Canada’s food and biotech island just got bigger with Chinova Bioworks’ new manufacturing space in PEI’s bioscience manufacturing incubator.

CHARLOTTETOWN, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, Sept. 1, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —Today, Chinova Bioworks (Chinova), a Canadian-based natural ingredients company, expands its manufacturing space within its Bioscience Manufacturing Incubator (BMI) By doing so, we reached a turning point. PEI. This milestone is made possible through his partnership with BMI’s operator, the PEI BioAlliance.

Chinova chose to move manufacturing to BMI because of the state-of-the-art building’s focus on sustainability and energy efficiency. The new space will increase Chinova’s production from pilot scale to 20 times his current capacity level, with plans to expand PEI’s operational team. The Government of Canada, through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), has made a reimbursable donation of $250,000 for the purchase of manufacturing equipment to help Chinova meet the new production levels available within the Bioscience Manufacturing Incubator. provided. The additional staff and manufacturing capacity will allow the company to expand its client base into a larger business and leave a noticeable footprint in reducing food waste.

BMI is a newly constructed 20,000 square foot facility operated by the PEI BioAlliance, a private sector-led non-profit organization dedicated to growing the bioscience industry on Prince Edward Island. BMI is designed to help start-ups move from pilot scale to full production levels while meeting the stringent regulatory standards required to produce natural products.

Up until this point, Chinova Bioworks was fortunate enough to work at the BioFoodTech facility in Charlottetown. BioFoodTech is his 30-year history of providing professional technical services to the food and bioprocess industries. The food-grade space allowed Chinova to meet early production goals while still being in his GMP environment. Chinova’s success highlights the importance of expanding space before moving to BMI.

Co-founders Natasha Dayagde and David Brown met in 2015 at the Entrepreneurship Assistance and Incubator Center in Fredericton, New Brunswick. There they found a common interest in science and mushroom research. In 2016, Chinova Bioworks was founded. Its core values ​​are sustainable sourcing and finding innovative ways to reduce food waste through food preservation.

Turning to nature, the company has developed a natural and sustainable alternative to artificial preservatives with a white button mushroom extract called Chiber™. Chinova has entered the food preservation market with his Chiber™, a natural clean label preservative that improves the quality, freshness and shelf life of food and beverage products, increases consumer satisfaction and reduces food waste. Became a creative destroyer.

Over the years, Chinova has formed strategic partnerships with government agencies and investors to help them achieve their expansion goals. These agencies are PEI BioAlliance, Emergence, BioFoodTech, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Innovation PEI, Natural Products Canada, National Research Council of Canada (NRC), and Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC). These investors are DSM Venturing, Rhapsody Venture Partners and Rich Products Ventures.

Quote:
“Chinova Bioworks is proud to be part of Canada’s Food and Biotech Island at PEI. As an ingredient supplier, we are able to expand our workforce and technology within the natural products industry.”
– Natasha Dhayagude, CEO and co-founder of Chinova Bioworks

“The new space within BMI will increase our headcount and increase our production capacity by 20 times. .”
– David Brown, COO and Co-Founder, Chinova Bioworks

“Atlantic Canada’s investments in the growing bioscience sector are creating new opportunities for skilled employment, forward-looking companies and regional collaborations. It is exciting to see the many innovative ideas that are taking the stage, and we are proud that the Government of Canada continues to support Prince Edward Island’s world-class bioscience research and incubator infrastructure. ”
– On behalf of Sean Casey, Member of Parliament for Charlottetown, Honorable Jeanette Petipas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages ​​and Minister of State for ACOA

“Our state’s bioscience industry is growing tremendously every day. Chinova is a perfect example of a company that has grown from concept to production here on Prince Edward Island. We look forward to our continued relationship with Chinova as we develop more innovative products.”
– Bryce Thompson, Minister for Economic Growth, Tourism and Culture

“Today’s formal opening of Chinova’s new manufacturing facility is the culmination of a high degree of collaboration among key partners within Atlantic Canada’s bioscience ecosystem. We look forward to continuing to support Chinova Bioworks as we continue to grow and meet the growing demand for our products.”
– Dr. Jason Cleaversmith, Executive Director of Infrastructure and Incubation, PEI BioAlliance

“Chinova’s plant-based food preservatives are a great example of how more sustainable food production can improve human health and deliver environmental benefits. Congratulations to the team at Chinova Bioworks on opening their new manufacturing facility in Charlottetown.”
– SDTC President and CEO Leah Lawrence

A quick fact:

• Chinova is a semi-finalist Food waste reduction challenge For the flow of new technology through Canadian agriculture and agrifood.
• Chinova has received FDA GRAS for the natural preservative Chiber™.
• The company received $6 million (USD) in Series A funding.
• Chinova recently won NutraIngredients-USA Awards In the Startup category and Best Exporter of the Year Award (export turnover less than $5 million) Opportunity NB (ONB)

partner

PEI Bioalliance
Emergence Bioscience Business Incubator
bio food tech
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
Innovation PEI
Natural Products Canada
National Research Council of Canada
Sustainable Development Technology Canada

About Chinova Bioworks:
Chinova Bioworks was founded in 2016 with a mission to use nature to protect and reduce food waste. The company developed a natural fiber extract from the stem of the white button his mushroom to create a stable, broad-spectrum preservative ingredient that protects products from spoilage by yeast, mold, and harmful bacteria. Their ingredients are natural, wholesome and blend seamlessly into a variety of foods and beverages during processing. This technology enables manufacturers and lab operators to improve the quality, freshness and shelf life of their finished products, resulting in reduced food waste while reducing consumption versus using natural, clean-labeled ingredients. improve customer satisfaction. The company has made her $10 million investment in a team that represents her 90% of women in the STEM field.

Through sustainable practices and upcycling, Chinova plays a key role in making the food and beverage industry happier, healthier and better for the environment.

visit www.chinovabioworks.com for more information.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/68b5990a-fdd7-4070-b4f1-97e31b3356af.

CBJ Newsmaker