Canada’s Vegan Wagyu Maker Set To Become Global Plant-Based Beef Supplier

Wamame Foods, the Canadian firm behind the plant-based brand Waygu, wants to become a global vegan beef supplier. It just secured funding for a new project, which will see the food tech partner up with fellow Canadian companies Merit Functional Foods, Wismettac Asian Foods and Winecrush Technology, to co-create new high-quality vegan beef alternatives for international distribution. 

Wamame Foods has secured C$7.6 million as part of a new project aimed at making its Wagyu vegan beef line a global player in the plant-based industry. The financing was led by Protein Industries Canada, which invested C$3.8 million into the project that will see Wamame collaborate with Merit Functional Foods, Wismettac Asian Foods and Winecrush Technology. 

New vegan Wagyu beef and pork alternatives

Together, the four Canadian firms will work together to co-develop, manufacture and distribute new vegan wagyu-like beef products, as well as pork analogues. Some of these will be sold under the “Waygu” range, the brand that Wamame, the food tech arm of Vancouver-based Top Tier Foods, sells its flagship product under.

Other new meat alternatives will be sold under a co-branded private label operated by Wismettac, as well as a third separate line that has yet to be named or disclosed. 

The partnership will see Merit Functional Foods and Winecrush Technology supply Canada-grown raw materials and crops, including non-GMO peas and canola, as well as upcycled ingredients. Wamame will then use these ingredients in the R&D process to develop new non-soy vegan meats, which Wismettac will help distribute across international markets. 

“The new lines of meat alternatives will be sold throughout Europe, Asia and North America, expanding Canada’s plant-based meat alternative market footprint,” shared the companies in a press statement. “This will support Canada’s goal of being an innovative leader in the production of plant-based food and ingredients, while also increasing domestic processing, creating jobs and strengthening our economy.”

Related: Trudeau announces $100M investment into plant protein production

Positioning Canada as a global plant-based meat supplier

Sharing more about the collaboration, Bill Greuel, CEO of Protein Industries Canada, a not-for-profit organisation, says that “Canadian companies have the knowledge, skills and innovative mindset to develop these new ingredients and products” to help meet consumer demand for plant-based protein. 

“Their diversification of the plant-based meat alternative market is an important step toward Canada’s goal of becoming a global leader in the supply of plant-based foods and ingredients,” he added. 

Blair Bullus, president at Wamame, says that in addition to boosting Canada’s plant protein industry, the consortium will produce high-quality products that will help convince mainstream consumers to adopt sustainable proteins. 

“Waygu will offer a new, sustainable alternative that promises consumers flavour and that melt-in-your-mouth culinary experience,” shared Bullus. “Support from Protein Industries Canada will strengthen our key partnerships domestically and help expand Waygu globally with amazing companies like Wismettac Asian Foods.”

All images courtesy of Wamame / Top Tier Foods.