Plant-based proteins an opportunity, not a threat, to Manitoba farmers, summit told

You can have your meat and tofu, too.

That's the message a professor in food research delivered a conference Thursday, saying Manitobans are not immune to the emerging demand for plant-based proteinbut farmers should embrace the changerather than dismiss it.

In front of an audience of agriculture industry workers at the first Manitoba Protein Summit on Thursday morning,Sylvain Charleboisacknowledged that some producers feel threatened by the growing appetite for plant-based proteins like the Beyond Meat burger, and restaurants likeA&W for championing it.

Heinsisted that fast-food joints aren'tbetraying beef producers, but are rather trying to offerconsumers another choice.

"You can say all you want about A&W, but people like togo there and they enjoy going there," said Charlebois, director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab and a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University in Halifax.

"You have to respect the consumer," he added. "Giving a choice to consumers is a good thing for everyone."

He encouraged the agriculturesector to embrace plant-based innovations, which include new products that go beyond traditional tofu dogs and burgersin their ingredients (the Beyond Meat burger, for example, includes pea protein and canola oil,while Impossible Food's patties have soy protein and coconut oil).

"Ifyou do it right, with the right protein strategy, you can distinguish yourself and present your product very differently as part of a much larger portfolio of protein choices."

CarsonCallum, general manager of the Manitoba Beef Producers, says the beef sector is often unfairly maligned, and its producers offera nutritious product and use sustainable farming practices.

But he sees a place on store shelves for both beef and plant-based substitutes.

"We need to make sure we work collaboratively, because we both fitin the grocery store."

Province announces new strategy

Charleboissays the Manitoba governmentunderstands the potential.

At Thursday's summit, the provinceunveiled a protein strategy for the first time, with the hopes that producers of plant-based and animal-based products can work together to make Manitoba a leader in the developing industry.

The strategy includes signing a cross-border agreement so Manitoba researchers and companies can workwith other provinces and states to develop new uses for proteins.

The province will also support the industry with a$362,000 investment inthe Food Development Centre in Portage la Prairie a non-profit government agency develop a consortium of protein industry experts, and create a friendly competition between protein entrepreneurs to accelerate the creation of new products, Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler announced at Canad Inns Polo Park in Winnipeg.

The initiatives aim toattract new jobsandgrow the hog, beef and other animal-protein industriesto meet market needs, he said.

"We feel we've set the stage to go forward for not only companies in Manitoba, but future companies to come to Manitoba as well," Eichler said.

The province is already making its mark on the burgeoning plant-based protein industry, luring twosignificant processing plants.

Roquette is constructing a massive $400-million pea processing facility near Portage la Prairie, and the shovel hit the ground two weeks ago on a $65-million plant from Merit Functional Foods in northwest Winnipeg.

Ryan Bracken is co-CEO with Merit, a startup company seekingto build a88,000-square-footfacilitytoextract plant-based protein from peas and canola. He expects the company's products to beused as ingredientsby major food companies around the world.

"Ultimately, we're not here to replace animal protein," he said.

"The population of the world is growing rapidly and there's a need for significantly larger and larger amounts of protein to feed the world. We believe that we are part of that solution."

Steaks won't go away: Charlebois

A Dalhousie University study released last year found three in 10 Canadians were thinking of reducing their meat consumption over the next six months.

Charlebois acknowledges it won't be easy to convincemeat producers that plant-based products are anopportunity rather than a threat.

"Time and time again, what we're hearing is thatour current pathwhen it comes to proteinsis unsustainable, and I agree with it.

"It doesn't mean that steak will cease to exist. It will continue to exist but steaks are going to be sold, promoted andconsumed very differently."