Can we call Manitoba the ‘Silicon Valley’ of alternative proteins? Maybe, with the official opening of Roquette’s pea processing facility in Portage la Prairie, the world’s largest pea protein plant in the world.
Roquette, which suppplies Nutralys brand pea protein, says the plant is 200,000 square feet and has capacity to process 125,000 tons of yellow peas a year. It currently employs 114 workers and is looking to hire several more.
The company’s senior vice president of plant proteins, Jeremy Burks, says “The pandemic has led to stronger consumer demand for plant-based proteins while also disrupting global supply chains. This plant will help our customers move forward rapidly on product development. The plant protein food sector needs investment, expertise and innovation to meet global demand, and Roquette brings it all. We’ve seen excitement from new and existing customers who can’t wait to develop new products with us.”
The facility gives Roquette pea protein plants on both sides of the Atlantic, and if you combine the local facility with its pea protein plant already in France, Roquette now has the capacity to process 250,000 tons of peas annually.
Burks says “We work in close collaboration with the farmers…this has to be a good deal for everybody, and we believe that by helping on the production side of our raw material, the growth of the pea, that we can make some progress there for the benefit of the growers.”
