Canada's Ocean Supercluster invests $1.9M in sustainable food project

Canada's Ocean Supercluster has announced a $1.9 million project to develop and offer Canada's first-ever plant-based whitefish fillet, thereby expanding sustainable food systems.

The Halifax-based food product development specialist, Profillet, is leading this project and is collaborating with Ardra Inc. in Toronto, Ontario, Mara Renewables in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and RONDO North America in Moonachie, New Jersey, USA.

Profillet will use marine-derived ingredients and cutting-edge technology to create this food product, which will help combat overfishing, habitat degradation, and pollution caused by conventional fishing and aquaculture practices.

For its part, Ardra will contribute fermentation-derived ingredients that enhance the product's performance and support the shift toward ocean-friendly food systems.

Through 'Ambition 2035', a program that invests in the commercialization of ocean solutions made in Canada, the Supercluster aims to grow Canada's ocean economy fivefold, reaching CAD 220 billion by 2035.

In June, it also announced five new ocean innovation projects totalling more than CAD 18 million. Among them is a major $7.2 million initiative aimed at transforming aquaculture feed production through the use of novel microbial protein.