Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 2

The company ''VIVACO groupe coopératif'' (Vivaco) was established in 2015 at Victoriaville (QC, Canada) following the fusion of La Coop des Appalaches and La Coop des Bois-Francs. Vivaco operates in five main sectors: renovation centers, convenience stores, agricultural and construction machinery, animal and vegetable production including milling and grain services and finally grocery. Among the activities of the enterprise, the production of organic food is a strategic sector. Furthermore, Vivaco is interested in the extraction of high value-added compounds from residual waste, such as cranberry leaves, under mild operating condition. It is reported that cranberry leaves contain polyphenols at high quantity. The operating conditions of extraction will be optimised, and the purification of polyphenols will be developed to obtain formulations which can be used in sectors such as animal feed, health care and beverages. And finally, in the frame of this project a techno-economic analysis will be performed to determine if the valorisation of cranberry leaves is feasible.The project focuses on the zero waste concept, by exploring the valorization of agri-food biomasses. In addition, this project will help to develop green chemistry and to valorize residual biomass which is commonly sent to compost or landfills.