An organization pitched as the future “hub and voice” of Manitoba’s protein sector marked its official launch Nov. 2.
“The protein industry needs strong, united voices, and places to bring thought leaders together to grow our global market share,” said Greg Cherewyk, president of Pulse Canada, in an Oct. 27 release.
Why it matters: The province has been pushing Manitoba’s protein potential for years by courting private investment, launching growth strategies and supporting efforts like ProteinMB.
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“The chance to capture and increase global market share in sustainable, high-value protein is immense, and I’m pleased to see this industry-led initiative move forward,” Dickson Gould, chair of the Manitoba Protein Consortium, said in the same release.
Cherewyk said the hub has already resulted in “positive discussions around protein growth” and “brings value that extends beyond provincial boundaries.”
ProteinMB is an industry-led organization that will implement the Manitoba Protein Advantage Strategy, a plan begun in 2019 by the Pallister government to make Manitoba a major player in protein supply. The hub is meant to pull the largely nebulous strategy onto solid footing.
Many of the strategy’s goals for job creation and industry investment, laid out in 2019, have seen progress, although much of the past four years were spent forming roundtables, strategizing and bringing researchers and industry together rather than pursuing more overt projects.
Earlier this year, the province funded a Manitoba strategic research chair in sustainable protein. James House will oversee funding of protein-related research and build research capacity in that role.
ProteinMB will maintain a team, led by executive director Myrna Grahn, that will function as a dedicated resource for outreach, social media, marketing, event-planning, strategic partnerships and other administrative functions, according to information provided around the launch.
ProteinMB will be guided by the Sustainable Protein Council, Grahn said. That body will be made up of about 30 industry stakeholders. She was in the process of building the group when she spoke to the Co-operator in late October.
Grahn said they expect to restructure how the strategy is carried out.
Originally, ProteinMB was tasked with developing 10 “pillars” for the sector, including sustainable protein, workforce and infrastructure. However, Grahn said many of these topics overlap, and discussing them in isolation may not be the most effective way forward.
