Merit Functional Foods’ new Winnipeg facility ready to produce 90% purity pea and canola proteins

Winnipeg – Merit Functional Foods will build a 94,000 square-foot facility in Winnipeg that produces food-grade, non-GMO pea and canola proteins.

The accelerated greenfield construction project, which took just over a year to build, was completed in December 2020. With construction, commissioning, and optimization complete, Merit can ensure that ample supply of pea and canola protein is locked-in to fulfill the growing demand for plant-based brands. Merit is the first commercial facility in the world with the capability to produce food-grade canola protein to the plant-based market.

“We know that plant-based products are here to stay, and we are proud to play a huge part in bringing more plant-based protein to the world,” Merit’s co-chief executive officer Ryan Bracken said. “We’re here to provide the market with non-GMO pea and canola protein that raises the bar for functionality and nutritive content.”

The facility recently achieved an AA score with the British Retail Consortium Global Food Safety Certification.

Merit’s proprietary membrane filtration process removes impurities and produces taste-forward product without the vegetal notes that have traditionally been associated with plant proteins. This allows the company to produce a higher quality plant protein while ensuring a transparent supply chain for its customers with ingredients exclusively grown and produced in Canada.

“In just a year since we opened our facility, we’ve already doubled the size of our team, and every one of those people is committed to doing plant protein better,” Bracken said. “High quality, consistent supply, increased functionality, and customized solutions are what we know the market needs, and that’s why we’re here to deliver on all of the above.”