50 Canadian FoodTech Resources – GreenCentre Canada

Welcome to YODL! In addition to daily original content, YODL helps CFIN Members find new partners , resources , and funding opportunities to grow their food business. Learn more about this growing community and become a CFIN Member (for free!) today . Canada has an extensive range of research centres, food incubators, accelerators and labs supporting food and beverage innovation through the research they do and/or the services they offer. Each week throughout 2023, we ’re highlighting an organization that’s supporting food innovation in Canada. Name: GreenCentre Canada Location: Kingston, ON Mission: To support the growth of chemical and materials startups, small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and multinationals by transforming their innovations into value-added products, processes and services. Focus: The centre supports early-stage technology development efforts for entrepreneurs, and collaborates with industry to create customized and innovation solutions across the development chain. Services: GreenCentre o ffers services in o rganic synthesis , o rganometallic synthesis including handling pyrophoric materials , p olymer and materials synthesis , e lectronic materials , f ermentation downstream processing , c oatings, surfactants and formulations , w ater treatment , b io-based products , and r esource recovery and value from waste . The centre has 5 , 000 -sq.-ft of state-of- the-art lab facilitie s in Kingston, ON and the Greater Toronto Area , featuring process and analytical equipment. Programs include the CONNECT Program to help SMEs accelerate the commercialization of new products and services for the bioproducts market , and the CONNECT-ON Program to help SMEs in Southern Ontario bring products and services to market related to the circular economy. What you need to know: GreenCentre has access to a range of additional analytical and process equipment through its external networks. Notable News: In 2022 t he centre received $2.5 million in funding from the federal government to launch its Advance-ON program. Through the program, GreenCentre support s entrepreneurs developing sustainable chemical and advanced materials technologies in areas such as energy and fuels, resource recovery, water treatment and consumer products from renewable sources. Get Involved: Contact GreenCentre at info@greencentrecanada.com or ( 613 ) 507 - 4700 , or reach out to our Regional Innovation Director for Ontario, Linda Fox .

Community ManagerDec 20, 2023

#AskLavina - December 2023

Welcome to YODL! In addition to daily original content, YODL helps CFIN Members find new partners , resources , and funding opportunities to grow their food business. Learn more about this growing community and become a CFIN Member (for free!) today . In addition to being CFIN’s Regional Innovation Director for BC and Yukon, Lavina Gully is a food scientist and product developer with almost two decades of experience helping food and beverage companies innovate. In this series, Lavina answers questions from CFIN members on everything from product development, R&D, manufacturing best practices, and co-packing – just to name a few! If you have questions for Lavina, you can reach out to her directly and we can answer your question in next month’s mailbag. This month , Lavina answers your questions about working with an out-of-province co-packer, and the benefits of food incubators. Q: We’re expanding our product line, and have decided to use a co-packer, but the ones we are interested in are outside of our region. Do you have any tips for using a remote co-packer ? A: Using a co-packer outside of your province or region adds an extra layer of complexity to your supply chain. But that doesn’t mean it can’t work – it just requires more planning to minimiz e potential risks and challenges. Before making a decision to work with a new co-packer, if possible visit their facilities to assess their capabilities, quality control measures, and overall suitability for your products , and to ensure that they comply with all legal and regulatory requirements in both your region the one where the co-packer is located . Once you agree to work together, d evelop comprehensive contractual agreements that outline all terms, responsibilities, quality standards, delivery schedules, and any other details. At this point it’s vital to e stablish clear lines of communication with the co-packer , and to make sure that both parties are on the same page regarding expectations, specifications, and any potential challenges. That includes clear strategies and goals for quality assurance , logistics and shipping requirements , ke y performance indicators (KPIs) , and contingency plans for unexpected events such as supply chain disruptions or changes in regulations. Despite the di stance , it’s important to maintain a strong working relationship with your co-packer , so use tools such as Zoom or project management software to receive regular updates and keep on top of expectations . Make sure that inspections , audits and product testing are carried out regularly, and consider hi ring a third-party inspector if needed. It’s also necessary to stay informed about changes in regulations or market conditions in the region where your co-packer is located . You may want to work with other local partners in that region to support your operations . Finally, keep in mind that fostering a collaborative approach with your co-packer is the best way to address any challenges if and when they arise, and to help continuously improve the process . Q: I operate a startup and want to know more about how food incubators with shared facilities can help with production and scaleup . Is it necessary to work with an incubator? A: Food incubators and accelerators with shared facilities can be valuable resources for food industry startups, providing a range of benefits that can assist in production and scaleup. With its shared infrastructure, kitchen spaces, equipment and facilities, incubators can help startups access high-quality equipment without having to purchase their own, while significantly cutting overhead costs such as water, electricity, and waste management . The experts at incubators can offer networking and mentorship opportunities, and provide services on regulation compliance, labelling, market access through different distribution channels, product testing, and business development . Being part of an incubat or also fosters a supportive community, giving entrepreneurs access t o a network of innovators , industry experts, and potential collaborators . While food incubators offer numerous advantages, it ’ s not mandatory for every startup to use one . Instead, t he decision to join an incubator should be based on a careful assessment of your company needs, goals, and resources. C onsider , for example, the costs against the benefits offered. In some cases, the cost of membership may outweigh the advantages, especially if you have already secured funding for your own facilities. And s ome entrepreneurs prefer to maintain full control over their production processes and business operations , meaning shared facilities may not be the best solution. Producing out of a shared use facility might also impact customers , such as g rocery stores. I’ve heard that some grocery stores may not be open to your product if they know it ’ s made in a shared facility due to worry about things like allergens , cross contamination and food safety , s o just to keep that in mind as well. Consider as well whether the incubator aligns with the specific needs and goals of your company . There are a multitude of research centres and food incubators a vailable to Canadian food entrepreneurs, and some may offer more relevant resources and support than others , so do your research before making a commitment .

Community ManagerDec 19, 2023

IN 30: Roundup of AI Articles

Sometimes, all it takes is 30 minutes to learn the ins and outs of new food technologies and trends that are transforming the food and beverage industry. In this series, we dig into a food innovation topic and link you to content and resources so you can become a master on the topic in 30 minutes (or less!). Artificial Intelligence (AI) is affecting all aspects of the Canadian food and beverage industry . This week we’re recapping the original content posted on YODL on the topic in 2023. AI + Food – A&L Canada Laboratories In the series AI + Food we looked at Canadian food, beverage and foodtech companies using AI to solve a wide variety of challenges . In this installment we highlight London, ON-based A&L Canada Laboratories , which offers soil, plant tissue, feed, fertilizer and water analysis for the agriculture, environmental, food and pharma ( cannabis) industries. AI + Food – BetterC a rt Analytics Saskatoon, SK-based BetterCart Analytics offers real-time, hyper-local price analytics and competitive intelligence to independent grocers, CPG manufacturers, and food and beverage processors . AI + Food – Canvass AI Canvass Analytics Inc. is an industrial AI software developer based in Toronto, ON. AI + Food – Gastronomous Technologies Oakville, ON-based Gastronomous Technologies creates smart commercial kitchens using automation, interconnected robotics and software to solve foodservice challenges . AI + Food – Moosehead Breweries Moosehead Breweries , Canada’s oldest independent beer company, sells a wide range of brands throughout Canada and the U.S., and in 15 countries worldwide. AI + Food – Mycionics Putnam, ON-based Mycionics has developed a fully automated mushroom harvesting system using novel advanced robotics and automation. AI + Food – Savormetrics Mississauga, ON-based Savormetrics offers real- time biophysical and biochemical quality analysis through FoodSafe Analyzers, a fully integrated food quality analysis tool. AI + Food – ThisFish Inc. Vancouver, BC-based ThisFish Inc. provides TallyVision , an AI solution for seafood traceability and production workflows designed to boost business efficiency, transparency and compliance in seafood supply chains. AI + Food – Unilever Unilever is a multinational consumer packaged goods company that uses AI for a variety of reasons. AI + Food – xpertSea Quebec City, QC-based xpertSea uses data and technology to bring trust, transparency and productivity to aquaculture, and incentivize sustainable production. AI, Foodtech and Talent: Reskilling workers A new global study by the IBM Institute for Business Value, Augmented work for an automated, AI-driven world, reveals that advancements in artificial intelligence are upending traditional business models and transforming the workplace. Company Profile – Cronometer Software Revelstoke, BC-based Cronometer Software Inc. received funding from CFIN for a project titled AI Food Suggestions. EXPLAINED: Artificial Intelligence (AI) AI is an integral part of Industry 4.0, and is the basis of a wide range of software systems and products food businesses are already using in different applications. Explained: ChatGPT ChatGPT is an open access chatbot (a computer program designed to interact with customers online to simulate conversation) developed by OpenAI and launched in November 2022. It uses data, artificial intelligence and natural language processing to enable users to ask questions and produce content. From ChatGPT: How AI is transforming the Canadian Food Sector Artificial intelligence is emerging as a promising technology that can help the food industry meet its goals. Guest Blog: Can AI help with Marketing and Communications? In food and beverage there will be many opportunities to use this technology. IN 30 – Machine Learning T he use of machine learning in the food and beverage industry. Staff Picks – Nestor Gomez This one in a series of articles highlighting what CFIN staff are reading, listening to, watching, and posting. Here’s CFIN’s Chief Technology Officer Nestor Gomez . Staff Picks - Rajiv Ramalingam This time we’re checking in with CFIN’s IT Lead Support, Rajiv Ramalingam. Overtime If you’ve got more than 30 minutes, these are for you: AI and the Food Industry – An interview with the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute CFIN’s Chief Technology Officer Nestor Gomez recently sat down with Russ Erickson, vice president of Investment and Partnerships at the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (AMII) to discuss how innovative businesses are using artificial intelligence to optimize and scale their endeavors.

Community ManagerDec 18, 2023

Company Profile – Enhanced Medical Nutrition

Welcome to YODL! In addition to daily original content, YODL helps CFIN Members find new partners , resources , and funding opportunities to grow their food business. Learn more about this growing community and become a CFIN Member (for free!) today . This is one in a series of interviews with CFIN member companies that have successfully applied for and received funding . Toronto, ON-based Enhanced Medical Nutrition Inc. (EMN) received $100,000 in funding for a project titled Evidence-based Medical Food for Patients Undergoing Orthopedic Surgery. We spoke to CEO Eric Zimmerman to find out more about the company and its project. Q: Please explain what your company does and how your products are improving the food industry . A: Enhanced Medical Nutrition (EMN) develops medical food products to help patients prepare better and recover faster from surgery and critical illness. The company has developed an evidence-based nutrition program, ENROUTE, designed to improve clinical outcomes for patients undergoing surgery. EMN leverages patented ingredient technologies to offer ready-to-mix, easy-to-follow products that preserve muscle mass, support bone health, enhance immune function, and promote wound healing. EMN is part of an important shift in healthcare, using food-as-medicine to build a new frontier in wellness and treatment options. Medical and functional foods offer patients, under the supervision of their physician, a means to proactively manage their health using clinically validated and natural food sources. Q: What is your company’s mission? A: Building better outcomes through innovative, evidence-based nutrition. Q: Why did you apply for this funding and how will you use it? A: EMN’s application was focused on further exploring and validating how food-as-medicine positively impacts patient outcomes. Acknowledging the pivotal role of nutrition in surgical recovery, EMN will use this funding to investigate the impact of our medical food products on patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery. The team will work closely with scientists and medical professionals to evaluate patients ’ functional movement before and after surgery, using markerless motion capture gait analysis technology. The project will help determine how EMN’s products influence surgical patients ’ movement and function after their procedure. Results from this project hold strong potential to revolutionize conventional surgical preparation and recovery practices, redefining how food can optimize clinical outcomes. Ultimately the goal is to share these insights with medical professionals. Q: What excites you most about working in this area of the food industry? A: The opportunity to contribute to transformative changes in healthcare using nutrition. Supporting patients and working to improve surgical outcomes is incredibly fulfilling and underscores the power of innovative solutions at the intersection of food and medicine. Q: Why is collaboration so important for accelerating innovation in the food industry? Is it difficult to find good collaborating partners, and what would make the process easier? A: Collaboration is exceedingly important for accelerating innovation in the food industry because it brings together diverse expertise , fosters knowledge-sharing, and facilitates the development of new solutions . While finding good collaborating partners in new areas of research can be challenging, once you establish clear communication channels and align on shared goals, you can create an open exchange of ideas that significantly ease the collaboration process. Q: Please comment on the importance of public funding to help companies clear innovation hurdles and access leveraged funds. A: Public funding is vital for companies to overcome innovation challenges, as demonstrated by CFIN’s Innovation Booster program. This funding allows for extensive early-stage research and development that addresses really important , unsolved questions. By providing a financial foundation, public funding enhances the credibility of SMEs to undertake this challenging work, attracts private investment, and fosters future collaboration. This is what will contribute to big advancements in personalized nutrition and improve human health through food. Q: Looking ahead, what’s on the horizon for your company? A: Looking ahead, our company envisions expanding the impact of ENROUTE beyond surgery to address nutritional needs in various medical contexts. We aim to innovate further and commercialize new products that impact more patients. We spend a lot of time thinking about healthy aging and longevity! We want to be at the forefront of food-as-medicine, aiming to improve patient outcomes across a broader spectrum of healthcare. Q: What are your passions or hobbies outside of work? A: Cooking-eating, boxing, reading . Q: If you had to pick one person to make you a meal, who would you choose? A: My mom.

Community ManagerDec 15, 2023

Company Profile – Fresh Prep Foods

Welcome to YODL! In addition to daily original content, YODL helps CFIN Members find new partners , resources , and funding opportunities to grow their food business. Learn more about this growing community and become a CFIN Member (for free!) today . This is one in a series of interviews with CFIN member companies that have successfully applied for and received funding . Vancouver, BC-based Fresh Prep Foods received $96,746 in funding for a project titled Increasing Adoption of Specialty, Nutrition Focused Diets Through Advanced Fulfillment Software. We spoke to c o-founders Husein Rahemtulla , Dhruv Sood and Becky Brauer to find out more about the company and its project. Q: Please explain what your company does and how your products and services are improv ing the food industry A: Fresh Prep is a meal kit delivery service operating in BC and Alberta. We deliver fresh, pre-portioned ingredients to create delicious meals at home in about 30 minutes. We also offer ready-to-eat meals, salads, grocery items, snacks and more. All our deliveries arrive in reusable cooler bags with reusable ice packs, instead of the industry standard single - use cardboard boxes, insulation, and ice packs. To further combat the problem of packaging waste, we developed our patented Zero Waste Kit, a reusable meal kit container that significantly reduces the single - use plastic of each meal and allows for an easier cooking experience. Since we launched our Zero Waste Kits in 2021, we’ve diverted over 41,000 kilograms of plastics from landfill, an amount equivalent to around 2,080,000 plastic water bottles. Q: What is your company’s mission? A: To deliver quality and convenience in a sustainable way by simplifying complex food challenges through creative innovation. In a nutshell , we aim to empower Canadians to eat well and live better. Q: Why did you apply for this funding and how will you use it? A: At Fresh Prep, we aim to make eating well effortless and affordable, no matter what your lifestyle or dietary preferences. The funding will support the development of a new AI-powered menu planner. This tool will help our customers achieve their nutritional goals with customized guidance and flexibility, at no additional cost. We believe the unique blend of customization and convenience this technology offers will set us apart in the meal kit industry, while revolutionizing the way Canadians approach their diets and mealtime routines. Q: What excites you most about working in this area of the food industry? A: What excites us most is the chance to transform the way Canadians experience food. For us, eating well is about more than just satisfying hunger; it’s about nourishing our bodies, our communities, and the planet. Food is such a big part of everyday life and therefore small changes have the power to make a big impact . From the beginning, we’ve been on a journey to prove that you don’t need to sacrifice quality or sustainability in creating convenient, accessible food. Initiatives like our Zero Waste Kits and the integration of electric vehicles into our fleet demonstrate how technology and innovation can drive us forward in this mission. We aim to continue to raise the bar in customer experience and reduce our environmental footprint. Q: Why is collaboration so important for accelerating innovation in the food industry? Is it difficult to find good collaborating partners, and what would make the process easier? A: The complexity of challenges in the food industry, from the impacts of climate change on the supply chain to escalating food costs, demand creative solutions, which can only arise from a collaborative approach to problem-solving. Every player in the food industry needs to find solutions to suit their own unique circumstances and, in coming up with solutions, typically has tried numerous different approaches. By collaborating with members of similar industries, we can capitalize on each other's experiences and find faster solutions to problems that would otherwise require multiple attempts to solve. Q: Please comment on the importance of public funding to help companies clear innovation hurdles and access leveraged funds. A: Rapid advances in technology are challenging industry norms and creating positive change. Public funding allows companies to capitalize on these opportunities. In our case, it enabled us to tackle long-standing issues in the food industry, such as packaging and food waste. The ability to access public funding significantly accelerated the development and implementation of our Zero Waste Kit program – a sustainable solution that improves business efficiency and profitability, without adding any cost to our customers. Q: Looking ahead, what’s on the horizon for your company? A: Thanks in part to CFIN’s Innovation Booster funding and support, we’re currently working on new personalization software and new packaging types that will continue to improve our customers’ experience and drive down our impact on the planet. We’re also exploring expanding our technology to new regions within Canada, to allow for increased environmental impact and sustainable growth. Q: If you had to pick one person to make you a meal, who would you choose? A: Our moms.

Community ManagerDec 14, 2023

50 Canadian FoodTech Resources – Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre

Welcome to YODL! In addition to daily original content, YODL helps CFIN Members find new partners , resources , and funding opportunities to grow their food business. Learn more about this growing community and become a CFIN Member (for free!) today . Canada has an extensive range of research centres, food incubators, accelerators and labs supporting food and beverage innovation through the research they do and/or the services they offer. Each week throughout 2023, we’re highlighting an organization that’s supporting food innovation in Canada. Name: Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre Location: Saskatoon, SK Mission: The Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre is a non-profit organization that provides resources and expertise to help agri-businesses create innovative products and value-added opportunities in the food business. Focus: The Food C entre provides services and expertise to help food processors and agri-businesses bring food and ingredient innovations to commercialization . Services: The centre st aff has expertise in food and process development, interim processing, extrusion technology, skills development, food safety education and training, quality assurance, technology transfer and path-finding . Its services include R&D of new food concepts, short and long-term processing, extrusion and food safety training. Its processing facilities include incubation suites, product development and processing innovation suites, extrusion R&D and processing suites, food testing labs, an ingredient innovation suite, a 10,000-sq.-ft. Pilot Plant, and a 63,000+ sq. ft. Agri-Food Innovation Centre . Its f ederal processing facility is Saskatchewan’s only commercial incubation centre for food processing. What you Need to Know: T he Food Centre has developed over 1,000 products with an estimated 50% introduced into the market Notable News: In October 2023 the Food Centre received $5 million in five-year funding from the federal and provincial governments toward its ongoing mission to grow the value-added agri-food and food product industries in Saskatchewan. Get Involved: Contact the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre at info@foodcentre.sk.ca or (306) 933-7555, or reach out to our Regional Innovation Director Hubba Khatoon .

Community ManagerDec 13, 2023

Company Profile – Millennia TEA

Welcome to YODL! In addition to daily original content, YODL helps CFIN Members find new partners , resources , and funding opportunities to grow their food business. Learn more about this growing community and become a CFIN Member (for free!) today . This is one in a series of interviews with CFIN member companies that have successfully app l ied for and received funding . Saint John, NB-based Millennia TEA Inc. received $78,515 in funding for a project titled Increasing Solubility and Bioavailability in Nutrient-dense Plants. We spoke to Tracy Bell, co-founder of Millennia TEA, to find out more about the company and its project. Q: Please explain what your company does and how your products are improving the food industry. A: We have a patented process to share the mighty medicinal tea plant in its purest and most naturally-powerful format – working with small-scale organic farmers in the mountains of central Sri Lanka to pick, wash, and flash - freeze fresh tea leaves at their nutritional prime. And we are developing a new functional additive – a commercial ingredient – that will support human and planetary health. Q: What is your company’s mission? A: To Help Millions Live. Better. Longer. Q: Why did you apply for this funding and how will you use it? A: Building on our current process and washing and flash-freezing fresh organic tea leaves, we see incredible potential to take our process one step further, and create a nutraceutical that will help cellular health in meaningful and measurable ways – using both tea leaves, as well as other nutrient-dense leaves that are currently not being used (i.e. blueberry or haskap berry leaves). With this funding, we will embark on an R&D project to develop and test the science, and the use-case for these new additives in human biology, as well as in other better-for-you beverages and consumer brands. Q: What excites you most about working in this area of the food industry? A: The growing acceptance and recognition of functional foods and food-as-medicine is so exciting. It’s an industry shift that stands to change the way our families and populations consume, in such a way that will help people feel better and live longer, and by extension be happier and better positioned to contribute to a societal shift that will benefit the masses. That’s a movement we want to be a part of for sure! Q: Why is collaboration so important for accelerating innovation in the food industry? Is it difficult to find good collaborating partners, and what would make the process easier? A: We go further faster by working together and drawing on a collective body of experience and expertise . This is true in all areas of life and business. Creating spaces and opportunities to find and partner with like-minded organizations – who are values-aligned and bring the necessary variety of technological know-how and areas of genius to an endeavour – are central to the co-creative process of innovation and commercialization. Organizations such as CFIN are making this once-challenging feat of finding the right innovation partners much less of a barrier than it was in years prior. Q: Please comment on the importance of public funding to help companies clear innovation hurdles and access leveraged funds. A: Doing something new is a time-consuming and expensive process for sure. The contribution of funding partners through research and commercialization grants is an imperative part of advancing innovation in food. The kind of life-changing innovations we (and many others) are working to develop quite simply would not be possible without this kind of support. It’s quite literally the life-blood for early-stage innovators working to create positive change in the world through new technologies and novel ingredients. Q: Looking ahead, what’s on the horizon for your company? A: We want to help the food-as-medicine and supplement industries deliver products that better support peoples’ health. Our innovation has the potential to help health products and services perform more effectively at a cellular level – to make the antioxidants necessary to our health and longevity more bio-available. Through our CFIN project we will identify the best ways and means to do that. Q: What are your passions or hobbies outside of work? A: I’m a wannabe mermaid. My happy place is playing in the water: foil boarding, wake boarding, wake surfing, paddle boarding, rowing, kayaking, swimming, cold plunging – l love all of it. Those activities represent moments where I can be fully present and immersed in physical activities that support my overall wellbeing. Q: If you had to pick one person to make you a meal, who would you choose? A: F or me it’s c hef Michael Smith. The Fire Feast dining experience he created and curates at his culinary farm Inn at Bay Fortune in PEI is out-of-this-world amazing!

Community ManagerDec 12, 2023

IN 30: Roundup of Robotics and Automation Articles

Welcome to YODL! In addition to daily original content, YODL helps CFIN Members find new partners , resources , and funding opportunities to grow their food business. Learn more about this growing community and become a CFIN Member (for free!) today . Sometimes, all it takes is 30 minutes to learn the ins and outs of new food technologies and trends that are transforming the food and beverage industry. In this series, we dig into a food innovation topic and link you to content and resources so you can become a master on the topic in 30 minutes (or less!). Robotics, automation and digitization are changing the way the food and beverage industry operates . This week we’re recapping all of the original content posted on YODL on the topic in 2023. Company Spotlight – App8 Incorporated Ottawa-based App8 received funding for its supply chain automation enablement project. We spoke to CEO Elias Hage to learn more about the company and the project . Company Spotlight – Cibotica Inc. Vancouver, BC-based Cibotica Inc. received funding to help develop a food-safe version of a universal dispensing mechanism and associated control algorithms for use in the company’s robotic salad and bowl makeline. Cibotica’s executive team, Ashkan Mirnabavi , Soroush Sefidkar and Daryoush Sahebjavaher , discuss the project and the company’s plans. Company Spotlight – Relocalize Inc. Relocalize Inc. is a Montreal, QC-based company that received funding to demonstrate the world’s first autonomous micro-factory for food and beverage . We spoke to Wayne McIntyre, CEO and co-founder of Relocalize , to hear more about the company and its plans. Company Spotlight – TheoryMesh Winnipeg, MN-based TheoryMesh received funding to create a more sustainable beef and dairy supply chain through controlled environment agriculture and digitization. CEO Chris Bunio tells us more about the company and its plans. Company Spotlight - Vivid Machines Inc. Toronto, ON-based Vivid Machines received funding for a project to scale fruit volumes and transparency across the fruit supply chain. Jenny Lemieux, founder and CEO of Vivid Machines, tells us more about company and its plans. Company Spotlight – Verschuren Centre The Verschuren Centre Inc. for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment, in Sydney, NS , received funding for a project called Automation and Digital Twin Integration for Precision Fermentation Scale Up of Cell-Based Food Ingredients . V erschuren Centre CEO Beth Mason tells us more about the centre and this project. Emerging Food and Foodtech Jobs New food technology and changing operating requirements are transforming the way food and beverage companies work, as well as the employee skills they require . This is a three-part series featuring just a few of the emerging and in-demand jobs now available in food and beverage manufacturing. Find Part 2 h ere and Part 3 here . Explained: Food Processing Skills Canada Food Processing Skills Canada is a non-profit organization dedicated to professionalizing the food and beverage manufacturing industry by providing leadership on labour, skills and workforce development. Exploring Food Innovation and Technology in Prairies Canada: A Year of Discovery and Growth Hubba Khatoon, CFIN’s Regional Innovation Director for the Prairies, share s her insights and observations on the dynamic trends and support network that thrive within the region ’ s food industry. 50 Canadian FoodTech Resources – Canada’s Advanced Manufacturing Cluster Canada’s Advanced Manufacturing Cluster in H amilton, ON is positioning Canadian companies to lead industrial digitalization, maximizing competitiveness , and participation in global markets. 50 Canadian FoodTech Resources – Eme r gence Emergence in Charlottetown, PE , is a bioscience incubator that accelerates the growth of Atlantic Canadian startups and early-stage companies moving from ideation to commercialization. 50 Canadian FoodTech Resources – RPC Science & Engineering RPC Science & Engineering in Fredericton and Moncton, NB , is N ew Brunswick’s provincial research organization and research and technology organization. 50 Canadian FoodTech Resources – Technology Access Centre for Aerospace & Manufacturing (TACAM), at Red River College The Technology Access Centre for Aerospace & Manufacturing supports innovation in the manufacturing and aerospace sectors through technology, applied research expertise and specialized training. 50 Canadian FoodTech Resources – Walker Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre at Niagara College The Walker Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre in Welland , ON , helps businesses in Southern Ontario bring ideas to life, from concept through to working prototypes, using innovation and leading-edge technology and software. FBO’s CareersNOW! Program There are a range of resources available to both job seekers and food and beverage industry businesses as they seek to navigate the labour market, including Food and Beverage Ontario ’s CareersNOW ! program. Isabel Dopta , program director of CareersNOW !, talks about th e ways the program is connecting potential employees with employers. Guest Post: Data Quality Matters - Unravelling the Impact of Bad Data on Inventory Expiration In the fast-paced world of food manufacturing, inventory expiration poses a persistent challenge for many companies. While it may be easy to blame inventory planners or analysts for these issues, the root cause often lies in outdated systems and processes that professionals are forced to work with. Guest Post: How Networking on YODL Led to a New Career Path and the Growth of Ontario's Laplace Robotics Find out how CFIN member Jeff Hetherington discovered a new career on YODL. IN 30: Addressing Labour Challenges W ith more companies adding automation, digitization and other food technology, finding workers with the skills and training needed to succeed has become even more challenging. IN 30 – Cobots All about the use of cobots , collaborative robotic systems that work alongside human workers, and their use in the food industry. IN 30 – Robotics in the food and beverage industry A look at the use of robotics in the food and beverage industry. Innovation and Digital Solutions are Future-proofing Canada’s Food and Beverage Industry In order for the food and beverage industry to continue to grow and remain internationally competitive, the industry needs to become more efficient and sustainable, with an emphasis on smart processes and product development. One Year Check In: A Roundtable with CFIN and Ontario Genomic's AcCELLerate-ON Funding Recipients In May 2022 the Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) and Ontario Genomics announced the winners of AcCELLerate -ON , Canada’s first regional cellular agriculture competition. We checked in with the four companies to hear more about how their projects are progressing. Staff Picks – Leonardo Ojeda This one in a series of articles highlighting what CFIN staff are reading, listening to, watching, and posting. In this article we’re checking in with Data Analyst Leonardo Ojeda . Overtime If you’ve got more than 30 minutes, these are for you: CFIN Funded Projects: One Year Updates - Ag-Tronic Control Systems Inc. CFIN has provided funding for many projects over the past two years. Now we’re catching up with the Canadian companies leading CFIN-funded projects to chat about how their innovations have advanced in the year since funding. In part one of the series, Hubba Khatoon, CFIN Regional Innovation Director for the Prairies, sits down with Derek Sorrell, Operations Manager at Ag-Tronic Control Systems Inc. , to discuss the development of the company's compostable fruit and vegetable labels.

Community ManagerDec 11, 2023

Report: Specialty Food Trends for 2024

Welcome to YODL! In addition to daily original content, YODL helps CFIN Members find new partners , resources , and funding opportunities to grow their food business. Learn more about this growing community and become a CFIN Member (for free!) today . The Specialty Food Association (SFA) Trendspotter Panel recently released what it predicts will be the hottest specialty food and beverage trends for 2024 . Here are a few highlights from the panel : Innovative beverages sales are growing faster than food products, so expect to see more single-serve, non-alcoholic carbonated and non-carbonated beverages ; coffee, tea and broth with functional ingredients; beverages that add energy, clarity, focus or a calming effect; beverages with less or no sugar, salt or artificial sweeteners; beverages with herbs, tropical flavours and botanicals. Cellular protein will grow in popularity next year, and so will plant-based seafood. Peach as a flavour and ingredient will get a boost in 2024, in jams, teas, condiments, and baked goods. Calabrian chili peppers will appear more often in pasta sauce, hot sauce , cured meats, snacks, relish, and hot honey. Tahini will continue to appear outside of Middle Eastern dishes, including in milk shakes, coffee, cookies and pastries. Soup is hot thanks to the popularity of TikTok recipes, so expect to see more soup, broths, soup starters and mixes. Black sesame, ube and milk tea will pop up in unexpected products and formats , including in baked goods, beverages, and snacks. Consumers are still excited by global flavours, heritage traditional foods, regional foods and ingredients.

Community ManagerDec 8, 2023

Company Profile – Psigryph, Inc.

Welcome to YODL! In addition to daily original content, YODL helps CFIN Members find new partners , resources , and funding opportunities to grow their food business. Learn more about this growing community and become a CFIN Member (for free!) today . This is one in a series of interviews with CFIN member companies that have successfu l ly applied for and received funding . Kitchener, ON -based Psigryph , Inc. received $99,925 in funding for a project titled Clinical Trial for Cholestello – A Dietary Supplement for Maintaining Healthy Cholesterol Levels. We spoke to Sean Thompson, co- founder and CEO of Psigryph , Inc. , to find out more about the company and its p roject. Q: Please explain what your company does and how your products are improving the food industry . A: Our Nanopect is a sour-cherry derived, biodegradable, non-toxic delivery system for living cells. It solves health, sustainability and climate problems in the agriculture, food and pharmaceutical industries by greatly enhancing absorption . So, much less material is required to obtain the benefit being sought . We’re launching a dietary supplement called Cholestello in the U . S . in 2024. We’re also developing greenhouse gas reducing biopesticides and fertilizers launching in 2026. Q: What is your company’s mission? A: Psigryph , Inc. is a foodtech / agritech company harnessing the power of food to deliver biologically active molecules to improve the health of plants, animals and humans. Using plant-derived nanomaterials, our Nanopect biodegradable, non-toxic delivery system provides environmentally friendly solutions for problems in agriculture, food, and pharmaceutical industries. Using cutting edge science and technologies, Psigryph unleashes the power of biology guided by the following principles: Harmony with nature: Everything we create works in concert with nature leaving beneficial environmental effects. Curiosity: S cience provides solutions to our most pressing problems and economic opportunities. Embrace risk: As scientific innovators we embrace risks to solve the world ’ s biggest problems. Learn from nature: Observe nature because it always has something to teach us. Long - Term Thinking: Do what is right for plants, animals, humans and the planet. Build a better tomorrow by understanding the true impacts on all life. Understand interconnectedness: Develop awareness beyond your personal silo to reveal the connections that others cannot see. Q: W h y did you apply for this funding and how will you use it? A: We applied for this funding to enable us to conduct a clinical trial with Cholestello . There are large commercial entities with whom we would like to partner who have asked for this data amongst some other things. The funding enables us to generate pivotal data required for commercial transactions. Investor appetite in Canada is risk intolerant, so this funding i s very useful for small emerging companies like Psigryph . Q: What excites you most about working in this area of the food industry? A: I think our mission statement really captures this well. It’s an idea that is uniquely simple and powerful : harnessing the power of food to deliver biologically active molecules to improve the health of plants, animals and humans. Using plant-derived nanomaterials, our Nanopect biodegradable, non-toxic delivery system provides environmentally friendly solutions for problems in agriculture, food, and pharmaceutical industries. This concept is very exciting and motivating for all Psigryph stakeholders. Q: Why is collaboration so important for accelerating innovation in the food industry? Is it difficult to find good collaborating partners, and what would make the process easier? A: As the African proverb goes , “ I f you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together .” W e strongly believe that no one person nor group has all the knowledge. Collaboration is key to solving complex problems. So, we constantly seek input from other knowledgeable groups to help guide the development of Nanopect to solve the most pressing problems. What would make it easier? People embracing the idea that they are not the smartest person in the room. Openness to collaborating. It really starts with the mindset of the people involved. Q: Please comment on the importance of public funding to help companies clear innovation hurdles and access leveraged funds. A: Investor appetite in general is risk averse. Canada is risk intolerant. There simply is no way we would have survived as a company without government funding. I think this is true for most technology companies. I think the government will always have to take the lead if companies are to remain and thrive in Canada. This is clearly understood in the U . S . and that is why so many companies move there. I think we have much to learn from them and from Europe. Switzerland i s particular ly good . They have a much smaller economy than Canada but a much better entrepreneurial environment. Q: Looking ahead, what’s on the horizon for your company? A: It ’s a very exciting time for Psigryph . I see us completing two to three licensing transactions over the next few years and a period of growth and expansion internationally. The whole team is excited about what we have coming down the pike. Q: What are your passions or hobbies outside of work? A: I love playing, coaching and spectating sports. I coached my kids soccer teams for 10 years and am a big fan of the Leaf s (God help me), Raptors, TFC and sorry Argos, The Saskatchewan Roughriders where I’m from originally. Well, the Argos are okay I guess. Who doesn’t like Pinball Clemons? Q: If you had to pick one person to make you a meal, who would you choose? A: The best burger I’ve had in my life was at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant in Las Vegas. So, it has to be him .

Community ManagerDec 7, 2023

50 Canadian FoodTech Resources - Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis

Welcome to YODL! In addition to daily original content, YODL helps CFIN Members find new partners , resources , and funding opportunities to grow their food business. Learn more about this growing community and become a CFIN Member (for free!) today . Canada has an extensive range of research centres, food incubators, accelerators and labs supporting food and beverage innovation through the research they do and/or the services they offer. Each week throughout 2023, we’re highlighting an organization that’s supporting food innovation in Canada. Name: Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis ( C NPMC), at Loyalist College. Location: Belleville, ON Mission: The Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis (CNPMC) is an innovation hub within Loyalist College with expertise in plant-based technologies. Focus: The Centre works with startups and small - to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the natural products and cannabis industries to transform research into products. Services: CNPMC offers expertise in p lant-based t echnologies , state-of-the-art equipment and training , s upport and access to funding , t echnology transfer and commercialization support , c ollaborative consultation services , and d edicated R & D s pace . It has 5,100 sq. ft. of equipment in three laboratories, including equipment for extraction and advanced analytics, tissue culture, formulation and product development, and sample preparation. The Centre also helps clients with: Applied research projects, including: method and process optimization, benchmarking, concept design, testing, feasibility studies, extraction and formulation, and collaborative contract research projects, including tissue culture projects. A nalytical testing of natural products, food, beverages, and cannabis, including specializations in: c annabis (cannabinoid & terpene quantification) , b eer and w ine (alcohol & sugar content, turbidity and more) , h ops (alpha and beta acids & terpene quantification) , and f unctional mushrooms (beta-glucan content & key bioactive quantification) . I n addition, t ests for the potency of bioactive ingredients, impurities, product chemical and physical characteristics , and stability/ shelf life reporting . Customized training opportunities in the above areas, as well as customized trials and training on specific equipment. What you need to know: The Centre c ollaborates with industry partners, funding agencies and applied research institutions to develop new methods and improve products and processes. It encourages interdisciplinary research and its network of partners includ e academia, industry and community organizations . Notable News: CNPMC is Canada’s only National Technology Access Centre for Natural Products and Cannabis. Loyalist College was the first college in Canada to have a laboratory licensed by Health Canada to conduct cannabis research and analytical testing, and the first college in Ontario to have a research license renewed for five years and analytical license renewed for three years. In October 2023 Loyalist College became the first college in Canada to receive a Controlled Drugs and Substances License from Health Canada for psilocybin research. G et Involved: Contact CNPMC at dhillier@loyalistcollege.com or ( 613 ) 969-1913, ext. 2184 , or reach out to CFIN’s Regional Innovation Director for Ontario Linda Fox.

Community ManagerDec 6, 2023

The Top Videos of 2023

Welcome to YODL! In addition to daily original content, YODL helps CFIN Members find new partners , resources , and funding opportunities to grow their food business. Learn more about this growing community and become a CFIN Member (for free!) today . We posted videos on a wide range of topics this year, including CFIN member events, interview s , information sessions and French-language videos in the Parlons ’ d’Innovation series. Below are five of the most viewed videos on YODL of 2023. Number 5 Innovation en emballage, au-delà du design et de la fonctionnalité New packaging materials and technologies allow brands to tell their stories and build an ongoing dynamic relationship with their consumers. Stéphane Crevier, Vice-President, Brand Strategy and Growth at Pigeon, talks about the topic and some successful examples .

Community ManagerDec 5, 2023

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