US — Puris has opened a new facility in Dawson, Minneapolis that more than doubles the company’s production capacity for pea protein.  

According to a statement from the company, the facility will support continued growth for Puris Proteins, a joint venture between Puris and Cargill, and will enable the companies to supply roughly half of North America’s pea protein. 

Cargill has invested more than US$100 million in the venture to support the construction of the 200,000-square-foot facility as well as the addition of substantial capacity at Puris’ Turtle Lake, Wis., production facility. 

“This is more than a pea protein processing plant,” said Tyler Lorenzen, chief executive officer of Puris Proteins. 

 “We’re shaping the future of food. The model we’ve built puts sustainable partnerships in reach for brands of all sizes.” 

Puris has the only vertically integrated, multi-plant pea protein production model in the United States. Its yellow field peas are bred for superior yield and disease resistance while improving the soil. 

Its Dawson facility is expected to create 100 jobs when running at optimum capacity while at the same time introduce peas as a revenue stream for farmers. 

The Dawson facility will make more plant-based foods available to consumers, and ultimately bring us one step closer to a sustainable food system, Lorenzen added.  

Puris increased investment in pea protein comes as the global plant-based alternatives market grows steadily and is estimated to reach US$162 billion by 2030, according to a Bloomberg Intelligence report. 

A recent report by Global Market insights adds that North America pea protein market is anticipated to register over 10.5% CAGR between 2021 and 2027 owing to increasing demand for gluten-free food products and rising veganism trend in the region. 

Textured pea protein product segment is expected to witness the highest growth over the projected timeframe owing to increasing preference for vegan diet and plant-based protein sources. 

Growing demand for meat substitute and allergen-friendly sports & fitness supplements will fuel the regional market growth, according to the market research firm. 

“Our investment allows Cargill, along with our partner Puris, to remain at the forefront of the plant-based protein revolution by meeting the growing demand for great tasting, sustainable and label-friendly pea protein for both current and prospective customers in North America and across the world,” said Mike Wagner, managing director for Cargill’s Starches, Sweeteners and Texturizers business in North America.  

“Pea protein not only enhances our diverse portfolio of high-quality ingredients but also expands our opportunity to work with customers to make products that use a variety of our ingredients to satisfy consumers globally.” 

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