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Developing farm-to-fork ecosystem for lupin in Canada

Technology
TECHNOLOGY PRIORITY

Make

PROJECT TIMELINE
August 2021 to March 2023
PROJECT STATUS
Fund I: Complete
TOTAL INVESTMENT
$6,593,173

Consortia Contribution
$3,961,713

Cluster Contribution
$2,631,460

PARTNERS

Lupin Platform Inc.

PURIS

Lumi Foods

Hensall Co-op

Goal

To establish an integrated ecosystem to increase the production of and processing of lupin in Canada.

And, to develop a closed-loop farm-to-fork approach for this high-value protein crop to improve access to ingredients and respond to demand while increasing diversification options for Western Canadian farmers.

Project Summary

The project focused on identifying lupin varieties that are best suited for Canadian growing conditions, developing and improving seed cleaning and processing technologies; determining the value of lupin’s co-products; and creating new food formulations and products.

Lupin Platform Inc. oversaw the development of the ecosystem and contribute inputs and expertise to activities related to agronomic research, commercial scale lupin production, protein extraction and functional characterization, and ingredient and value-added product development such as lupin beverages and a baking mix.

Hensall Co-op performed agronomic research and testing for the novel crop, as well as utilize in-house equipment and know-how to develop effective and scalable cleaning, dehulling and milling technologies that are suitable for commercialization at the processing level.

After the research and development, Lumi Foods tested lupin ingredients in its proprietary cheesemaking process, while PURIS supported the effort through innovation and product development to deliver planet-friendly foods, great taste and accessibility.

Results and Impact

  • Lupin Platform has developed 5 food ingredients and 12 food prototypes using lupin grown in Canada, which was also increased from 120 acres to 680 acres (1200 acres projected in 2023). The developments are ready to further optimize those products for commercialization in the next two to three years and scale the business operation for domestic and international sales.
  • Lupin Platform and Bridge Drive-In in Winnipeg, MB have created a plant-based, protein-packed soft-serve treat using sweet lupin available since summer 2023.
  • PURIS' egg substitute product, AcreMade, is being scaled commercially and the product development provided them a competitive advantage as the product is novel and first of its kind in the market. They are currently pursuing sales opportunities in the United States, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Japan, India, and Mexico.
  • Lumi has been able to sustain a CPG presence, and their participation in this project yielded international attention, particularly from Asian-Pacific nations interested in the vegan cheese market.
  • To support the added value aspects, Hensall Co-op has sourced various equipment and had run testing on dehulling, aspiration and grinding of lupins.

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