Guelph, Ont. – Grain Farmers of Ontario is pleased to announce the successful applicants for its 2026 Grains Innovation Fund.
Five companies will use the funding to expand the use and value of Ontario-grown barley, corn, oats, soybeans, and wheat. Together, their projects will help strengthen and diversify domestic markets, increase demand, and enhance the overall value of Ontario grains, while supporting the development of novel, value-added grain-based products.
“The Grains Innovation Fund continues to demonstrate the ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit within Ontario’s grain sector,” said Paul Hoekstra, vice president, strategic development, Grain Farmers of Ontario. “By investing in forward-thinking projects, we are helping to create new market opportunities, drive demand, and ensure long-term profitability for Ontario grain farmers.”
For more than fifteen years, the Grains Innovation Fund has supported a wide range of successful projects that add value to Ontario grains. Previous investments have supported the development of innovative products such as barley brewing yeast, corn stover home insulation, oat ice cream, soy road paint, wheat bran pet litter, and more.
The five Ontario-based companies receiving funding are diverse, operating in the food processing, ingredient manufacturing and bioproduct industries:
New Protein International is optimizing technology and advancing commercial-scale readiness to scale-up the first hexane-free processing technology for soy protein isolate using Ontario soybeans.
Embassy Ingredients is investing in state-of-the-art mixing technology to accelerate and improve its product development capabilities, enabling its team to produce high-quality mixes for commercial bakeries and unlock new applications for Ontario-grown grains, including soft wheat.
Seafoam Materials, in partnership with Toronto Metropolitan University, is testing Ontario grain crop residues as feasible inputs for its carbon-negative insulation.
Cedar Valley is expanding its facility with advanced processing equipment and launching new pita chips made from Ontario wheat, increasing production efficiency, supporting product innovation, and strengthening local grain utilization to meet rising demand.
1847 Stone Milling, in partnership with the University of Guelph, is developing, testing and scaling a high-protein atta flour from Ontario-grown wheat.
A total of $1,710,969 will be invested across the five projects, with Grain Farmers of Ontario contributing $250,000. The remaining funds will be leveraged through matched government programming and company investments.
For more information about the Grains Innovation Fund and application details, please visit gfo.ca/grains-innovation-fund or contact marketdev@gfo.ca.
Source : GFO