Foodstuffs South Island has entered into a partnership with Canterbury based company Leaft Foods to trial a new plant derived protein in bakery products.

The agreement will see Foodstuffs South Island bakery teams work with Leaft Foods to test the use of Leaf Rubisco Protein as an alternative to egg protein in items such as cakes and muffins.

Leaft Foods has recently begun commercial production of the ingredient, which is extracted from alfalfa grown in Springston, Canterbury.

The protein is non GMO and non allergenic, and is derived directly from green leaves.

Foodstuffs South Island Bakery Operations Manager Daniel Te Raki said the innovation stood out because of its local origins and potential application in everyday products.

“It is great to see local innovation with the potential to change how some baked goods are made here,” Te Raki said.

He said the trial could help diversify ingredient supply while giving customers more choice.

The ingredient is being explored as a possible substitute for egg protein, which could help reduce pressure on egg supply and costs without affecting taste or texture.

Leaft Foods chief executive Ross Milne said the partnership helped strengthen the commercial case for the ingredient, following previous Government investment in sustainable food production.

“This agreement supports what we have seen in terms of Rubisco’s performance in baking,” Milne said.

He said the protein’s properties allowed it to behave in a similar way to eggs in baked goods, including its ability to bind and stabilise mixtures.

Leaft Foods said the protein also had sustainability benefits, with a lower carbon footprint compared with conventional animal based proteins, and could provide farmers with additional options for how they use their land.

Foodstuffs South Island is a New Zealand owned co operative operating more than 200 stores across the South Island under a range of supermarket brands.

The trial will assess whether the ingredient can be used at scale in bakery products sold through Foodstuffs stores.