News

Agropur launches dairy innovation competition

10 Nov 2016

Canada’s Agropur Cooperative, in partnership with the Quartier de l’innovation de Montréal, AgBioCentre and NineSigma, launched Inno Challenge, an initiative to create new dairy products through open innovation.

In a recent announcement, Canada’s Agropur Cooperative, in partnership with the Quartier de l’innovation de Montréal, AgBioCentre and NineSigma, launched Inno Challenge, an initiative to create new dairy products through open innovation. This was said to be a Canadian first in agrifood innovation. Under the theme “Together, Let’s Reinvent Dairy!” a first call is going out across Canada and internationally to creative thinkers who will have until December 7, 2016, to submit their proposals for innovative dairy products.

“In launching this call, Agropur is reaffirming its leadership as an innovator in its sector and opening the doors to co-development,” said Robert Coallier, Agropur’s CEO. “We want to tap into the collective intelligence out there to help us stay at the cutting edge of dairy production and processing. This challenge will give creative types around the world an opportunity to make a meaningful, concrete contribution to the development of new products and innovative solutions.”

In addition to up to CAN$25,000 cash grant, the selected participants will get access to Agropur’s R&D capabilities to help them bring their innovative concept to the market-ready stage.

“This project also draws on Montreal’s creative ecosystem: the Quartier de l’innovation is a partner in the Challenge and will host the participants,” said Coallier.

“Innovation does not only occur in the realm of technology, as evidenced by this initiative, which will shed light on the many evolving paradigm shifts in a sector such as agrifood,” said Damien Silès, executive director of the Quartier de l’innovation. “The development of new dairy products together with Agropur, here in the heart of the Quartier de l’innovation, will undoubtedly establish Montreal as a key player in this constantly changing industry.”

Agropur’s “Together, Let’s Reinvent Dairy” Challenge seeks to identify impactful new innovations that expand, sustain and reinvigorate the use of dairy products and elevate dairy beyond a household staple. The selected participants will be announced in January 2017. Up to four projects will each receive a CAN$25,000 grant and access to Agropur’s innovation support resources. Agropur will work with them to co-develop the selected concepts and bring them to the prototype stage. The results of their efforts will be presented at Agropur’s Inno Expo in April 2017.