Louis Dreyfus Company is adding a new pea protein isolate production plant at the site of its existing industrial complex at Yorkton.

The new facility will expand and accelerate LDC’s existing pea protein isolate and non-GMO soy isolate offerings.

LDC’s Country Manager for Canada Brian Conn says Canada is a key market for LDC supporting our strategic growth plans in the region and beyond, and this is reflected in the continued expansion of our origination and processing operations and activities in Saskatchewan, and Yorkton in particular.

Construction of the new plant is expected to begin later this year and should be completed in late 2025.

The Executive Director of Sask Pulse Carl Potts is pleased with the news noting that they've been doing a lot of the background work to increase market demand for pulses and pulse-based ingredients.

"We've done a lot of work to try to diversify demand. We're very reliant on export markets for pulses and in building some more demand here within Canada and within Saskatchewan is positive news for Saskatchewan growers."

He says the process involves taking whole peas and fractionating them into parts  - pea protein, pea starch, and pea fiber that is then sold as ingredients to food companies, pet food companies, and for industrial uses.

Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison says as the Province works to create even more opportunities and jobs, we are fortunate to have a strong partnership with LDC.

"Today’s announcement takes us one step closer to achieving our goal of processing 50 per cent of the pulse crops produced in Saskatchewan. This announcement is great news for the Yorkton community and pulse growers across the province."

The new facility, paired with other recent pulse processing announcements, puts the province on track to meet its pulse processing goal from Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan.

Saskatchewan’s pulse production averages approximately four million tonnes annually, accounting for approximately 90 per cent of Canadian lentil exports and roughly 80 per cent of Canada’s pea exports. 

In 2022, Saskatchewan’s agriculture industry posted its third consecutive year of record agri-food exports, with a total value of $18.5 billion. 

Dry peas and pea proteins accounted for 6.5 per cent of that total, valued at $1.1 billion.

The expansion is in addition to LDC's announcement last spring to expand its canola crushing line at the Yorkton site.

The expansion will more than double the facility’s annual crush capacity to over 2 million metric tons upon completion.