Global food giant Nestle has entered into a joint development agreement with a firm building a pea and canola protein production facility in Manitoba.

Merit Functional Foods is spending $65 million on the plant to be built in Centreport.

Merit and its technology partner, Burcon NutraScience, say they will work with Nestle to tailor the proteins that will be produced at the facility for use in meat and dairy alternatives.

Ryan Bracken, Merit's co-CEO, says the plant-based protein movement is growing rapidly due to consumer demand.