The Canadian Food Innovation Network announced today that it is investing more than one million dollars across 13 food technology projects throughout Canada, including one based in Alberta.
The investment—to be matched by industry partners—hails from CFIN’s Innovation Booster Program, which is now in its 12th round.
CFIN CEO Dana McCauley says that these “innovative projects directly address key food industry challenges like volatile input costs, labour shortages, food waste, and rising demand for healthy, clean-label ingredients.”
“CFIN is proud to support the creative and ambitious companies doing transformative work that will fuel productivity, drive economic growth, and contribute to a more resilient, sustainable, and competitive Canadian food economy,” the chief executive officer stated.
The lone Alberta representative this round was Lovingly Made Ingredients.
Founded in Calgary in 2018, Lovingly Made specializes in the transformation of pulse crops into high-quality food ingredients.
“With a commitment to innovation and sustainability, we have established ourselves as pioneers in the industry, utilizing state-of-the-art technology and expertise to deliver premium products to our customers,” the company states online.
Using an environmentally friendly protein extraction method, the Canadian company turns peas and faba beans into a wide variety of ingredients designed for different types of dishes.
“We’re thrilled to receive this grant support for research that explores natural and sustainable ways to enhance the functionality of Canadian-grown pea and faba proteins,” stated chief science officer Shannon Hood-Niefer.
Lovingly Made garnered $100K to help Lovingly “unlock new functional applications for these crops in plant-based meats and dairy alternatives and create new markets for Canadian growers.”
“This project represents a critical step forward in advancing innovation in plant-based foods while reducing environmental impact—exactly the kind of work that defines our commitment to a more sustainable food future,” Hood-Niefer said.
To date, CFIN has awarded $19M (matched by $22M in industry investment) to more than 100 Canadian food-tech projects.
“The Government of Canada is focused on supporting the development of cutting-edge innovations to bolster an industry that is so important for our country,” remarked Melanie Joly, Canada’s Minister of Industry.
These CFIN-funded companies have in turn generated $90 million in economic impact and attracted more than $80 million in follow-on investment while creating hundreds of jobs, according to Joly.
“We are investing in future industry leaders that are the driving force behind new technologies, creating new jobs and ensuring Canadians have a more efficient, healthier and less wasteful food system to meet their needs,” Joly said.
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