Update from Protein Industries Canada's CEO Bill Greuel
- Posted:
It has been awhile since I have sent an update to our Members and Stakeholders. After a very busy April, May and June – which included hiring most of the team, heading out on the road for the Transformation Tour, hosting two international summits, holding our first annual general meeting and pitch day, launching our first call for projects and announcing our first project - the team at Protein Industries Canada took some time to enjoy the Prairie Summer and spend time with our families and friends.
While a very busy time, it was also very rewarding as we talked to hundreds of companies and organizations interested in plant protein and crossed many key milestones for Protein Industries Canada, including the close of our first call for proposals.
The first call resulted in 38 expressions of interests (EOIs). Of the 38 EOIs received in the first round, 16 have been invited to the full project proposal phase. Of the 16 EOIs that proceeded to full project application, 17 per cent fall into the create category, 11 per cent into grow, 69 per cent into make and three per cent into sell. Pulse crops were the main commodity in more than half the projects, followed by canola, hemp and cereals. The value of the 38 projects submitted totalled more than $300 million.
Our next call for expressions of Interest opens on September 1 and closes on September 13. We will once again be accepting EOIs aligned with our strategic objectives in our priority pillars of Create, Grow, Make and Sell. In addition to creative new uses for proteins and protein products, we hope to see projects related to co-product uses like livestock feed and starch utilization.
While we continue to focus on the successful execution of technology projects, we have also started to make progress on our ecosystem priorities. We have identified eight ecosystem priorities, which include: Regulatory Reform; Indigenous Engagement; Talent and Skills; IP Literacy; Data and ICT Management; Global Brand and Trade; Infrastructure Enhancement and Access to Capital.
To help guide our work in these areas as well as how to understand how we can best help your organization be successful, we are asking for your feedback. Our first stakeholder survey is now live, and we are asking for your insight to help set the future direction of Protein Industries Canada. The survey takes 10 minutes to complete and the information we receive will be key to help us how we can better serve our members as we build towards a sustainable plant protein sector. I would very much appreciate you taking the time to complete the survey by Sept. 16, 2019.
As we gear up for a busy Fall, I would like to thank everyone for their continued support of Protein Industries Canada. I believe we are heading in the right direction, and the interest and support from the sector is testament to why the plant protein was chosen as a Supercluster nearly two years ago. If our paths have yet to cross, I look forward to meeting you at one of the many upcoming events that Protein Industries Canada will be at.
- Bill Greuel, CEO