Leaft Foods is investing $12m and MPI is contributing $8m to the five-year programme that has potential to put NZ on the map as a leading leaf protein concentrate producer.
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor says a growing number of global food manufacturers and consumers are demanding their proteins come from a sustainable source.
“This could be a game-changer for pastoral enterprises seeking to take environmental leadership, by providing them with a low-impact, locally-sourced feed, and the opportunity to diversify into low emission farm systems,” O’Connor said.
“This project is exciting. We want to push the boundaries with new innovative development looking further into the future connecting to the values of those who are going to purchase our foods in the future.
“If this goes well there will be huge returns.”
The programme aims to build on NZ’s reputation as a trusted exporter of high-quality protein, while reducing the environmental impact of agricultural systems.
It aims to meet the increase in demand for plant proteins in a way that aligns with changing consumer values.
Leaft Foods’ technology will be used to produce high-quality protein in the form of gels or powders that can be used in a range of foods in the fast-growing global market for plant proteins.
“This programme is a great example of the types of innovation and value-add we’re calling for through our food and fibre sector roadmap Fit for a Better World – Accelerating our economic potential,” he said.
The plant-based protein start-up will also produce an animal feed that is optimised for ruminant nutrition and has the potential to lower nitrogen losses and emissions on-farm.
The programme will develop technology that extracts edible protein from NZ-grown green leafy crops.
While most of the current research has been looking at lucerne, other crops such as ryegrass, oats and white clover can be used in varying models to fit farming systems in all regions across the country.
Leaft Foods seeks to produce high-quality protein ingredients for use in a range of food products across the rapidly growing global market for plant-based foods.
Leaft Foods’ innovation is the co-production of a low-emission animal feed, optimised for ruminant nutrition that could significantly reduce farm nitrogen losses.
On-farm trials will demonstrate a viable pathway to adoption and commercial uptake for NZ farmers, and credentialing the system’s economic and environmental benefits.
“We are building on NZ’s reputation as a trusted producer of high-quality protein,” Leaft Foods founder Maury Leyland Penno said.
“Our vision is to reduce the environmental impact of agricultural systems and to meet the increase in demand for plant proteins that align with consumer values.
“More consumers are seeking out tasty and nutritious plant-based foods, which is apparent when you look at how supermarket shelves have changed over the past few years.
“Our mission is to demonstrate the viability of a sustainable and market-responsive farming system.
“Backing from MPI accelerates our ability to do that and places us in the leading pack of global food innovators.
General manager Ross Milne says Leaft Foods is now expanding on successful preliminary research and building a specialist team of people, including food technologists, process engineers and farm systems technicians, to deliver the pre-commercialisation programme.
