Roquette to invest $300m in pea protein facility

Speciality food ingredients company Roquette is to invest more than C$400 million ($300.6m) in building a new pea protein processing facility in Canada for food, nutrition and health markets.

The pea protein manufacturing site in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, which will be the company’s largest to date, will expand Roquette’s pea protein production capacity and help address growing demand for plant-based proteins globally. It is strategically located as Canada is the world’s largest producer of peas, with around 30% of the total global production.

Construction is expected to start in the second half of 2017, subject to obtaining the relevant permits. Production is scheduled to begin in 2019. Upon completion, Roquette’s site in Portage la Prairie will employ around 150 people.

Demand for plant proteins for human nutrition is growing significantly, according to Roquette, driven by health consciousness, consumer concerns and sustainability. Pea protein offers advantages to farmers, customers and consumers, as its production is environmentally friendly and it is a source of protein, with numerous applications in gluten-free foods, vegetarian foods, sports and slimming foods, senior nutrition and clinical nutrition.

“The new plant, which will be the largest dedicated to pea protein processing in the world to date, will support the future of Manitoba’s agriculture industry and help address the growing global demand for innovative food, nutrition and health products and solutions,” said chairman Edouard Roquette.