As growers increase acreage and production, the industry must also build new market demand for pulse crops.
To achieve profitable growth of the Saskatchewan pulse industry, we are working to build new use opportunities for pulses in non-traditional markets, while also ensuring key traditional markets are maintained. Non-traditional, stable markets with high growth potential are the focus of the national market development strategy, led by Pulse including the following sectors:
- foodservice
- retail food products
- pet food and feed
- domestic value-add processing
To do this, industry is working to demonstrate the value that pulses and pulse ingredients have to offer food, foodservice, feed, and pet food companies and consumers including their nutritional benefits, functional attributes, and the role pulses play in sustainable food production.
Promoting Pulses to Foodservice
The foodservice sector has potential for increased and new demand for pulse crops – particularly lentils. Outreach activity is focused on driving inspired usage and consumption of whole and split unprocessed lentils on foodservice menus.
Outreach efforts are currently ongoing in the United States, Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom and encompasses targets within the non-commercial foodservice sector (colleges and universities, healthcare, business and industry, etc.), and the commercial foodservice sector (high-volume chain restaurants).
Pulse Ingredients in Retail Food Products
Improved nutritional value and sustainability goals are at the forefront for many global food manufacturers and processors. For over 15 years, Pulse Canada has worked with companies to advance the utilization of pulse ingredients to meet their nutrition and sustainability goals while improving funcationality. Pulse Canada also aims to increase the capacity and global recognition of Canada’s domestic pulse processing capabilities.
Particular categories of interest for pulse ingredients include:
- cereal-based foods
- extruded snack foods
- batters and breadings
- blended and plant-based meat applications
- plant-based dairy alternatives
- retail ready-to-eat foods
Outreach efforts are currently ongoing in Canada, the United States, and Europe.
Pulses in Feed Applications
The pulse industry, through Pulse Canada, works with feed manufacturers to advance the utilization of and market Canadian pea ingredients as a sustainable feed ingredient to manufacturers in North America and Asia.
Pulses in Pet Food
The pulse industry, through Pulse Canada, works with pet food manufacturers in Canada, the United States, and Europe to encourage and support the use of pulse ingredients in pet foods.
Sustainability
A robust sustainability strategy underpins Pulse Canada’s outreach activity across all areas of market development. It details how the industry will market the positive sustainability attributes of pulses and pulse ingredients. The goal is to quantify, elevate, and communicate the value of pulse ingredients to the foodservice, food manufacturing, feed, and pet food sectors.
As climate change solutions grow in importance to consumers, manufacturers, and governments, Pulse Canada works to:
- Quantify the sustainability attributes of Canadian pulses
- Help capture financial value of sustainability attributes
- Encourage government policy to enable profitability and growth in the Canadian pulse industry
