Government of Canada supports agri-food innovation in rural Manitoba with investment in Prairie Fava

From: Western Economic Diversification Canada

News release

Over $1 million to scale-up plant-based protein production in Manitoba

Over $1 million in federal funding to support agri-food innovation in Western Canada

June 10, 2021 – Winnipeg, Manitoba – Western Economic Diversification Canada

The global agri-food market is highly competitive and filled with new opportunities. Canadians have continuously risen to these opportunities and led the development of innovative products and technologies to ensure maximum sector growth, while receiving international recognition as a leader in agri-food production.

Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD), announced a federal investment of $1,025,773 for Prairie Fava to scale-up its production capabilities and capture new opportunities in North America for the fava bean food market.

The Glenboro, Manitoba based Prairie Fava is an innovative leader in the agri-food and fava bean industry. In response to evolving plant-based dining patterns around the world, Prairie Fava has created and promoted fava-based products that are easy to use, and make an excellent healthy and flavourful addition to meal planning.

WD funding will enable Prairie Fava to scale-up its operations to capture new opportunities within the fava bean market. This investment will result in the purchase of new equipment and support the creation of six jobs. It will also help Prairie Fava commercialize new value-added food ingredients and consumer products for a greater reach in the consumer packaged goods, food service, and food manufacturing markets. 

Quotes

“The Government of Canada recognizes that western Canadians are entrepreneurial, resourceful, and innovative. Today’s announcement is a reflection of our commitment to restore business confidence, create jobs, and ensure that growth is being sustained through innovation and long-term productivity as we emerge from this pandemic. Our message to business owners and workers is clear: we will be there to support you for as long as it takes, with whatever it takes, and we will get through this together.”
– The Honorable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada

“Fava is of great interest to the food industry right now and the support received through WD’s Business Scale-up and Productivity program will allow us to scale-up our operations and enter larger markets. This is just the beginning of fava as a star ingredient in plant-based meats to gluten-free baking and beyond.”
– Hailey Jefferies, Co-Founder/CEO

Quick facts

  • Prairie Fava is the Canadian industry expert in fava beans, dedicated to growing and crafting high quality fava ingredients for the plant-based market.

  • Prairie Fava supplies whole fava, dehulled split fava, raw fava flour, and precooked flour.

  • Fava ingredients are gluten-free, nutrient-rich, have high-density protein, and come from an environmentally sustainable, non-GMO pulse crop.

  • Prairie Fava is located in Glenboro, a community of 656 located in the Westman region of Manitoba approximately 170 km west of Winnipeg.

  • This investment highlights the Government of Canada’s commitment to build a stronger Western Canada by supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises to increase productivity, grow their market share, and create new high paying jobs.

  • WD’s Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) program supports high-growth businesses that are scaling up and producing innovative goods, services, or technologies. It offers interest free, repayable funding to incorporated businesses.

Associated links

Contacts

Catherine Mounier-Desrochers
Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages
catherine.mounier-desrochers@canada.ca

Nathalie Leroux
Director of Policy, Planning and External Relations, Manitoba Region
Western Economic Diversification Canada
204-984-8472
nathalie.leroux@canada.ca

Stay Connected

Follow the department on Twitter: @WD_Canada

WD Homepage
WD Toll-Free Number: 1-888-338-WEST (9378)
TTY (telecommunications device for the hearing impaired): 1-877-303-3388

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