Maple Leaf Foods to expand plant-based protein line with $310-million factory

It’s been a hot week for mainstream companies finding success with the vegan community. Burger King’s Impossible Whopper has come back with glowing reviews, Ben & Jerry’s has launched vegan cookie dough bites, and now one of the biggest players of the meat industry, Maple Leaf Foods, is about to make a heavy investment as it dives deeper into the plant-based protein world.

Maple Leaf Foods already has some vegan meats in its product line, but is struggling to meet demands. The new facility will double the plant-based protein production.

“Our investment in plant-based protein is an investment in growth,” Michael McCain, president of Maple Leaf said on Monday morning. “(Adding a new plant will) enable us to grow lockstep with this burgeoning market.”

Maple Leaf’s main meatless patty is called the ‘Lightlife Burger’. It contains 20g of plant-based protein, and it’s the company’s version of the ‘Beyond Meat’ burger.