An update from Bill Greuel, CEO

At Protein Industries Canada we have always had one foot in the future.

Over the past two years, while our priority was building out and delivering on our Technology and Capacity Building Programs, we were always aware that the real measure of success is an established and competitive plant-based food, feed and ingredient sector for Canada. Specifically, our ability to process more ingredients and more food domestically.

Now as we approach the two-year anniversary of our first project announcement and our initial tranche of funding is almost fully committed, we are focusing more of our energy fully to the future. In doing that, we have started looking beyond the activities of Protein Industries Canada, to try and identify all of the components, and complex systems, that need to come together for Canada to become a global leader in plant-based food, feed and ingredients. From research, to capital, to global trade, to competitive municipalities, to utilities, tax incentives, skills and so much more.

Not any single activity, investment nor organization, can build a sector.

If we believe that Canada can capture 10 per cent of the global market – or $25 billion in annual sales –we must work quickly.

Protein Industries Canada has put considerable headspace into what a sector strategy needs to include, key themes and ideal outcomes – but we know we need the input and expertise of our membership and the larger ecosystem for it to be relevant and successful.

Over the next number of months Protein Industries Canada will engage in dialogue to help inform this sector strategy, and to gain valuable input from our members. I invite you to take the time to share your thoughts about how together we can continue to grow Canada’s plant-based food, feed and ingredient ecosystem, and capture what I believe is the next moonshot for Canada.