Alternative proteins are forecast to capture 10 per cent of global meat consumption in the next decade.
As consumer behaviours change, Australia has an opportunity to shift its protein supply mix, and value-added products made from plant protein to be a key player in global markets.
Lupin is a legume – a 100 per cent plant-based staple food, uniquely high in protein. It is recognised as one of today’s best superfoods, ranking high in the list with quinoa and chickpeas. It is also high in fibre, low in carbohydrates, and packed with vitamins and minerals. Favoured by plant-based, vegan, coeliac, fitness and keto dieters, it is free from gluten, GMO and anything artificial.
The Lupin Co. has harnessed this powerful plant-based alternative protein, creating lupin flakes, flour and other products. It was the first to launch lupin flakes to the Australian market, pioneering a way to make them more versatile for a wide range of products – from cereals, crumbing, and baking to salads, snacks, pasta, and dips.
From farm to fork, it is a vertically integrated company including sweet lupin farms, a bespoke lupin manufacturing and packing facility near Perth, WA, and distributes a range of consumer, retail, foodservice and commercial-scale products globally.
Its products can be found across Australia, and are exported to Singapore, Malaysia, UAE, Bahrain, Philippines, United Kingdom, Vietnam, South Korea, and the USA.
With global trends moving towards high protein, low carbohydrate and high dietary fibre diets, The Lupin Co.’s founders identified an opportunity to develop a range of products using Lupin flakes. The key obstacle was the development of the physical capability to produce a Lupin flake product that was easier to use than Lupin flour. The Lupin Co. invested in significant research and development, collaborating with FIAL and others to develop the capabilities to produce Lupin flakes.
Scientific research revealed its unique properties, making it more marketable. It is 40 per cent protein, with one of the world’s richest combined sources of protein and fibre. It has three times more protein than quinoa, more dietary fibre than oats, more potassium than bananas, and more iron than kale.
Today, the Lupin Co. delivers unrivalled industry expertise spanning food science, R&D, technology, sustainable farming, manufacturing innovations, marketing and strategic business leadership.
With Western Australia growing almost 90 per cent of the world’s sweet lupin supply, the opportunity for Australia in this alternative protein space is considerable.
This case study is from FIAL's 2022 edition of Celebrating Australian Food and Agribusiness Innovations 2022
