May 11, 2016 – DUBAI – The Global Pulse Confederation (GPC) has welcomed Pulse Canada as a sponsor of the GPC’s International Year of Pulses (IYOP) campaign in 2016. Pulse Canada has committed $1.2 million in staff support and fiscal contributions toward the activities that GPC and its partners are organizing to promote pulses around the world.
“Pulses will play an important role in improving the health of people in both developed and developing countries.” said Gordon Bacon, CEO of Pulse Canada. “A partnership with the GPC makes sense for farmers in Canada and for the Canadian trade.”
In December of 2013 the UN General Assembly declared the year 2016 as International Year of Pulses. The GPC is leading the pulse sector industry to organize a wide range of events and projects in celebration of the IYOP.
Pulse Canada team is donating their time and resources to co-ordinate various activities for the International Year, including a major event at the New York Academy of Sciences on November 19, 2015 that will help to kick off the year. Nutritionist from all over the world will gather at the Sackler Institute in New York to focus on the benefits of pulses to a healthy diet and set a new global agenda for pulse nutrition.
More importantly, Pulse Canada is leading and co-funding the development of brand for pulses that will be launched for 2016. The creative elements of this project have been commissioned to the internationally renowned ad agency Leo Burnett, who also undertook a series of marketing researches and concept testing evaluations. Once the pulse brand is ready, Pulse Canada and partners are planning to roll out a consumer-facing campaign in the USA and Canada to make pulses a part of consumers’ daily diets.
“The brand will focus on core values of pulse contributions to nutrition, health and sustainability.” said Gordon Bacon. “We see a bright future for pulses in a wide range of foods.”
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Contact for further information:
Gavin Gibson, Executive Director Global Pulse Confederation: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Courtney Hirota, Director of Marketing & Communications, Pulse Canada, (204) 925-3782,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Paulina Ceballos, Global Pulse Confederation secretariat for International Year of Pulses
About Pulse Canada
Pulse Canada is the national association representing growers, traders and processors of Canadian pulse crops. Canada is the world’s largest supplier of pulses, with annual exports reaching more than 150 countries.
About GPC
The Global Pulse Confederation is the not for profit peak body for the whole global pulses industry value chain. As the sole international confederation for the industry it enjoys membership from 18 national associations (federations) and over 600 private sector members in an industry worth over $100 Billion at the retail level and over 60 million tonnes in pulse production and distribution in over 55 countries.