Puris, a major producer of pea protein that used in plant-based meat alternatives like Beyond Meat, announced Tuesday that its new production facility in Dawson, Minnesota, is now open.
The Minneapolis-based company said in a statement that the state-of-the-art facility will create 100 jobs and double its production capacity, further cementing itself as a leading supplier of pea protein in North America.
"This is more than a pea protein processing plant. We're shaping the future of food," said Puris Proteins CEO Tyler Lorenzen in a statement. "The model we've built puts sustainable partnerships in reach for brands of all sizes. There's impact at every level — it supports a local economy here in Dawson, introduces peas as a revenue stream for farmers, makes more plant-based foods available to consumers and ultimately brings us one step closer to a sustainable food system."
The 200,000-square-foot facility, located nearly three hours west of the Twin Cities, was retrofitted from an existing dairy plant in a joint venture between Puris and Cargill Inc.
Minnetonka-based Cargill announced in 2018 it would invest over $100 million in Puris to built out the Dawson facility. Production capacity at Puris' Turtle Lake, Wisconsin, production facility was also boosted by a $25 million investment from Cargill in 2018.
"Our investment allows Cargill, along with our partner Puris, to remain at the forefront of the plant-based protein revolution by meeting the growing demand for great tasting, sustainable and label-friendly pea protein for both current and prospective customers in North America and across the world," said Mike Wagner, managing director for Cargill's starches, sweeteners and texturizers business in North America, in a statement.
