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The Meatless Farm Company is opening a plant-based factory in Canada, and may move into the cell-based meat market.
The brand has launched a dedicated plant protein ingredients subsidiary dubbed Lovingly Made Ingredients. It will provide its global supply of textured plant protein and ‘expand into broader external supply operations’.
Plant-based factory
Lovingly Made Ingredients will operate out of a new flagship plant protein facility in Calgary, where it will be the first of its kind on this scale. Moreover, Meatless Farm describes the move as one of its ‘biggest investments to date’.
It has invested an initial $12 million in its manufacturing infrastructure with the 30,000 sq ft plant, which will have the capacity to produce up to 14,500 tonnes of plant protein ingredients by 2023.
Meatless Farm
Morten Toft Bech is the founder of Meatless Farm. In a statement sent to PBN, he said: “Meatless Farm started less than five years ago at my kitchen table. It’s amazing to see us open a facility of this size and scale and is testament to the growth and importance of this sector.
“The pace of global growth presents opportunities for how we can share our expertise and innovation with other partners and that is where Lovingly Made Ingredients comes in.
“Our mission to reduce global meat consumption looks beyond just our brand, we need to do more.
“Consumers are learning how big an impact reducing your meat consumption can have on cutting carbon emissions. And, that even small changes add up to help make a bigger difference.
“For example, in the UK, if we all had just one less meat meal per week we could see emissions reduce by around eight percent.
Bech then added: “This is why we are focussing on making products that appeal to meat-eaters, not just vegetarians and vegans. And, we want to support others in that mission too…
“Canada is the pea-capital of the world. So, it makes sense to have a facility here which will give us the ability in future to grow, harvest, process and extract our pea protein all within one country.”
Cell-based meat venture
Following the factory’s announcement, Meatless Farm says it is also thinking about moving into the cell-based meat market.
Moreover, according to The Grocer, Bech described cultured meat as an ‘inevitable part’ of transitioning away from slaughtered meat.
He also said it aligned with the company’s aim of ‘reducing animal agriculture’. Then, hinted the company has some ‘interesting products under its umbrella’.
However, he concluded: “I don’t have all the answers because there are ethical, regulatory and sustainability issues.”
