Innovate UK, UK’s national innovation agency has extolled a new bilateral partnership with Protein Industries Canada (PIC), which was established to develop higher connections between the food sectors in the two countries and meet ambitions for net zero and sustainable food chains.
United Kingdom Science Minister, George Freeman, was in Ottawa recently to meet Canada’s Minister of Science, Innovation and Industry, Francois-Phillipe Champagne, to seal deeper collaboration on science and innovation between both countries. One such area of collaboration will see Innovate UK and PIC liaise to advance innovation in plant-based foods.
According to both parties, the Canadian and UK food industries have a number of elements that support collaborative and complementary working, especially within the protein space.
With Canada’s substantial plant-based protein production assisting UK companies to obtain the ingredients they need to develop healthy and sustainable foods, both countries believe there are “real opportunities to build a resilient market” suitable for attracting further research and investment.
As part of the partnership, they will collaborate to introduce innovators from across each country’s food sector, with the aim of forming new partnerships, collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
The partnership is expected to support work to boost access to new technology, processes, ingredients, markets, customers and areas for further research.
While talking about the role of Innovate UK in the partnership, Dr Katrina Hayter, Executive Director of the healthy living and agriculture domain at Innovate UK, said the vision is to enable people to live longer, healthier lives.
She said: “We can achieve this by transforming our food system into one that is more productive, sustainable and resilient.
“Having the opportunity to learn and collaborate with counterparts in Canada is vital for ensuring that technology, practices and sustainability benefits continue to develop, and this partnership represents a landmark moment in bringing the expertise of both nations together in the plant-based foods space. We look forward to supporting new connections and collaborations as the partnership develops, to drive the development and adoption of new technologies across the sector, and enabling the transition to net zero food systems.”
Bill Greuel, CEO of Protein Industries Canada said: “We are excited to work with Innovate UK to create new partnerships and further advance innovation in plant-based food, feed, ingredients and co-products. As Canada develops our national ecosystem, we are eager to work with like-minded countries who share our commitment to growing the plant-based food sector. Doing so will help our countries improve environmental and human health, while also supporting economies of the future by creating jobs and increasing investment.”
As part of the partnership’s activities, a webinar was held on 7th June 2023 to discuss the opportunities and make initial introductions between companies and stakeholders from both sides.
The partnership aims to provide a joint funding opportunity later in 2023, with further details to be revealed.
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