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The Global Agri-Food Advancement Partnership (GAAP) has entered into a significant collaboration with 9 Mile Legacy Brewing, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at enhancing Saskatchewan’s agri-food innovation landscape.
This partnership was formalised at the LGCY: Innovation Hub in Saskatoon and represents a strategic effort to bolster Canada’s leadership in biotechnology and fermentation.
The MOU outlines a framework for collaboration that leverages the strengths of both organisations, focusing on the establishment of fermentation scale-up capacity.
This initiative is designed to support and incubate fermentation-based innovation projects, providing a vital resource for agri-value start-ups and biotechnology innovators.
By integrating GAAP’s advanced high-throughput bioreactor systems with LGCY’s commercial-scale brewing facilities, the partnership will facilitate a seamless transition for innovators moving from pilot-scale development to full-scale production.
The collaboration will utilise GAAP’s 24×15ml optimisation and selection bioreactor systems, progressing to LGCY’s larger 3×600-litre production-scale bioreactors. This set-up enables rapid scale-up and real-world deployment of fermentation technologies.
“Together, we are creating a unique opportunity for start-ups to access shared infrastructure and specialised expertise,” said Martin Wilding, lab and facilities manager at GAAP. “This partnership not only strengthens Saskatchewan’s agri-food innovation ecosystem but also positions us as a key player in the global biotechnology sector.”
The MOU also aims to develop integrated workflows that link GAAP’s bioreactor capacity with LGCY’s larger fermenters. This includes adapting traditional beverage fermentation equipment for advanced microbial fermentation applications, demonstrating the versatility and potential of fermentation technologies in the food and beverage industry.
Shawn Moen, CEO and co-founder of 9 Mile Legacy Brewing, added: “This collaboration will enhance our ability to innovate and bring new fermentation-based products to market, reinforcing our commitment to quality and sustainability in brewing”.