In 1996, government announced the PEI Food Products Development Fund to assist small to medium-sized Island food processors to access the services of the PEI Food Technology Centre. Since that time, 81 development projects have been completed and 47 projects are in progress with a total value of $802,883.
The private sector initiated 90 projects for product development and systems which included processing of lobster, salmon, potatoes, fruit jams, mussels, sausages, pizzas, popcorn, herbs and many other food processing applications.
Industry associations initiated 26 projects including HACCP training and development in vegetable products.
The Food Tech Centre initiated 12 internal projects in strategic product development fields of generic benefit to the PEI industry, covering packaging, chemical analysis, and food safety issues.
The fund is often used as "seed money" to leverage significant projects with other funding agencies and enterprises. Important developments have been made possible as a result of the initial contribution of the food fund.
A good example of a fund-assisted project is packaging development for Tender Loving Corn Inc. By implementing new procedures and selecting new packaging film with improved sealing methods, FTC food scientists found ways for TLC to extend the shelf life of their popcorn. As a result, the company was able to expand its wholesale operation to supply product throughout the Maritimes and beyond. This has led to the construction of a new production facility located in Charlottetown which employs five full-time personnel and expects to increase to 24-hour a day production, seven days a week.
FTC staff have also been working with food processors to help them develop and implement quality and safety systems (QMP-R and FSEP) as well as product-specific HACCP plans. FTC specialists use a very hands-on approach, by working closely and in detail with the plants to ensure the systems become integrated into the operations of client companies.
The fund is administered by the Food Technology Centre and covers part of the cost to PEI food processors for development work carried out by food scientists and technicians at the Centre.
The contribution ceiling for applicants accessing the development fund is $10,000; however, many projects are funded in the range of $1,000 to $5,000. The average contribution per project to date amounts to $6,270. A breakdown of projects supported by the food fund illustrates the keen interest of PEI's food processing industry in the development of new and added value products and systems.
"The continuing growth of our value-added food sector continues to be an important part of this province's economic development strategy," said Mike Currie, Minister of Development and Technology. "Value-added food is a significant contributor to the growth of Island exports; it is encouraging to see so many companies interested in developing and expanding their product lines."
These investments in the PEI food processing industry provide for the strategic enhancement of the industry's efforts in continuing development and business expansion. The Prince Edward Island Food Technology Centre is a proud partner in this important feature of the economic development of the Province.