Manitoba Chamber of Commerce
Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/70344
CENTRAL CARMAN & COMMUNITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CHAMBRE DE COMMERCE DE NOTRE-DAME MACGREGOR & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OAKVILLE & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Photo credits: Darcy Finley Inset: More peas, please: Sisters Trudy Heal (left) and Margaret Hughes are giving pulses a high profile. to commercial bakeries, packing businesses and the meat processing industry," she says. Food manufacturers can increase the nutritional value on labels by including pulses in their products, she adds. "The North American pet food industry is beginning to replace grain with pea bran because it is non-allergenic, while livestock feed producers are including more pulses to increase product nutrition." Hughes adds that manufacturers who produce food for human consumption are interested in the company's pea flour because it's gluten-free, contains twice the protein and 50% more fiber than wheat flour and is also allergen-free. "We've also introduced a roasted veggie snack called Yumpeez available in barbecue and dill pickle flavours. The snack is an organic, yellow split pea product with all the health benefits associated with pulses," she says. Hughes says the provincial government gets full marks for supporting the food processing industry through organizations such as the Manitoba Agriculture Health Research Network, the Manitoba Food Processors and the Manitoba Food Development Centre in Portage, where Yumpeez was developed. >> TREHERNE & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NEW & NOTEWORTHY >> St. Claude Community Development Corporation (CDC) Health Committee has partnered with the province to build a $2.1 million primary care clinic and wellness centre. The province kicked in $900,000 for the facility, and St. Claude CDC raised funds to cover remaining costs. The centre will serve St. Claude, Haywood and the RMs of Dufferin and South Norfolk in the Southern Regional Health Authority region. It will offer services in French and English and house a community fitness room. >> Following a $7.7 million, 18,000 sq. ft. expansion, the Food Development Centre (FDC) in Portage la Prairie has installed new equipment and increased capacity to help small and medium-size companies develop and commercialize new food products. Bothwell Cheese and Granny's Turkey Breast are among the FDC's success stories. www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/fdc MBiz June 2012 29 CENTRAL