b'feedback was immediate and eye-opening.Chefs werent just talking about flavour.THE PLANT PROTEIN They cared about shape, wall thickness, waste,MARKET AT A GLANCEand cooking consistencytraits tied directly to the plants phenotype. Selman realized$1B+ breeders were asking the wrong questions. Value of Canadas plant-based protein industryThat insight led to the creation of theTOPSnack foods, dairy alternatives, Culinary Breeding Network initiative thatMARKETS fortified beverages, pet foodorganizes outreach opportunities for breedersGROWTHYounger consumers cutting back like the Variety Showcase, an annual event thatDRIVER on meat consumptionnow draws 800 peoplebreeders, farmers,GENETICBreeding peas with higher protein, chefs and consumersto taste experimentalFRONTIER better amino acid balance, and crops and give feedback.stronger agronomicsThe Showcase has become a crucible for innovation, where breeding lines are judged not just in research stations, but on the plate. And in a food system dominated by supply-chain efficiency, thats nothing short of revolutionary. WHY FLAVOUR MATTERSReinventing the Spear: Asparagus Meets the Modern Era CONSUMERYounger consumers link flavour In Ontario, asparagus breeder Cindy Rouet isPULL with authenticity and qualityfacing a different challenge: time. Asparagus isMARKETChefs and processors demand perennial, which meansREALITY consistency in prep and Irene Matys is an Ontario-basedit can take up to 20cookingfarm-to-table advocate with a loveyears from the momentMost programs still prioritize for asparagus. BREEDING she makes a cross to theBLIND SPOT yield over tastemoment a new varietyOPPORTUNITY Flavour-driven breeding can hits the market. Thatdifferentiate crops in crowded forces breeders to antici- marketspate consumer and farmerSee more onneeds decades ahead. Seed World 360!At Fox Seeds, Rouet is retooling the pipeline to meet modern demands: drought tolerance, disease resistance,5,000 YEARS OF HISTORY: and even robot-friendly architecture to copeAN ASPARAGUS TIMELINEwith labour shortages. Is robotization the next opportunity in asparagus? If so, we need toANCIENTAsparagus prized as a delicacy start breeding for it now, she says. EGYPT for temples and feastsFlavour, long an afterthought in greenANCIENTSpecial fleets built to rush fresh asparagus, is back on the agenda. How do weROME asparagus across the sea to the understand consumer liking of asparagus? Howemperors tabledo we bring that into breeding? Rouet asks. MIDDLEGrown in monastery gardens, The payoff is already visible. FarmersAGES reserved for elitesare working with varieties that deliver more uniform spears and extended harvest windows.16 THCENTURYAdopted in France and Italy as a Farm-to-table advocates like Irene Matys, anEUROPE culinary stapleOntario-based food stylist and recipe devel- MODERNAdapted to short, intense Cindy Rouet, asparagus breederoper, say those traits make asparagus easier toCANADA growing seasons; now a testbed for Ontarios Fox Seeds. prep, more consistent on the plate, and morefor breeding innovationsustainable in the field.When asparagus holds its texture, sweet-ness and colour while supporting growers in a changing climatethats the dream collabora-tion between field and kitchen, Matys says. 20 SEEDWORLD.COM/CANADA NOVEMBER 2025'