The Current "Lentil King" wants Canadian businesses to think bigger
Nov 24, 2025
Murad al-Katib, known as the 'Lentil King,' is the CEO of AGT Foods, which transformed from a basement startup to a $3B global pulse enterprise. He discusses the disruption of trade by tariffs and the urgency for Canadian businesses to diversify their markets beyond the U.S. Murad emphasizes the need for value-added agriculture and shares insights on investing in gateways to access emerging markets. He also reflects on the moral complexities of trading with non-democracies and advocates for infrastructure improvements to support Canadian agriculture.
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Complacency Created Concentration Risk
- Canada relied too heavily on easy access to the U.S., creating dangerous concentration risk in trade.
- Murad Al-Katib argues diversifying markets is essential to make the economy resilient and sustainable.
Invest In Emerging Markets Now
- Seek sustained presence in emerging markets rather than one-off trade deals.
- Invest early to secure market access and stay vigilant even if near-term U.S. issues are resolved.
From Basement Startup To Global Pulses Firm
- Murad quit his government job to start a lentil business while his wife was pregnant with twins.
- He scaled it into a global company by focusing on pulses' soil benefits and rising protein demand abroad.