The agri-food cooperative and the manufacturer of products based on vegetable protein are promoting a facility specialising in the extraction of protein concentrate in the town of Caparroso. The project has been operational since the second quarter of this year and has involved an investment of approximately 10 million euros so far. With it, those responsible intend to fulfil a dual purpose. On the one hand, to fill an existing gap in the alternative protein value chain in Spain. On the other hand, to respond to the demands of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) related to soil regeneration.
The AN Group’s farmers will thus be able to comply with the new European regulations, as it will allow them to rotate alternative crops such as yellow peas and broad beans. These favour soil fertility while offering them a solution to enhance the value of their crops through a dry extraction technology already patented by Sanygram in 2021.
However, the collaboration on this project goes beyond this, as the manufacturer of products based on vegetable protein will be in charge of the global distribution of the concentrates generated in Caparroso. At the same time, it will propose, on the basis of this product, a valid alternative to soya protein which, according to its promoters, could be more sustainable and with much better prices than those currently available on the market.
To this end, the AN Group and Sanygram are committed to collaborating in R&D&I projects such as “Alissec” and “Hidropep”, focused on optimising the raw materials used for protein extraction. In that sense, these last two programmes are part of the line of research promoted by the Agri-Food Cluster of Navarre (NAGRIFOOD) and described by the Government of Navarre as “strategic” for the region in the field of personalised and sustainable food.
Source: Alimarket