MORRISBURG, ONT. — Protein Industries Canada is partnering with Alinova Canada Inc., Marusan Ai Co., Earth’s Own Foods and Flamaglo Foods to develop and commercialize a new soy powder.

The C$23.9 million ($17.03 million) project will be driven by Alinova Canada, a joint venture between DJ Hendrick International Inc. (DJHII) and Marusan Ai, building on DJHII’s earlier Protein Industries Canada initiative, in which the initial partners evaluated the feasibility of a commercial soy powder processing plant in Eastern Canada.

Plans call for the pilot-scale facility for the soy powder to be built in Morrisburg, Ont., a high soy production area of Canada. According to Protein Industries Canada — one of Canada’s Global Innovation Clusters — the facility’s location and operation will enable the partners to develop and market test the product more efficiently.

During the plant’s construction, Earth’s Own and Flamaglo Foods will test small batches of the new soy milk powder in products destined for grocery store shelves across Canada. Once the facility is built, Alinova Canada Inc. and Marusan Ai Co. will work to fully expand processing capacity of the soy milk powder and test its commercial viability in the Japanese market.

“Canada’s agriculture sector has a strong reputation for high-quality crops, and we can build on this by bringing the processing of those crops back home to Canadian soil,” said Kassandra Quayle, chief financial officer of Protein Industries Canada. “Value-added processing and whole-seed utilization here at home will secure our position as a leading supplier of high-value ingredients and food products, while providing families here in Canada and around the world with a new selection of high-quality protein options.”

Protein Industries Canada said it is investing C$6.7 million in the soy powder processing project, with the partners investing the rest. Currently, most of Canada’s soy crop is exported for processing, and the ability to process at home stands to add more value to the nation’s soy production.

“Exporting food-grade, non-GMO whole soybeans from eastern Ontario has been a long-standing tradition with rewards for producers and exporters alike,” said David Hendrick, executive vice president at Alinova Canada. “Now we have a chance to take that pride and reward to the next level: a made-in-Canada ingredient. We intend to build on our relationships with growers in eastern Ontario, our soy milk partner in Japan and the two Canadian soy food formulators joining on this initiative, to make this manufacturing company a reality for Morrisburg and a contributor to our community well-being,”

The project’s focus on commercializing in Japan — where Marusan Ai is the second-largest soy milk producer and vendor — is expected to open up new economic opportunities for Canada and boost its global competitiveness, Protein Industries Canada noted.

Hiroyuki Inagaki, president of Alinova Canada, said the Morrisburg soy powder processing facility is slated to open in early 2026.

“In Japan, we at Marusan Ai recognize the importance of plant protein for the well-being of global consumers,” Inagaki said. “We predict the possibility of a global shortage. We have discussed this possibility with our Canadian partner, DJHII, and together we have a plan to mitigate this risk by working with eastern Ontario non-GMO soybean growers and two Canadian plant protein formulation partners. We believe that, together with your reliable supply of Canadian soybeans, and our longstanding experience in food processing technology, we can manufacture a novel made-in-Canada soy milk powder ingredient and find many food product applications.”