Crush Dynamics secures nearly $2M from CFIN to create novel ingredient

The Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) is awarding $1,984,274 to Crush Dynamics to develop and test a novel ingredient, created through upcycling, that will enhance food quality and reduce sugar and sodium content in food products.

The project is valued at just over $4 million and is partly funded through CFIN’s Food Innovation Challenge Program.

Crush Dynamics leverages innovative fermentation of upcycled wine derivatives and agricultural waste to produce a proprietary, high-performance food ingredient. The resulting polyphenol-rich ingredient enhances food quality by enabling up to 50 per cent sugar reduction, 80 per cent sodium reduction, and improved texture while also extending shelf-life.

This single ingredient provides food and beverage manufacturers with an opportunity to reduce complexity in their supply chain while delivering the clean label their consumers are demanding.

The “Upcycling Agricultural Side Streams into High Performance Food Solutions Through Process Optimization” project aims to demonstrate Crush’s production process at scale, from pre-processing treatments to fermentation and drying, employing automation to meet the demand forecasted by project partners (Purdys Chocolatier and Ecovatec Solutions) and other potential customers.

Through the fermentation of these waste products, Crush’s sustainable approach can help prevent up to 50 million tons of annual CO₂ emissions.

This funding call from CFIN targeted disruptive solutions and innovative strategies for addressing food and beverage processing challenges.

While the food and beverage manufacturing sector has seen strong growth over the last few years, it also faces many acute problems. Labour scarcity and inflationary pressures are constraining growth for many firms, despite continued strong consumer spending and the recession proof nature of the industry. Additional challenges like extending product shelf life, reducing energy consumption, and alleviating food waste are all hampering manufacturers as they strive to reduce costs and carbon footprints. As firms seek to grow amidst current market conditions, many are looking to optimize, automate, and increase the value of their products.

“Breakthrough innovation in the food and beverage industry is essential for addressing the pressing challenges faced by manufacturers. In the face of labour constraints, cost pressures, and sustainability imperatives, food innovation takes centre stage as the linchpin for overcoming obstacles and ensuring a resilient and forward-looking food sector,” said Dana McCauley CEO, CFIN.

“Crush Dynamics’ new bio-fermentation process offers a concrete solution to address the food and beverage industry’s most pressing challenges. This innovative solution will help the industry improve food quality, reduce production costs and carbon footprints,” added François-Philippe Champagne, innovation, science and industry minister.

“We are incredibly honoured to receive this support from the Canadian Food Innovation Network. Working with our partners, we look forward to advancing the state of the art in food formulation powered by polyphenols,” said Kirk Moir CEO, Crush Dynamics.