A healthy chickpea-based spread with yes, peas!
Yes, Peas! is a Toronto-based company that was created from a need for more healthy, delicious tasting, high protein, high fiber, allergy-friendly snacks for the whole family to enjoy.
Learn about the project below.
Project Essentials
- Principal Investigators: Bruna Nastaro
- Years Active: 2021
- Research Area: Food & Beverage
The Challenge
Yes, Peas! came to the FIRSt team to develop sweetened chickpea spreads for three new products, including Original, Chocolate, and Maple Cinnamon. Chickpeas are rich in protein and fiber, a good source of iron and are free from common allergens, making them school-safe. Distinct from hummus, Yes, Peas! wanted their chickpea spreads to have a similar texture, consistency, and use as other peanut butter or nut free spreads in the market. There were also chemical differences involved in using chickpeas versus nuts.
The GBC Solution
PI Bruna Nastaro began by looking at competitor products, samples, and recipes to under-stand the company’s target texture and sweetness level. The FIRSt team then developed one base formula for an original flavoured chickpea spread through iterative prototyping. Building on the base formula for the original flavoured chickpea spread, FIRSt then further developed two additional chickpea spreads, one for chocolate and maple cinnamon.
The Result
FIRSt delivered three scalable formulas for chickpea spreads: Original, Chocolate, and Maple Cinnamon. Using a careful blend of ingredients, FIRSt was able to get a saturated fat level closer to what is seen in peanut oil. The development of three finalized and scalable formulations allows the company to manufacture the products on a large scale. The product success-fully launched, selling online and at larger Canadian grocery retail stores, including Shoppers Drug Mart, Sobeys, Loblaw, Fiesta Farms, Gardens Food, Marche Leo’s Market, Bruno’s Fine Foods, and Evergreen Natural Foods.
