Ready-to-drink sports beverages, plant-based dairy and protein-packed sodas are exploding in popularity, but CPG companies still face a sensory setback of off-notes associated with pea proteins.
The issue has prompted Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) to advance its two-pillared strategy: “Reinforce and Integrate.”
Known for its 175-year-old history in bulk agricultural commodities, such as grains, sugar, coffee and cotton, the company opened one of North America’s largest pea processing plants this summer, with a focus on high-end pea protein isolate as part of its strategy of integrating value-added downstream products.
Pea protein isolate set for growth
The growth is logical, considering the sector’s projected compound annual growth rate of 12.51% globally over the next eight years, according to Fortune Business Insights. The global industry reached $815 million in 2026 and is estimated to grow to nearly $2.1 billion by 2034.
The report noted that pea protein isolates (PPI) and concentrates (PPC) are expected to grow significantly over the next several years “due to its fast-gaining popularity among varying end-users, including vegans, vegetarians and people allergic to egg and dairy proteins.”
PPI and PPC are derived from green and yellow split peas; they are hypoallergenic and free of cholesterol, fat and gluten, according to Fortune Business Insights.
“Furthermore, these peas have an appetite suppressing effect which can delay emptying of the stomach, reduce glucose absorption and facilitate the release of appetite regulating hormones,” the report noted. “Moreover, it helps convert fatty acids into energy, thereby reducing cholesterol levels in the body.”
Pea protein on display
Pea protein isolate’s wide range of applications was on display in mid-July at IFT FIRST in Chicago, where LDC featured creations such as Mango Peach Protein Soda, High-Protein Ready-to-Mix GLP-1 Lemon Shake, Plant-Based Milk with Pea Protein and Plant Sterols, among others.
Charles-Antoine Dubois, global head of plant proteins at Louis Dreyfus Company, said food manufacturers are trying to fill the consumer desire for high-quality foods with a clean, mild taste.
Manoj Kumar, vice president and chief technical officer for LDC’s plant proteins business, has been working for the last five years to develop the pea protein isolate the company now manufactures at its new large-scale facility that opened in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada, in July.
“It’s a new process in order to have a very clean taste and to address this demand for higher-quality pea protein for our customers, and to unlock some segments because in some segments today you cannot use pea protein because the products existing in the market are not good enough,” he said. “So now with this protein, it will be able to address some new segments.”
Pea protein isolate
LDC has its own proprietary method for developing pea protein isolates and concentrates, but the ingredient is known in the industry as having greater purity and functionality, relative to its non-isolate counterpart.
Nutrada, a digital marketplace for ingredient suppliers, explains that pea protein isolates and concentrates are “different grades of the same source material, separated by protein content and processing intensity.”
“Isolates contain 85–95% protein by dry weight; concentrates contain 50–70%,” according to Nutrada. “The difference is achieved through additional purification steps: typically membrane filtration, ion exchange or acid precipitation, that remove more fat, fiber, carbohydrates and anti-nutritional factors. For food manufacturers, the choice affects protein density, functional properties, taste, cost and label positioning.”
RTDs and snack bars
Dubois said LDC’s isolates are applicable to a wide range of products.
“Right now, the fastest-growing segment is the high-protein ready-to-drink and high-protein ready-to-mix type of products, as well as the snacks and snack bars segments,” he said.
Kumar noted that the market for high-protein drinks is driven in large part by the GLP-1 trend and subsequent muscle loss associated with the weight loss drugs.
LDC has designed specialty GLP-1 formulations to highlight the pea protein isolate’s capabilities. “We’re basically helping move towards that direction, so that people have a good companion product to go along with when they are on a GLP-1 regimen,” he said.
