins, and bring additional opportunities to western Canadian farmers.
The partnership is being led by Merit Functional Foods and also includes The Winning Combination. Both companies are based in Winnipeg, MB. The three businesses from across the value chain will work together to develop pea and canola proteins for use in high-value food applications such as plant-protein based food and beverage products.
Protein Industries Canada (PIC) is an industry-led, not-for-profit organization created to position Canada as a global source of high-quality plant protein and plant-based co-products. They are one of Canada’s five innovation Superclusters.
“This project is a great example of why the Innovation Supercluster Initiative was created,” CEO of PIC Bill Greuel said. “The consortium consists of businesses across the value chain coming together to create new products not currently produced anywhere else in the world. This will increase the demand and value of some of Western Canada’s biggest agriculture commodities – peas and canola – and create new products to sell to customers across the globe.”
Pitura Seeds’ involvement in the project will be two-fold. First, the company will utilize its state-of-the-art seed cleaning plant to develop a set of cleaning standards to achieve optimal protein and quality levels for canola and peas. Second, Pitura Seeds will source and test varieties to determine which have the best agronomic fit for growers in Western Canada, while meeting the quality needed for this application.
“We are very excited to represent the agriculture sector in this cross-value chain project,” said Tom Greaves, President and General Manager of Pitura Seeds. “Pitura Seeds is focused on bringing value to our customers, and this project brings a unique opportunity to develop new end-use applications and secure the best varieties for farmers.”
The processing of the new products will occur at Merit Functional Foods’ plant protein facility, currently being constructed in Winnipeg. The Winning Combination will help Merit assess pea and canola functionality and stability.
“This funding is exciting and empowering for Merit as it grows as a company,” Merit Co-CEO Ryan Bracken said. “It is helping us overcome many of the hurdles that new companies typically experience, and instead, unlocking numerous opportunities for us – including job creation, technology expansion, and more.”
Pitura Seeds was on-hand at Merit’s site in Winnipeg for PIC’s formal announcement on January 10.
“Pitura Seeds is proud to partner in this new project, which will bring significant value to Western Canadian farmers,” said Tom Greaves.
-30-
For more information, please contact Tom Greaves tom@pituraseeds.ca or visit www.pituraseeds.ca.
About Pitura Seeds
Pitura Seeds owns and operates the largest family-owned seed processing facility in Western Canada. With a commitment to pedigreed seed that dates back to 1950 and spans three generations, today the company grows and contract produces over 35,000 acres of top-quality cereals, pulses and oilseeds on a yearly basis. Their industry-leading quality control, highly efficient seed processing and treating, and top tier agronomy team deliver the high standards their customers have come to trust.
About Protein Industries Canada
Protein Industries Canada is an industry-led, not-for-profit organization committed to positioning Canada as a global source of high-quality plant protein ingredients. It currently has 22 projects being evaluated for investment. The projects represent potential investment of more than $130 million and include projects from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. For more information, visit proteinindustriescanada.ca.
About Merit Functional Foods
Established in 2019, Merit Functional Foods is committed to exceeding expectations for plant-based protein, providing the market with the highest quality protein ingredients and blends that offer unmatched purity, exceptional taste, and excellent solubility. Merit is building a state-of-the-art 94,000-square foot production facility in Winnipeg, where it will produce a portfolio of pea and canola protein ingredients with exceptional functional and nutritional values. For more information, visit meritfoods.com.
About The Winning Combination, Inc.
Founded in 1999, The Winning Combination is one of Canada’s largest manufacturers of natural health products and nutrition supplements. Fully compliant with all Canadian and international quality control standards, The Winning Combination manufactures all of its products in accordance with GMP guidelines. Manufacturing and selling products in both domestic and global markets, The Winning Combination is active in virtually all health-related business channels leading to a better lifestyle and improving the lives of people. For more information, visit winning-combination.com.