Merit, Burcon, and Nestlé join forces for plant-based protein ingredients

Merit Functional Foods, its technology partner Burcon NutraScience, and Nestlé have signed a collaborative partnership for plant-based protein ingredients.

The parties have signed a joint development agreement (JDA) in this connection with an objective to develop and commercialize the plant protein ingredients of Merit Functional Foods for use in the plant-based foods and beverages of Nestlé.

Johann F. Tergesen – President and CEO of Burcon NutraScience said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Nestlé to optimize these already exciting novel plant proteins.

“This collaboration among Burcon, Nestlé, and Merit is about strategically innovating for the future.”

Currently, Merit Functional Foods is constructing its commercial-scale production facility, which is slated to be ready by Q4 2020.

Merit, Burcon, and Nestlé join forces for plant-based protein ingredients. Photo courtesy of Business Wire.

At the production facility, the food company will produce various plant-based protein ingredients using the extraction and purification technology of Burcon NutraScience, which has been in development for nearly 20 years.

Ryan Bracken – CEO of Merit Functional Foods said: “Partnering with Nestlé – a global leader in food and nutrition – is a great milestone for Merit Functional Foods.

“Merit has already demonstrated the impact of our novel proteins in plant-based foods. This new partnership helps build on this, and it’s a major step in developing the next generation of nutritious and delicious plant-based products that draw on the benefits of our novel proteins.”