Wisconsin businesses involved in that market could find opportunities to collaborate.
Canada wants to be a world leader in alternative proteins.
Alternatives to meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy are projected to reach $290 billion in annual sales by 2035, according to a study by Boston Consulting Group and Blue Horizon Corp. That study projects a leap from 14 million tons a year in 2021 to 107 million tons a year in 2035; if that happens, more than one of every 10 servings of meat, poultry, dairy, and seafood will instead consist of plant-based alternatives.
Canada’s goal is to supply 10% of the world’s plant-based foods by 2035, according to Protein Industries Canada. Wheat fields in the Canadian prairie already are sharing space with pulse crops—seeds that include dried beans, chickpeas, peas, and lentils.
“Increasingly, it’s not a breadbasket. I’d call it a bean pot,” agribusiness industry expert Rory McAlpine said at the Future Food-Tech Alternative Proteins conference in New York in June. McAlpine said Canada leads the world in pulse crop exports, with 39% of the market share.
Alternative proteins are viewed as a healthy food choice; consumers also choose them based on a desire to lower carbon emission levels, boost food security, or protect animal welfare.
Two-thirds of Canadian consumers say they have used substitutes for dairy, such as soy, almond, or oat products, while 50% of millennials and 45% of baby boomers say they are open to a diet that calls for less meat and more plant-based foods, according to a study by the Dalhousie University Agri-Food Analytics Lab.
A recent report called “Game Changers: Canadian Opportunities in Alternative Protein” says Canada has six strengths that propel its prospects for the plant-based food sector: agricultural capacity, research and development expertise, government support, industry innovation networks, sustainability commitments, and market and regulatory access.
Protein Industries Canada is designated as one of five innovation clusters, and it will receive $353 million from the Canadian government between 2018 and 2028.
Wisconsin producers of alternatives to meat- and dairy-based proteins could forge alliances, encourage innovation, and access investment opportunities in Canada’s market.
