Companies to begin construction on canola protein manufacturing facility in Dieppe, France.

July 16, 2020

2 Min Read
DSM, Avril create joint venture to develop plant-based protein

Royal DSM and Avril Group, France's fourth-largest agro-industrial group, announced this week the launch of their joint venture, Olatein, to produce canola (rapeseed) proteins for the global food market. One year after announcing their intention to work together, Avril and DSM have finalized their partnership and will begin construction on a manufacturing facility in Dieppe, France.

As the world’s population heads towards 10 billion by 2050, more protein will need to be produced within planetary boundaries. To help meet the growing demand for proteins, DSM and Avril have established a partnership (75/25) and formed Olatein. The companies said the partnership draws on the unique know-how of each of them, including DSM’s patented process and technology for extracting high-quality protein from canola meal and Avril’s 35-year legacy in oilseed and protein crop production.

The resulting product, CanolaPRO, will be marketed and sold by DSM. CanolaPRO has excellent functional properties, a high nutritional value and a balanced taste profile, the announcement said. It enhances vegan and vegetarian products such as meat and dairy alternatives as well as other beverages, baked products, bars and ready-to-mix products.

To facilitate the production, Avril is investing in the upstream part of the business, capitalizing on its leadership in oilseed crushing and seed sourcing. It will supply Olatein with non-genetically modified canola meal from the new crushing unit that will be created on the site. The new facility will also include a biomethane production unit, which will contribute to supplying the local public energy network and minimize the environmental footprint of production.

“With the global population continuing to grow and the demand for healthy and nutritious proteins on the rise, the world needs sustainable solutions,” said Patrick Niels, president of DSM Food Specialties. “Our partnership with Avril enables the production of CanolaPRO, a high-quality and nutritious protein that supports our customers to provide consumers around the world with better-tasting, more enjoyable meat and dairy alternatives — in line with the market trends.”

The finalization of the partnership initiates a new phase of activity at the Dieppe industrial site, which is owned by Saipol, a subsidiary of Avril. The site will be completely renovated to accommodate the new industrial complex with the support of the Normandy region, the Dieppe Town Hall, the Port of Dieppe and state services. The restart of activity on the site will create new job opportunities once construction is completed, the announcement noted.

"This partnership with DSM is part of Avril's strategy to develop and conquer new markets, with the aim of structuring a new high-protein seed sector and, thus, contributing to increasing France's and Europe's protein self-sufficiency. This project, in line with our commitments, offers a new future for the Dieppe site while repositioning it on a new activity that will bring growth and industrial sustainability," Avril Group chief executive officer Jean-Philippe Puig said.

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