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Scaling and expanding new high-protein product line

Technology
Technology Leadership Priority

Products

PROJECT TIMELINE
January 2024 to June 2026
PROJECT STATUS
Fund II: Complete
TOTAL INVESTMENT
$3,066,092.98

Consortium Contribution
$1,698,465.73

Cluster Contribution
$1,367,627.25

Partners

Wamame Foods

AGT Food and Ingredients

Apex Food Source

Carbonaut

Crush Dynamics

No Meat Factory

Vibrant Health

Goal

To de-risk, scale and expand Wamame Foods’ new high protein product line.

Project Summary

Working with project partners Apex Food Source, Crush Dynamics and AGT Food and Ingredients, Wamame Foods is using Canadian ingredients to develop, commercialize and scale a new functional athlete-focused high-protein line of food products, such as high-protein burritos, that exceeds the protein-to-calorie ratio of the average American protein bar. Soon to be available in a variety of North American and overseas retail grab-and-go locations, these high-protein products will add diversity of choice for athletes and health-conscious individuals everywhere and enable consumers to enjoy their food while maintaining an elite lifestyle.

The project builds on the success of Wamame’s first Protein Industries Canada investment, which led to the initial launch of their acclaimed premium Waygu line. This work also included early-stage development of a super high-protein base material, which contains 64 per cent more protein than cooked ground beef and uses a blend of Canadian proteins including pea, fava and canola.

Throughout the life of the second project, Wamame will develop new and improved high-protein products with ingredients from each AGT and Crush Dynamics—ensuring that the protein is not only Canadian, but also from environmentally sustainable sources such as wine derivatives that would have traditionally gone to waste. Apex, meanwhile, will increase production of the meat alternatives for international markets, helping the sector become more globally competitive and capturing new economic opportunity.

Results and Impact

  • Created high-quality intellectual property: Developed new processes and product concepts across multiple protein classes, now undergoing provisional patent application.
  • Advanced HPP applications: Generated promising findings on how high-pressure processing can alter the texture and nutritional composition of plant-based materials, with further validation underway.
  • Strengthened Canadian manufacturing capacity: Helped Wamame invest in and improve its in-house processes, increasing its ability to manufacture new products.
  • Built broader industry potential: The project’s collaborative work may benefit Canadian food processors and equipment manufacturers, improve the nutritional quality of foods, and create future export opportunities as the technology is validated and scaled.

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