The Ontario government is welcoming an investment of nearly $24 million by Alinova Canada Inc. to build Canada’s first non-GMO soymilk powder processing plant. The investment will create 15 good-paying jobs in Morrisburg and strengthen Ontario’s position in agri-food processing and innovation.
“Alinova Canada’s investment is a vote of confidence in our province’s manufacturing capabilities and in our world-class workers,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “With their new Morrisburg facility, Alinova is onshoring key processing capacity from Japan for Ontario’s agri-food supply chain, creating good-paying jobs, and driving long-term economic growth in Eastern Ontario.”
A joint venture between Japan's second-largest soymilk producer, Marusan Ai, and Ontario-based David J Hendrick International Inc., Alinova Canada’s new facility will use Ontario-grown soybeans to produce over 1,200 metric tonnes of soymilk powder per year. This investment will not only solidify and expand Ontario’s domestic processing capacity but also strengthen the province’s competitive advantage as a leading global supplier of soybeans and soymilk powder ingredients.
“In the face of economic uncertainty, it is vital that Eastern Ontario continues to protect and build our homegrown agri-food workforce," said Nolan Quinn, MPP for Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry. "Through the Regional Development Program, Morrisburg is proud to be home to Canada's first soymilk powder processing plant, which will create good-paying jobs and strengthen our local economy for decades to come.”
In support of Alinova’s investment, Ontario is providing $1.5 million in funding through the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) of the Regional Development Program (RDP). First launched in 2019, the RDP provides tailored supports to businesses and municipalities, helping them invest in the equipment, technologies and skilled workers they need to grow and remain competitive in a shifting economic landscape.
“For the past 20 years, our company has enjoyed a strong relationship with the non-GMO soybean growers of Eastern Ontario,” said Nobuyoshi Sakai, President, Marusan Ai. “We are now embarking on a partnership designed to manufacture a made-in-Ontario soybean ingredient product that will meet the protein needs of the global consumer and leave a legacy of economic growth in the Morrisburg community.”
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