The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry
Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) has begun commissioning a new pea protein isolate production facility in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada, marking a significant step in the global agribusiness’s push into value-added plant-based ingredients.
The new plant, located alongside the company’s existing oilseeds processing complex in Yorkton, will scale production of LDC’s pea protein isolates and support growing global demand for plant-based proteins across food and beverage applications.
“As part of our strategy to diversify revenue through value-added products, we are proud to launch our pea protein isolates portfolio, leveraging proprietary technology developed by our in-house R&D capabilities,” said James Zhou, LDC’s chief commercial officer and head of the Food & Feed Solutions Platform.
Pea protein has seen strong uptake in recent years due to its non-allergen and non-GMO positioning, as well as its versatility in food and beverage formulations such as dairy alternatives, protein beverages and plant-based meat analogues.
“Global demand for pea proteins continues to grow, for its non-allergen and non-GMO status, as well as its versatility across many food applications,” Charles-Antoine Dubois, LDC’s global head of plant proteins said.
Dubois continued: “We are proud to offer clean-taste pea protein isolates, sourced from North American farmers with full supply chain traceability, enabled through our upstream integration and engagement across the value chain.”
Alongside pea protein isolates, the Yorkton facility will also produce pea fibre and a proprietary pea starch. These co-products are expected to serve markets beyond food and beverage, including pet food, building materials and paper manufacturing.
The location in Saskatchewan – one of the world’s largest pea-growing regions – was selected to provide direct access to raw materials and to integrate with LDC’s existing processing infrastructure.
The facility is expected to employ around 60 people by the end of 2026 and strengthen LDC’s presence in Canada, a key sourcing and processing market for the group.
“LDC remains committed to ongoing investment in, and growth with, Saskatchewan, strengthening its long-standing partnership with Canadian farmers,” said Brian Conn, LDC’s country manager for Canada.
Founded in 1851, LDC operates across agricultural supply chains from farm to consumer, handling approximately 95 million tons of products annually and serving customers in more than 100 countries.
The company employs roughly 19,000 people worldwide and operates across multiple business lines including grains and oilseeds, juice, rice, coffee and food and feed ingredients.
