Dublin-based Integra Foods has received $500,000 from the South Australian Government to support the company to research, develop and export its faba bean plant protein products.
The funding will help Integra Foods, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Australian Grain Export, deliver a strategic Plant Protein Export Market Development Project.
The ingredient manufacturer will also construct and operate a purpose-built laboratory at its production facility in Dublin.
The company makes proteins, starches, and flours from sustainably sourced and Australian-grown faba beans.
To optimise the use of protein found in pluses such as faba beans, Integra Foods has invested in a unique process of protein shifting called dry fractionation.
The first of its kind in Australia, the company uses an environmentally friendly dry fractionating technique to separate the starches from the proteins in faba beans.
The outcome is protein rich and starch rich powdered concentrates that use 90 per cent less energy in the production process.
The Plant Protein Export Market Development Project will undertake collaborative research and development opportunities targeting various industries. These include beverages, pet food, fortified foods and feed supplements.
Integra Foods will actively work to enter markets including Europe, North America and Australasia, collaborating with manufacturers, distributors and retailers across the supply chain.
The Malinauskas Government investment will assist in accelerating advancements in plant protein extraction methods and product quality.
This will provide further opportunities to a booming industry. South Australia's pulse and legume exports were valued at $1.4 billion for 2023, up 58 per cent on the previous year, having been strengthened by the free trade agreement between Australia and India.
South Australia has some of the world's best agricultural and cropping regions and is renowned as a producer of global premium quality pulses (faba beans, chickpeas, lentils and lupins).
The state produces 50 per cent of Australia's lentils, has a 37 per cent share of faba beans and 37 per cent share of field peas.
South Australia's agribusiness, manufacturing and artificial intelligence innovation precincts provide a strong foundation for developing ground-breaking food products and plant protein processing technologies that respond to a variety of consumer tastes and needs.
As put by Nick Champion
Our state has the opportunity to lead Australia's pulse protein ingredient manufacturing industry.
Integra Foods will play a pivotal role in this as it looks to export plant protein products that incorporate their sustainably grown faba beans, to key markets in Australasia, Europe and North America.
This State Government funding will enable the company to research, develop and export an innovative South Australian product made from local produce.
As put by Tim Martin, Managing Director
Integra Foods is proud to play a leading role in the development of Australia's plant protein industry.
As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Australian Grain Export, the company has a proud history supporting South Australian growers with marketing their produce to the world.
We now look forward to building on those strong foundations by creating more options for growers by value-adding and reducing the sole reliance on pricing into often saturated and competitive destination markets.
