Australian Plant Proteins to expand into South Australia with $378m manufacturing project

Australian Plant Proteins will build a new site in SA after the Victorian Government did not contribute any funding to their expansion plans.

A commercial scale pulse protein extraction facility will be built in South Australia after the Victorian Government did not contribute any funding to the $378m development.

Australian Plant Proteins will expand their existing operation into South Australia after combining funds with the Federal Government and SA Government and entering into a consortium with Thomas Foods International and the Australian Milling Group.

The company supply plant protein sourced from pulses to food companies to make vegan and non-vegan foods such as protein supplements and plant-based meats like burgers and sausages.

APP opened the doors to their first manufacturing site, near Horsham, in October 2020, currently employing 45 people and processing 6000 tonnes of plant protein per year across a 24/7 schedule.

It is estimated the newly announced APP development will create 1345 construction jobs, 384 new direct manufacturing jobs by 2024 and eventually support more than 8,500 new full-time positions in the supply chain and economy by 2034.

Australian Plant Proteins co-founder and director Brendan McKeegan said it was an eager South Australian Government which secured the deal.

“We are looking at creating a much larger facility and this has been fast-tracked by the SA and Federal Government’s support,” he said.

The Australian Plant Proteins manufacturing facility in Horsham.

“We are delighted to be a part of it. Setting up a site in South Australia gives us access to primary producers of lentils, faba beans and other pulses.”

APP will receive $113 million of funding from the Federal Government via the Collaboration Stream of the $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative and a $65 million contribution from the South Australian Government.

At capacity it is estimated the planned South Australian site will produce 25,000 tonnes of pulse protein yearly, generating up to $4 billion in exports by 2032, including to the US, South-East Asia and Europe.

Leader of the Victorian Nationals and Deputy Leader of the Opposition Peter Walsh said he was disappointed to see thousands of regional jobs secured by another state.

“The Victorian Labor Government was given every opportunity to support the expansion of Australian Plant Protein’s Horsham-based operations, but deliberately ignored the call,” he said.

“The company was crying out for Government support when I visited the Horsham facility back in May 2020. They were looking at their options, with a clear preference to remain in Victoria.”

A Victorian Government spokeswoman said the state government are currently working with APP and their expansion plans in the state.

“The Victorian Government has supported the growth of Australian Plant Proteins: in 2020 the company received a grant under our Agriculture Workforce Plan for staff training and development, which created new jobs,” they said.

APP is currently increasing their Horsham manufacturing site capacity to 70 employees, with

the support of the Victorian Government.