CANADA—Phyto Organix Foods Inc. intends to purchase 15 acres of land in Strathmore, Alberta as the location of its new, 100,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art, net-zero-emission plant protein processing facility.
The $225 million facility will be the largest-ever capital investment in Strathmore and provide a base for Phyto Organix to innovate and grow its plant protein business.
“Our team has designed a net zero facility to produce food products that embody our core values of health, wellness and sustainability. We are energized to lead the plant protein industry in Alberta.” said Chris Theal, founder, president and CEO of Phyto Organix
“Our $225 million investment will generate over $120 million of annual GDP, employ 80 Albertans and yield tangible economic diversification in the Town of Strathmore and the Province of Alberta,” Theal added.
The facility will be the first net zero plant protein processing facility in North America. It will employ industry leading water recycle/reuse technology, allowing the facility to recycle 75% of its process water.
it will also feature heat integration technology and will be powered by low emission energy sources thereby reducing overall energy consumption and emissions.
Additionally, situating it in the yellow pea heartland of Alberta, with annual crop production of over 5 times the facility’s processing capacity grown within 75 kilometers of the facility, minimizes emissions from transporting peas supplied by local farmers.
As part of the new facility, Phyto Organix received $1 million over two years, cost-shared by the federal and provincial governments through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, to support engineering costs and the purchase of equipment.
“Alberta’s food processing sector is a key driver of our economy, and consumer demand for Canada’s responsibly produced plant-based protein is rising worldwide,” said the Honorable Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal minister of agriculture and agri-food.
When operational in 2024, Phyto Organix will use proprietary wet fractionation technology to annually process 40,000 metric tonnes of yellow peas, into soluble and insoluble protein isolates, processed fiber and starch, and high-quality dietary pea hull fiber.
phyto Organix’s plant proteins and co-products will be marketed under the brand Phyto Optimate, notable for being high in purity, distinctively white and odorless featuring G85 globulin (meat alternative) and A85 albumin (dairy alternative) protein isolates and having strong functional attributes for food applications.
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