Merit Functional Foods, a plant-based protein company, has announced its 94000 sqft facility in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is scaled to supply leading food and beverage customers with pea and canola proteins for use in plant-based applications.
The project was completed in December 2020. With construction, commissioning, and optimisation complete, the company aims to supply pea and canola protein to fulfil growing demand for plant-based brands.
“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-CEO 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 company recently achieved an AA score with the British Retail Consortium (BRCGS) Global Food Safety Certification. “Food quality and safety were top of mind as our facility came to life,” Bracken said. “As brands and consumers become more and more interested in the ingredients that go into their products, we’re committed to ensuring that the plant proteins we produce exceed their expectations.”
Merit’s proprietary membrane filtration process is designed to remove impurities and produce a taste-forward product without the vegetal notes that have traditionally been associated with plant proteins. This allows the company to produce plant proteins while ensuring a transparent supply chain for its customers with ingredients exclusively grown and produced in Canada.
Through its MeritPro Solutions platform, the company’s R&D team evaluates customers’ nutritional goals, functional requirements, processing considerations, and sensory outcomes to determine effective pea and canola protein ratios.
“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 customised solutions are what we know the market needs, and that’s why we’re here to deliver on all of the above.”