With demand for plant-based proteins on the rise, Cargill plans to invest an additional $75 million in PURIS, the largest North American producer of pea protein. The investment enables PURIS to more than double its pea protein production using an existing 200,000-square-foot facility in Dawson, Minn. Cargill announced its joint venture with PURIS in January 2018, with an initial investment of $25 million that was used to add substantial capacity at the Turtle Lake, Wis. production facility. The company also has a pea protein production facility in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Beginning with its own proprietary, non-GMO pea seed, PURIS uses its network of over 400 U.S. farmers to grow the peas. The investment broadens Cargill's portfolio of alternative proteins, such as cell-cultured protein, to meet consumer dietary preferences. One of Puris' customers is plant-based protein manufacturer Beyond Meat. Tyler Lorenzen, PURIS President, described the company’s expansion as “more than a pea protein facility. This is the future of food. The Dawson facility will not only support PURIS farmers in the U.S. with a crop that regenerates their land and that is sustainable because it provides soil health advantages but will also support the growing demand for great tasting plant-based products in the marketplace.”
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