Burcon JV to Construct $48M Pea-Based Protein Plant

Plant-based proteins firm Burcon NutraScience Corporation announced plans on May 23 to invest CAD$64 million (about $48 million) into a new facility for the production of protein products from peas and canola in western Canada. 

Operated by a recently formed joint venture partnership between Burcon and an investor group, Burcon Functional Foods Corporation, the plant will produce a range of Burcon products, including Peazazz and Peazac pea proteins, and Supertien, Nutratein, and Puratein canola proteins.  

“Having the capacity to produce our unique pea proteins, as well as our canola proteins, in our own production facility is a key pillar of our differentiation strategy,” said Burcon President and Chief Executive Officer Johaan F. Tergesen, in a company press release. “The ability to blend our pea and canola proteins to create nutritionally unparalleled plant protein combinations, while preserving the highly desirable functional properties the proteins naturally possess, will give us a true competitive advantage.”

When the site opens in mid-2020, the facility will have an initial processing capacity of 20,000 tn/yr of peas. Burcon said the plant was designed to accommodate further expansions in the coming years. 

The investor group, which was not identified in the company’s release, will invest CAD$16 million to open the new plant. 

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