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50 Food and Beverage Programs – Roundup

Canada is home to a diverse and dynamic food and beverage industry, supported by educational programs that train the next generation of chefs, brewers, entrepreneurs, and innovators. This roundup highlights 50 standout programs across the country, from top culinary schools and hospitality management courses to cutting-edge research initiatives and sustainability-focused training. Whether you're an aspiring professional, educator, or industry enthusiast, these programs provide valuable insights into the evolving world of food and drink in Canada. BC & Yukon Vancouver Community College UBC BCIT LaSalle College (Vancouver) UBC: Food, Nutrition, and Health Okanagan College Vancouver Island University University of Fraser Valley Northern Lights College North Island College Yukon University Selkirk College Thompson Rivers University Kwantlen Polytechnic University Prairies Saskatchewan Polytechnic University of Alberta University of Saskatchewan University of Manitoba SAIT NAIT Manitoba Institute of Trades & Technology International College of Manitoba Ontario Niagara College Humber College Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa George Brown College Fanshawe College Brock University University of Guelph Toronto Metropolitan University Loyalist College Georgian College Conestoga College Durham College Centennial College Canadore College Algonquin College Trent University St. Lawrence College St. Clair College Sault College Lambton College Confederation College Quebec McGill University LaSalle College Bishop's University Atlantic Canada University of PEI Memorial University Cape Breton University

Community ManagerMar 13, 2025

50 Food & Beverage Programs - Vancouver Island University

Crafting a Career in BC ’ s Wine Industry: VIU ’ s Wine Business Program The Wine Business program at Vancouver Island University is a comprehensive one-year certificate course designed for those passionate about pursuing a career in the BC wine industry. The program combines practical experience with academic learning in viticulture, wine business practices, marketing, and tourism. Program Highlights: As a student, you ’ ll have the chance to immerse yourself in hands-on experiences at local vineyards and wineries, gaining insights into the entire winemaking process. This practical foundation is then complemented by academic courses in viticulture, wine business practices, marketing, and tourism. A standout feature of this program is its flexibility. Whether you ’ re looking to study full-time for a year or prefer a part-time option spread over two years, VIU has you covered. Located in picturesque Nanaimo, BC, VIU provides an ideal setting for your wine education journey. With a curriculum designed to integrate viticulture essentials with business acumen, VIU ’ s Wine Business program offers a holistic understanding of the wine industry. Students can also earn credits that can be applied toward a Bachelor of Business or a Hospitality and Tourism Management program, opening doors to a wide range of future career prospects. The program includes seven courses and focuses on the broader aspects of the wine industry. In addition to viticulture and winemaking, students delve into wine marketing, exporting, and the vital role of wine tourism. C ourses cover a wide spectrum, from wine marketing and appreciation to beverage theory and the management of wine tourism. The program also offers elective courses in consumer behavio u r, entrepreneurship, and festival management . What You’ll Leave With: Upon graduation, a world of opportunities awaits you in BC ’ s wine industry. Whether you dream of managing a vineyard, excelling in wine s ales and marketing, or even opening your own restaurant, VIU ’ s Wine Business program provides the knowledge and skills to make your wine-related ambitions come true. Career options span winery/vineyard management, retail sales, wine marketing representation, hotel management, culinary arts, a gri - tourism development, and s pecial events coordination. V ideo/Social / Media : VIU YouTube Video

Community ManagerAug 6, 2024

Cellular Food in Canada

The past few years have proven how susceptible Canada’s food industry is to world events, supply chain disruptions and climate changes. New food production technology, such as cellular agriculture, has the potential to alleviate some of these challenges, while creating commercial opportunities and building a more sustainable, resilient food system. What is it? Cellular food – also known as engineering biology, synthetic biology or cell-cultivated products – is the production of food and textile products without using animals or land. Cell cultures harvested from animals, plants or micro-organisms are grown in the lab through tissue engineering or precision fermentation to produce: Cultivated proteins such as chicken, beef and seafood Fermented products like dairy, eggs, honey and chocolate Ingredients to add to products to create hybrid foods including proteins, enzymes, flavour molecules, vitamins, pigments and fats Textiles such as leather, silk and wool Why you should care As global population continues to grow, so does demand for protein, while access to land and other resource inputs become more scarce. Alternative agriculture could be an answer to food scarcity, concerns about animal and environmental welfare, cost inflation and resource challenges due to climate change. Compared to conventional agriculture, cellular agriculture production, is much less energy intensive, produces less greenhouse gas emissions, and has a much lower overall carbon footprint. With our strong food infrastructure, reputation for food safety, biotechnical expertise, and federal support for alternative protein production, Canada is well positioned to become a leader in cellular agriculture. The 2021 report Cellular Agriculture: Canada’s $12.5 Billion Opportunity in Food Innovation from Ontario Genomics and the Food and Agriculture Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley found that the international cellular agriculture market will reach US$100 billion by 2032. Canada’s food industry has the potential to take $12.5 billion that market, while creating up to 142,000 high-paying jobs. Opportunities in Canada Engineered plant proteins are already in the Canadian market, and by all estimates, precision fermented products are expected to appear before cultured meat products. Current Canadian regulations consider food produced through cellular agriculture as a novel food, and products are approved on a case-by-case basis. Here are a few Canadian start-ups making headlines: Because Animals – This Toronto-based pet food company uses cultured ingredients such as probiotics and nutritional yeast to create nutrient-rich cat and dog food designed to help digestive issues. Future Fields – Edmonton, AB-based Future Fields is a R&D producing growth media products that can be used to create commercialized cultivated proteins in a safe and sustainable manner. Cell-Ag Tech – Toronto’s Cell-Ag Tech is doing R&D on cell-cultured fish and seafood. New Harvest International non-profit research institute New Harvest , which promotes the science behind cultured meat through research, funding and a conference , now has a Canadian branch.

Community ManagerJan 2, 2024

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IN 30: The Prairies’ Food Ecosystem

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’ll dig into a food innovation topic and link you to the best content and resources so you can become a master on the topic in 30 minutes (or less!). This week, we’re looking at food and beverage innovation and resources in the Prairie provinces. The Overview Government of Saskatchewan – Agriculture and Agri-Value Saskatchewan is home to more than 40 per cent of Canada ’ s cultivated farmland . Food & Beverage Manitoba – Supporting Manitoba’s Largest Industry Food & Beverage Manitoba is an industry-led association dedicated to promoting Manitoba’s vibrant food and beverage industry . Invest Alberta – Growing the Future of Food Alberta is expanding its agricultural sector through innovation, technology and the development of new bio-based products . Food in Canada – Cell-Ag Institute Launching in Alberta University The University of Alberta and New Harvest Canada are developing the Institute of Cellular Agriculture in conjunction with Cult Food Science. Resources Ag-West Bio Saskatoon, SK-based Ag-West Bio is a not-for-profit, membership-based company that supports businesses bringing research to market. It focuses on areas such as biological applications in nutrition and agriculture. Alberta Food Processors Association AFPA is a non-profit organization representing all segments of the $15 - billion food and beverage industry including growers, processors, retailers, foodservice buyers and suppliers . Centre for Culinary Innovation at Northern Alberta Institute for Technology NAIT's Centre for Culinary Innovation in Edmonton, AB has expertise in new food and beverage product development that combines culinary creativity with food science principles. EMILI Winnipeg, MB-based EMILI (Enterprise Machine Intelligence and Learning Initiative) works with industry organizations and academic institutions from across the technology sector to increase integration of intelligent technologies, empower people with digital skills, support scale-ups to grow in the Prairies, and accelerate Canada’s growth as a leader in digital agriculture. Platform Calgary Platform Calgary is a non-profit, member-based organization with a mandate to bring together the resources of Calgary’s tech ecosystem to help startups launch and grow, from ideation through to scale. Prairie Research Kitchen The centre, located in the Paterson GlobalFoods Institute at Red River College Polytechnic in Winnipeg, s upports food processors and foodservice businesses through R&D, technical services and training, with a unique approach that blends food science with culinary skills. Richardson Centre for Food Technology and Research The Winnipeg, MB-based centre partners with the food and agri-food industries on collaborative research and pre-commercial development activities. Venturepark Labs Calgary, AB’s Venturepark Labs is a non-profit organization supporting early-stage entrepreneurs in the food and wellness industries. It is part of Venturepark , a business growth ecosystem in Calgary, AB. Companies you Should Know BetterCart Analytics Saskatoon, SK-based BetterCart Analytics is an AI-driven competitive pricing intelligence solution for local and regional grocery chains and CPG brands. Earthware Reusables Earthware Reusables is a return-for-reuse takeout container service located in Calgary, AB. Since launching in November 2021 the company has stopped approximately 15,000 single-use takeout containers from going into landfills. Nutrimeals Calgary’s Nutrimeals offers healthy, ready-to-eat meals incorporating personalized nutrition and fitness requirements and delivers them to customers through a monthly subscription service. TheoryMesh Winnipeg, MB’s TheoryMesh help s farmers and food companies improve food safety and sustainability through traceable and transparent, fully optimized supply chains. Overtime If you’ve got more than 30 minutes, these are for you: YODL - AI and the Food Industry – An interview with the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (AMII) CFIN’s Chief Technology Officer Nestor Gomez spoke wi th 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 ManagerJul 24, 2023

Company Spotlight – Impactful Health R&D

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 . Dartmouth, NS-based Impactful Health R&D develops sustainable active packaging to extend the shelf life of fresh proteins, starting with fresh fish. The company says that e xtending the shelf life of proteins increases consumption and reduces waste , and o rganic waste that ends up in landfill produces methane, a major greenhouse gas which is 80 times more potent at warming compared to carbon dioxide over a period of 20 years (UNEP). In addition to reducing waste, extending shelf life allows multiple stakeholders in the supply chain to capture value from fresh protein that would be lost otherwise. According to Impactful Health R&D, it is the economic and environmental impact of its technology that makes it highly desirable for protein processors, exporters, film manufacturers and grocery retailers. We spoke with Mina Mekhail, CEO and founder of Impactful Health R&D to find out more about the company and its project. Q: What is your company’s mission? A: Our mission is to innovate a zero-food waste future. Q: W h y did you apply for this funding and how will you use it? A: The funding from CFIN is critical in de-risking the scalability of our technology by building a pilot coating line that allows us to manufacture appro ximately 2 , 500 lbs of film per month. This will increase confidence in commercializing our technology, generate early sales, and allow us to get the Letter of No Objection from Health Canada. Q: What excites you most about working in this area of the food industry? A: I am passionate about fighting food waste, and I want to use advanced sustainable materials to do so. A third of the world’s food is wasted every year; that is 1.3 billion tonnes estimated at close to a $1 t rillion! The thing is, food waste is not only an environmental concern ( from wasted resources and greenhouse gas emissions) , but also a social justice and economical problem. There are millions of people around the world who are suffering from hunger and malnutrition, unable to access high - quality food to meet their daily needs . T he fact that one third of all food produced goes to waste is a travesty. We wrote an article entitled “ Food Waste: A Socio-Environmental Issue ” that you can read here . 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: Collaborations capitalize on the complementary expertise of various stakeholders to achieve a common goal. It is precisely due to that reason that collaboration is critical for accelerating innovation in the food industr y. There needs to be more venues for deep tech startups in the food space to meet with larger well-established firms who could be potential suppliers, manufacturers, or customers. The buy-in from these larger firms can dramatically increase the chances of success for startups. Q: Please comment on the importance of public funding to help companies clear innovation hurdles and access leveraged funds. A: Public funding is crucial in incentivizing companies, especially startups, to push through the hurdles of innovation and de-risk the ir technology. It also allows startups to leverage this money to secure more private equity. Q: Looking ahead, what’s on the horizon for your company? A: We are very excited about the next phase of growth in our company that will come with scaling up manufacturing, expanding global reach, offering new products / services to various stakeholders in the food industry, and continuing to be a company with an outstanding work culture. Q: What are your passions or hobbies outside of work? A: When I am not at work, I am with my family. My wife and I have a four -year-old boy and a 10-month-old girl. Family is my biggest driver to succeed; I want my kids to know that their father is doing all he can to create a better future for them. I am also a big non-fiction reader (history and philosophy) and love to go on hikes. Q: If you had to pick one person to make you a meal, who would you choose? A: I will have to go with mom for that one. There is a special place in my heart for Egyptian cuisine.

Community ManagerJul 21, 2023

CFIN Funded Projects: One Year Updates – Forward Water Technologies

Community ManagerJul 20, 2023

50 Canadian FoodTech Resources – Walker Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre at Niagara College

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’ll be highlighting an organization that’s supporting food innovation in Canada. Name: Walker Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre Location: Welland , ON Mission: To help businesses in Southern Ontario bring ideas to life, from concept through to working prototypes, using innovation and leading-edge technology and software. Focus: The centre specializes in engineering design, 3D technologies, lean manufacturing processes and additive manufacturing. Services: The research centre provides services such as applied research, 3D additive manufacturing services, technical services and 3D laser management for: Automation Reverse engineering Process improvement Product design and development Product re-design and improvement Proof of concept Piloting and problem solving What you Need to Know: The centre can provide professional solutions through 3D design, and laser-based 3D scanning to point cloud, and FDM and PolyJet 3D printing in all shapes and sizes . Notable News: The centre is Canada’s only 3D printing beta test centre for new Stratasys materials that are not yet commercially available. Get Involved: Contact the centre at research@niagaracollege.ca or reach out to our Regional Innovation Director for Ontario Linda Fox .

Community ManagerJul 19, 2023

Guest Post: How Networking on YODL Led to a New Career Path and the Growth of Ontario's Laplace Robotics

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 . By Jeff Hetherington After dedicating 25 years of my life to the food manufacturing industry, as a leader and Lean Six Sigma Black Bel t working with c ompanies like Schneiders, Maple Leaf Foods, and Sofina Foods, I found myself at a crossroads. I had taken early retirement following the challenging times brought about by the pandemic. Despite the solace retirement initially brought, I yearned for a new purpose, a way to continue making a meaningful impact on the food industry. Through a stroke of fate, I wrote a random post on YODL to reach out, offering my wealth of experience to any startup that could provide genuine innovation. Little did I know that my message would catch the attention of Rae Jeong, the CEO of Toronto, ON-based Laplace Robotics , and a talented software and robotics developer with a mission to address the labour crisis in Canada’s food industry. Rae, who had previously worked with Google ’ s Deep Mind and as a robotics developer, was on the lookout for someone with a deep understanding of the food industry to guide his company ’ s growth. We soon connected and quickly realized the immense potential of our collaboration. Laplace Robotics had developed cutting-edge V ision software that harnessed the power of artificial intelligence. T he deep learning program showcased unprecedented capabilities in robotics and automation. It was precisely what I had been searching for all these years – an innovative solution to address yield and labo u r costs in the food industry. As I delved deeper into the capabilities of Laplace Robotics ’ software, I discovered its remarkable versatility. The AI-powered V ision software had applications across various aspects of the food industry. It could optimize production lines, streamline packaging processes, and enhance quality control. With its ability to automate repetitive tasks and analyze vast amounts of data in real-time, it could significantly reduce labo u r requirements while improving efficiency and accuracy. We realized that the labo u r shortage plaguing the food industry could be mitigated with the implementation of Laplace Robotics ’ software. By automating repetitive and physically demanding tasks, the software could alleviate the burden on human workers, allowing them to focus on more complex and creative aspects of food production. The breakthrough innovation had the potential to reshape the industry ’ s labo u r landscape, making it more sustainable and attractive to new talent. Recognizing the profound impact we could make together, I officially joined Laplace Robotics as the h ead of Project Development, after six months of an advising role to Rae, marking the beginning of a tremendous partnership. With my extensive industry knowledge and expertise, combined with Rae ’ s technological prowess , vision and leadership, we form a formidable team. Our collaboration enabled Laplace Robotics to scale rapidly, as we introduced our cutting-edge software to food manufacturers across Canada. As more companies embrace the innovative technology, they are experiencing significant benefits. Customer yield rates improve, as the software optimize s production processes and minimize s waste. Labo u r costs are significantly reduced, making operations more cost-effective. Food quality and safety standards can reach new heights, thanks to the software ’ s real-time data analysis and fault detection capabilities. The value that we br ing to food manufacturers is immeasurable. We provide a solution to industry-wide challenges , but also help shape a more sustainable and efficient future for the Canadian food industry. Our partnership is a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and the unwavering pursuit of progress through CFIN. We continue to revolutionize the food industry through Laplace Robotics with AI-powered Vision software . We hope to inspire others to embrace technology and unlock new possibilities in the Canadian f ood i ndustry , and prove that even in the face of uncertainty, making connections can ignite a spark that transforms an entire industry. Jeff Hetherington is head of Project Development for Laplace Robotics. Contact him at jeff.hetherington@laplacerobotics.com or @JeffHetherington . Have a story you want to share about how YODL is helping your business? Contact communications director Jamil Karim .

Community ManagerJul 18, 2023

IN 30: Ontario’s Food Ecosystem

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’ll dig into a food innovation topic and link you to the best content and resources so you can become a master on the topic in 30 minutes (or less!). This week, we’re looking at food and beverage innovation and resources in Ontario . The Overview City of Toronto – Food & Beverage The Toronto region’s f ood and b everage sector employs more than 64,000 workers with annual wages tota l ling $3.2 billion . Government of Ontario – Ontario’s Local Food Report The report is a comprehensive snapshot of the province’s food producers and processors, as well as a look at food access and literacy in Ontario. Invest Ontario – Food and Beverage Manufacturing Ontario's food and beverage manufacturing sector is the third largest in North America with more than $48 billion in manufacturing revenues . OMAFRA – Learn About Ontario’s Food and Beverage Industry Statistics and facts about the province’s food system. Resources Caddle St. Catharines, ON-based Caddle collects consumer data and insights through its app for consumer packaged goods companies to use during decision making. Canada’s Advanced Manufacturing Cluster The research centre, based in Hamilton, ON, is positioning Canadian companies to lead industrial digitalization, maximizing competitiveness and participation in global markets . Fanshawe College’s Centre for Research and Innovation (CRI) London, ON-based CRI is the only research facility amongst Ontario’s colleges specializing in nutritional and shelf-life testing for product development and validation. Food & Beverage Innovation Centre at Niagara College The centre offers services to support industry innovation and commercialization of new products and processes for food, beverages and cannabis edibles. Technology Access Centre in Bio-Innovation (TAC-B) Ottawa’s TAC-B develops or improves products or processes in biotechnology for the food industry, agriculture, agri- food and bio-pharmaceutical industries. The University of Guelph Meat Science Laboratory The Meat Science Lab is a small-scale meat packing plant operating under federal meat inspection regulations with the capability to slaughter, cut, and process red meat species. Companies you Should Know App8 Inc. Ottawa’s App8’s offers innovative technology that allows foodservice brands to offer customers digital ordering experiences, while reducing operational bottlenecks and improving the bottom line. CarbonGraph Toronto, ON ’s CarbonGraph is a digital platform for tracing the carbon footprint and sustainability of food products from farm to table. Cyberworks Robotics Markham, ON ’s Cyberworks Robotics provides autonomous self-driving technology for material handling forklifts , tow- tuggers and industrial floor scrubbers. Escarpment Laboratories Escarpment Laboratories , based in Guelph, ON, supports the beer and fermentation industry through yeast cultures, knowledge and education resources. Evolved Meats Kitchener, ON-based Evolved Meats is a cultivated meat company that creates whole cuts of meat that are both structurally and biochemically identical to conventional meat. Food Cycle Science Corporation Ottawa’s Food Cycle Science Corporation is a Canadian cleantech company dedicated to revolutionizing food waste management, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting soil health and a circular economy. Forward Water Technologies Corporation This Toronto company can extract pure water from liquid streams with no energy input and without consuming any chemicals. Gastronomous Technologies Oakville, ON-based Gastronomous creates smart commercial kitchens using automation, interconnected robotics and software to solve foodservice challenges . Henry’s Tempeh This Kitchener , ON -based company produces organic and sustainable tempeh, a fermented plant protein with Indonesian roots. Liven Proteins Toronto’s Liven Proteins makes animal-free, functional and sustainable protein ingredients. Mycionics This Putnam, ON-based company has developed a fully automated mushroom harvesting system using novel advanced robotics and automation. New School Foods Toronto, ON-based New School Foods Inc. uses new production technologies to create authentic whole-cut meat and seafood alternatives for the mass market that deliver on texture, cooking, appearance, price and taste. Nutrigenomix This Toronto company offers DNA tests consisting of 70 genetic markers for health and wellness, athletic performance and fertility . PLAN Automation Bolton, ON-based PLAN Automation Inc. uses state-of-the-art X-ray technology to inspect clients’ products, including a variety of food and beverage and consumer goods . Rapid Aid Corp. Based in Mississauga, ON, Rapid Aid’s TempAid division specializes in design and manufacturing of highly engineered packaging solutions for shipping temperature-sensitive goods. Savormetrics Mississauga’s Savormetrics offers real-time biophysical and biochemical quality analysis through FoodSafe Analyzers, a fully integrated food quality analysis tool. Suppli The Toronto company leverages technology to offer its reusable takeout container service across online food channels, currently in takeout and corporate catering, but with applicability across groceries, meal kits, and beyond. Vivid Machines Toronto’s Vivid Machines has developed a multispectral computer vision platform to digitize fruit production. YEX Serums Toronto’s YEX Serums is manufacturing a product that will enable companies to make their lab-grown meat products profitably and in an environmentally friendly way. Overtime If you’ve got more than 30 minutes, these are for you: CFIN Funded Projects: One Year Updates - Index Biosystems Linda Fox, Regional Innovation Director for Ontario, speaks with David Singer, co-founder and vice president of Business Development at Burlington, ON-based Index Biosystems . The company produces BioTags that allow food and ingredients to be tracked as they move through the supply chain.

Community ManagerJul 17, 2023

Company Spotlight – New School 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 . Toronto, ON-based New School Foods Inc. uses new production technologies to create authentic whole-cut meat and seafood alternatives for the mass market that deliver on texture, cooking, appearance, price and taste. The company’s first product is a whole fillet of salmon that looks, cooks, tastes and flakes like fish. It transitions from raw to cooked, and replicates salmon muscle fibres and connective tissue to create the same texture and mouthfeel. New School Foods received $80,526 in funding to create novel equipment that can draw “white lines” in the salmon to help improve the product by creating fillets that flake and closely emulate traditional salmon. We talked to Jennifer St. Onge , senior manager of Operations at New School Foods, to find out more about the project and the company’s plans. Q: What is your company’s mission? A: New School Foods’ mission is to accelerate the transition to a kinder, more sustainable food system by creating no-compromise meat alternatives. Q: Why did you apply for this funding and how will you use it? A: We are currently developing a brand new way to create the connective tissue that contributes to the texture and flavour of whole-cut meats. In order to scale this technology, we needed to work with a partner to develop custom equipment. This funding will help support this project and allow us to solve these challenges and get to market faster. Q: What excites you most about working in this area of the food industry? A: There are many plant-based options available already, but most are ground products like nuggets and patties. Delivering a whole-cut product for the market could have a significant impact, especially as more and more consumers look to find healthier and more climate-friendly food choices. Our focus on research and development paved the way for us to develop our own technology. Long-term, our technologies could help other companies improve their products, so we can attract more people to alternative meats and, in turn, ensure the greatest environmental impact possible . 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 industry has been using the same limited toolkit to make alternative proteins for years , and now is the time to start thinking outside the box if we want to create better products and new formats. Collaboration was critical in our early development. We sponsored multiple research projects at different universities and leveraged their in-house expertise and equipment to accelerate our mission to find a better technology for making whole-cut meat alternatives. We continue to collaborate with researchers, colleges, ingredient providers, and experts in food processing and engineering to solve our technical challenges quickly and efficiently. Being able to reduce the administrative burden of working with public institutions would make it easier to collaborate at the pace we need to move at and create more opportunities for innovation. Q: Please comment on the importance of public funding to help companies clear innovation hurdles and access leveraged funds. A: One of the best things about having our company in Canada is the public support for this industry. The funding that we received early on helped us invest the time and energy to really understand the science behind the texture and flavour of salmon and develop the tools to recreate it. Those early results made a huge difference in attracting foreign investment so we could focus on getting our first product to market. We are grateful to have received additional support from CFIN and other agencies this year to continue improving our product and develop new technologies for this industry. Q: Looking ahead, what’s on the horizon for your company? A: We are starting out by working closely with top North American chefs to perfect the flavour and texture of our plant-based salmon fil l et before venturing into grocery stores. Early next year, we will unveil our salmon alternative in several high-end restaurants, as a way to drum up excitement among a broad range of consumers. With our first pilot facility now under construction we will be able start producing at scale by next year. Q: What are your passions or hobbies outside of work? A: Music, both as a listener, and a writer. There’s nothing more exciting than watching an idea come to life in front of you. I also enjoy skiing, and playing tennis. Q: If you had to pick one person to make you a meal, who would you choose? A: Martha Stewart. She seems like a lot of fun, and has a ton of experience with plant-based meals. #funding #FoodInnovation #foodtech #Ontario #plantbasedfoods #meatalternatives CFIN Members get exclusive access to funding opportunities , five Regional Innovation Directors , and YODL . Learn more about what it’s like to be a CFIN Member and how you can join our growing community of food professionals.

Community ManagerJul 14, 2023

Staff Picks – Jairo Melo

Community ManagerJul 14, 2023

CFIN Funded Projects: One Year Updates – Foodarom

Community ManagerJul 13, 2023

50 Canadian FoodTech Resources – Kemitek

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’ll be highlighting an organization that’s supporting food innovation in Canada. Name: Kemitek (formerly O LEOTEK ) Location: Thetford Mines, Q C Mission: T o help organizations innovate in the fields of sustainable chemistry, green chemistry and process scale-up, while acti ng as a regional centre of excellence with international reach. Focus: Kemitek focuses on green and sustainable chemistry, process scale up and oleochemistry . Kemitek’s vision is to be the premier centre for technology development and support for green chemistry commercialization in Canada by 2030. It offers services to a number of sector s, including food and nutraceuticals; materials, coatings and adhesives; and cleaning agents. Services: The centre ’s services include : Green chemistry Renewable chemistry and oleochemistry Chemical process development Process scale up and piloting Pre-commercial production Applied research Technical assistance Characterization, testing and analysis Financing What you Need to Know: Kemitek’s pilot plant can be used to scale up processes developed in the laboratory ; as the last step of research ; for the large-scale production of chemicals (from a kilogram to a ton) ; and for the adaptation of existing technologies. It features a range of equipment and storage options. Notable News: In 2020 t he centre changed its name from O LEOTEK to Kemitek to better represent its mission and its innovation and technological development features. Get Involved: Contact Kemitek at info@kemitek.org or (418) 338-1318, or reach out to our Regional Innovation Director for Quebec , Julie Daigle .

Community ManagerJul 12, 2023

From ChatGPT: How AI is transforming the Canadian Food Sector

Community ManagerJul 11, 2023

IN 30: Quebec’s Food Ecosystem

Community ManagerJul 10, 2023

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