Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 2

In Atlantic Canada, the lobster industry continues to be a backbone of rural communities. Approximately 25,000 people were employed on fishing boats and a further 10,000 in processing facilities in the region. A healthy fishing industry is directly related to the prosperity of these rural communities. Over the past few years, the state of the industry has deteriorated based on several challenges. Marketing Atlantic lobster in new and creative ways continues to be an on-going challenge for processors in Atlantic Canada. Canada's Smartest Kitchen (CSK), the research and development arm of Holland College's Culinary Institute of Canada, has been actively collaborating with Gourmet Chef Packers (GCP) of New Brunswick on several innovative new products based on their state of the art ultra-high pressurized meat extraction technology and processes. This proposed three year project would look to expand on the current relationship between CSK and GCP by exploring the potential value of creating new products such as lobster oil, burgers and nuggets from GCPs current waste and undervalued product streams as well as developing new valued added food products from lobster, crab, scallop, oyster and mussel using the ultra-high pressure meat extraction technology currently used in processing. Utilizing waste streams and undervalued components to create new value added products has become very important in the seafood processing industry due to shrinking profit margins. Rather than be an expense for the company to dispose of the undervalued products and waste, revenue can be generated from these innovative, delicious products. It is anticipated that through this three year partnership that fifteen new market ready SKUs will be created and developed for GCP.