A Canadian company claiming to have a technological breakthrough in plant proteins has set up shop in Lethbridge. PIP International hosted a grand opening event for its new Yellow Pea Wet Fractionation Pilot Plant and Commercial Test Center on May 30th.

The Alberta government, in cooperation with its federal counterpart, awarded the company $1 million through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership to support the engineering and purchase of processing equipment for the facility, which was previously a medium-sized craft brewery (Coulee Brew). It has been converted into a fully commercialized pea processing and testing center. Christine Lewington, PIP’s CEO and founder, said the company had bought land and started building a larger facility, but held back on a big unveiling event.

“I felt like we needed something that people could come and touch and feel and actually see the progress,” she said. “I figured that a kick-off event for this milestone would later show that we mean business. We got $20 million, we’re spending that money here.”

She said work on the larger facility has slowed as it will meet the needs of early customers building a product portfolio with pea protein.

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The pilot plant is the first step in testing PIP’s new extraction technology, which it says will significantly improve the quality, purity and environmental impact of the protein isolates before expanding production.

According to Lewington, taste is an important part of the project. According to a PIP press release, the technology has cracked the code for the bad taste, color, texture and impaired performance of pea protein. It said it could transform how consumers enjoy plant-based foods.

“With such a large food corridor here in southern Alberta, that diversification is what makes us strong, and with a factory like this and with the future expansions, that really appeals to me, jobs — high-paying jobs — so fantastic for our region,” said the mayor of Lethbridge, Blaine Hyggen.

Lewington said the pilot plant will create 17 to 25 full-time jobs and the larger plant will create up to 100 jobs. She said much of the process is automated, so it will be high-paying positions.

Hyggen said the facility will attract international attention and bring people to Lethbridge and allow some college graduates to find work in the community.