Sprouting for Canadian nutrition: responding to the protein and fibre challenge with fortified food products

Canadians feel it’s important to have a stable, resilient food supply chain. They also want food that’s nutritious and delivers meaningful protein and fibre. Investing into Canada’s food production sector not only ensures a secure food supply chain for Canadians, but it also means economic growth and healthier, made-in-Canada food options for families.

Today’s consumers will soon see more functional food products to improve their diet, thanks to a partnership between One Degree Organics (ODO) and Hon’s Wun-Tun House Ltd. (Hon’s) in a new Protein Industries Canada project.

These two Canadian food manufacturers are developing clean-label, nutrient-dense breakfast cereals, snack bars, Asian-style noodles, dumpling wrappers and other value-added products using Canadian grains and pulses—bringing protein and fibre to everyday staples of the Canadian diet.

“The new food products being developed in this project are exactly what Canadians want when it comes to meeting their fibre and protein needs,” Protein Industries Canada CEO Tyler Groeneveld said. “The work from ODO and Hon’s will strengthen Canada’s food value chain and bring exciting options to grocery store shelves through a range of delicious, nutritious food products.”

“At One Degree Organics, we believe innovation should make real food better—more nutritious, more transparent and more connected to Canadian farmers. This partnership allows us to scale our sprouting and milling technology to create higher-protein, higher-fibre ingredients that can show up in everyday foods families already love. It’s about unlocking more value from Canadian grains while supporting a stronger, more resilient food system,” One Degree Organics Founder and Owner Stan Smith said.

The novel ingredients can be sold to other manufacturers, like partner Hon’s, who are applying them to high-protein noodles, dumpling wrappers and more Asian comfort foods.

“Our mission is to pioneer the creation of high-protein, balanced-fibre noodles made from domestically grown ingredients. They allow families and busy individuals to enjoy familiar dishes—ramen, stir-fries and soups—with the reassurance that each bowl offers healthier satisfaction and balanced fuel for everyday life,” Hon’s President Raymond Leung said.

ODO and Hon’s plan to scale their high-protein, high-fibre Canadian food products for launch into established global sales channels. With ODO and Hon’s combined expertise and dedication to crafting innovative, functional ingredients and delicious, nutritious food, Canadians will soon reap the nutritional benefits, fueling a more resilient Canada.

A total of $10.1 million has been committed to this project, with Protein Industries Canada investing $3.3 million and partners investing the remaining.