Lovingly Made Ingredients, a subsidiary of the UK based company Meatless Farm, has set-up shop in the Stonegate Industrial Park in Calgary. Their first of its kind, the 33,000 square foot facility produces textured plant-based proteins and starches that are used as an alternative protein in vegan and plant-based meats.
It’s no secret that Albertans love their beef, and Calgary is directly in the heartland of the Canadian ranching frontier, so why would an alternative protein company choose “Cow-Town” for the location of its newest processing plant? The answer is simple really. Peas.
Lovingly Made uses protein concentrates, fibres, and starches from yellow peas to create their products. Canada is a world leader in the production of field peas and Alberta is a significant pea producing province in Canada. Lovingly Made chose the city of Calgary based on its fantastic distribution network and central location.
During the construction of their Stonegate processing facility, Lovingly Made reached out to Kristian to provide a crucial addition to their first processing line.
When the raw plant material arrives at the facility, it is delivered in bulk bags that can easily weigh upwards of 1000kgs each. These bags need to be lifted and placed above the repository so they can be emptied into the ingredient transfer system.
Firstly, Kristian supplied and installed two 1500kg Coffing JLC electric chain hoists, armed with 15’ of lift, to the existing frame above the hoppers. The Coffing JLC electric chain hoist is built for heavy-duty demands with a multiple disc motor brake, overload clutch, and H4 duty rating. With a line capacity of producing 4500 tonnes of protein per year, Kristian determined the JLC was the obvious hoist choice for this application.
Secondly, each hoist was fitted with a below-the-hook attachment called a bulk container lifting beam. These 36” lifting beams are constructed of smooth tubing, ensuring no sharp edges, and a low-headroom design constructed specifically for factory processes.
The bulk bag corner straps are then connected to the four endpoints of the beam, allowing for a safe and even lift above the hoppers.
As of 2021, Lovingly Made Ingredients already has room to expand their facility with several more production lines in the works. With the plant-based meat alternative market expected to be worth 140 billion dollars by 2029, growing their Calgary presence is definitely not a pea-brained idea.
Welcome to Calgary, Lovingly Made!