Making fava famous

From the soil up, Hailey Jefferies and her husband, Cale, are on a mission to make fava a family-favourite ingredient. It was her personal search for a new healthier plant protein that led her to fava and now, the couple’s company, Prairie Fava, has a goal of providing the best fava beans and flour in the world. With over 100,000 acres of fava planted throughout Western Canada’s provinces and several thousand of these grown under contract with Prairie Fava, this ancient, nutrient-rich crop is making a comeback.

More than an affordable and novel plant protein, fava’s lighter flavour ensures its future in most sections of the grocery store, from the meat and meat alternatives aisle to the cereal, bakery, snack and even alternative dairy sections.

“It’s exciting to witness the opportunities we have ahead of us,” says Jefferies, Prairie Fava’s President and Co-founder. “We are on a mission to make fava famous. Every day we focus on three things to get there: helping our grower network; fine-tuning our primary processing; and continuous research and development.”

The Canadian Prairies are ideal for growing fava, like many other pulse crops, and the research underway helps growers understand and appreciate how their choices lead to world-class, sustainable ingredients. Fava also enriches the soil by adding, rather than removing nutrients, and 100 per cent of the dehulled beans ground into fava flour retain their fibre and nutrients without waste.

“We’re beginning to understand how the roles of different varieties, such as tannin versus non-tannin varieties, contribute to processing. We’re sourcing seed directly from growers,” she says. “The key is that fava is incredibly flexible.”

Prairie Fava works with food developers to explore how fava can enhance their products while ensuring a clean label without negatively altering food flavours or textures. Together, they’re bringing fava beans, split beans and flour to the market, introducing Canadian families to a new, allergen-friendly ingredient that’s protein-rich and boosts nutrition.