Despite being one of the world’s top soybean producers, Canada currently imports all of its soy protein isolate — a key ingredient in numerous food products including protein bars, infant formula, and plant-based meat alternatives. That may soon change, as Ontario-based New Protein International sets out to build the country’s first large-scale facility capable of processing soybeans into soy protein domestically.
The company, co-founded by farmer Martin Vanderloo and headquartered in Ontario, plans to establish the plant in Sarnia. Once operational, it will process 70,000 tonnes of soybeans annually and produce over 17,000 tonnes of soy protein and food-grade byproducts. The facility is projected to create over 100 jobs and help Canada achieve self-sufficiency in soy protein production, with the potential to export as well.
Unlike traditional processors, New Protein International will use a proprietary method that relies on mechanical pressure instead of chemical solvents like hexane — a neurotoxic byproduct of gasoline refining. This clean-label, chemical-free approach is said to be a world first and is designed to meet increasing consumer demand for environmentally responsible food ingredients.
Chief Development Officer Graham Markham noted the widespread use of soy protein isolates across food industries, highlighting the importance of localizing production. Co-founder Vanderloo, who has already built a demonstration plant, says the full-scale facility is the culmination of years of effort to bring food ingredient manufacturing back to Canadian soil. “We’re ecstatic about it — we’ve been working hard to get this off the ground,” he said.
The project aligns with a broader movement across Canadian industries to reduce dependency on international supply chains, especially amid ongoing trade uncertainties. Many in the agricultural sector, including longtime Ontario soybean farmer Bev Hill, see the development as long overdue, emphasizing the role of agriculture as a key pillar of the Canadian economy.
However, Vanderloo voiced frustration over limited federal support, noting a stronger emphasis on sectors like electric vehicle batteries and critical minerals rather than food production. Despite financing challenges, construction of the Sarnia facility is expected to begin by late summer or early fall and take approximately three years to complete. In the meantime, the company is exploring licensing opportunities for its technology, which could reshape plant-based protein production globally.
“It’s been somewhat frustrating to get the financing in place — support from government and others, but we’re getting there,” Vanderloo added, as interest from both the private sector and government stakeholders begins to grow.
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