Inside SIAL Canada 2026: Driving Food Innovation Through Connection and Collaboration
CFIN had the honour of taking a bite out of SIAL Canada 2026 in Montréal 🍎—connecting with partners, members, and industry leaders shaping the future of food innovation across Canada and beyond. Representing CFIN on site were CEO @Dana McCauley and @Julie Daigle , Regional Innovation Director (Quebec), who engaged with the ecosystem throughout the event. Their presence reflected CFIN’s ongoing commitment to strengthening Canada’s food innovation ecosystem and supporting high-potential foodtech ventures. Attendees could also catch Julie as a Foodtech Focus expert at the SIAL Canada Expert Hub, where she connected directly with innovators and shared insights with the community. Dana also took the stage as part of the Dairy Talks program, contributing to a forward-looking discussion on innovation as a driver of market leadership in the Canadian dairy sector. Her session explored the shift from incremental product development toward a broader innovation mindset—highlighting next-generation ingredients, value-added dairy formats, new go-to-market strategies, and the role of Industry 4.0 technologies like AI, robotics, automation, and digital supply chains in strengthening productivity and global competitiveness. A key highlight of the week was CFIN’s involvement in the 7th edition of the Startup Pitch Competition, held on April 30 on the Food & Bev Connect stage. Julie Daigle participated as the President of the Foodtech jury, joining a panel of industry experts evaluating promising entrepreneurs from the Startup Village. Beyond the competition, the Startup Pitch stage served as a strategic platform connecting entrepreneurs with buyers, investors, and key decision-makers across the agri-food ecosystem. A standout moment for the CFIN community was the recognition of Maia Farms, a CFIN member and funding recipient, which earned the Gold Prize in the foodtec h competition 🍄🏆 CFIN’s presence at SIAL Canada underscored the momentum of Canada’s food innovation sector and the value of convening the ecosystem to accelerate ideas from concept to commercialization. 📖 Explore more from SIAL Canada 2026 R elive the stories, innovations, and key moments captured throughout the show in the official SIAL Canada Daily: SIAL Canada Daily – 2026 Edition (Photos Courtesy of SIAL)
Community Manager-
Five Years of CFIN: A Letter to the Network
Thirty years ago, I worked as a chef in the kitchen of one of Canada’s top restaurants standing should er to shoulder with people who ca red about the sensory experience of food above all else . Our tech stack was al most all analog and , to be honest, we didn’t give our ordering system or the way we did inventory a lot of thought. My career broadened over time , and I ’ ve also held roles where I developed recipes at Canadian Living and wrote about food trends; built innovation strategies and products for national brands, founded a business incubator, and ran a venture creation office at a prestigious Canadian u niversity . Food was always the thread , and technology was always present but in most of the food focused businesses I’ve worked for, it was taken for granted, and creativity and hard work were what drove the businesses forward. While smart people with great ideas are essential to food business success, it’s not enough to be competitive in today’s world. Old ways of running restaurants, innovation labs and food and beverage processi ng businesses can’t compete internationally or absorb the trade shocks that have become commonpla ce in recent history. That’s why I feel l ik e CFIN is the perfect place for me to be today and why we’re adding dozens of new members per week. When CFIN was created in 2021, the mandate was intentionally broad : cata lyze Canadian food innovation with funding , build community, connect an ecosystem that had been operating in silos for decades. The funding programs took shape quickly. Since 2022, we’ve awar ded $23.3 million to 133 projects across six program s. For every $1 CFIN invested, our members committed $7.65 of their own capital toward innovation. This leverage ratio of nearly 8-to-1 has unlocked over $140 m illion in private sector spending on R&D and capital infrastructure. The other work was harder to define . What do "build community" and "connect an ecosystem" mean in practice for a sector span ning startups, processors, researchers, investors, policymakers, and operators spread across this vast country ? Th at question didn't have a tidy answer. As a result , fostering and serving this network was (and remains ) an exercise in innovation itself : something new to be built , and then tested, adjusted, and iterated upon , ad infinitum . I’m immensely proud of what we’ve built so far . A team of Regional Innovation Directors who've supported more than 2,200 organizations, brokering the introductions that became commercial partnerships, strategic investments, leadership hires, and research collaborations. A digital platform , YODL, connecting Canada's food sector across industry silos and bridging interprovincial barriers . The first comprehensive analysis of Canadian foodtech . A network of 8,500 members from every province, every part of the food value chain, every stage of business . On any given week, our community is discussing topics ranging from precision fermentation bioreactor designs and funding stacks to food packaging labeling regulations and export strategies, all in the same space. Members benefit from purpose-built tools and resources — like our Funding Finder that aggregates food and beverage funding opportunities across the country and a growing library of original sector research and analysis — alongside direct access to our Regional Innovation Directors. Canada has strong regional funders, accelerators, trade associations, and tech transfer offices, each doing necessary work in a defined lane. What this sector didn't have was a place where the conversation s , the tools, and the connections all showed up at once — where the range of problems and the range of capabilities were dense enough that the right solutions could emerge . That's what CFIN has built. That foundation is important because the next five years will be even more dynamic, and often more challenging, than the last five . To keep pace and flourish in an increasingly volatile world, Canada's food sector needs to modernize faster and more strategic ally than ever before . Trade disruption is dramaticall y reshaping supply chains . L abour constraints are compounding a productivity gap that was widening long before tariffs became front-page news. Climate pressures are intensifying. Food 4.0 — a tech-enabled food s ector that's more collaborative, productive, resilient, and competitive — is the framework CFIN is building toward, and the case for it gets more urgent by the quarter. I ’m confident that we’re up to the task . Five years ago, Canada's food innovation ecosystem was fragmented, underleveraged, and often invisible to the investors, operators, policymakers, and media who needed to see it. That's no longer true. The capacity to respond to the challenges ahead is here. Not in any single program or policy, but in the breadth of this network — the founders , processors , researchers , and investo rs who are hungry to innovate and build a better Canadian food sector . My own wide-ranging path through the food sector taught me that no single role ever showed me the full picture. It took working across kitchens, labs, newsrooms, boardrooms, and startups to understand how innovation really moves through this industry — and where it get s stuck. CFIN was built on the same insight. A sector this complex, facing challenges this urgent, needs more than funding or advice or connections in isolation. It needs all of them in the same room. That's what we've spent five years building, and I'm betting the next five will prove its value at a scale none of us can yet imagine. Thank you for being part of it. Dana McCauley, CEO, Canadian Food Innovation Network
Community Manager-
How BC is Becoming a National Foodtech Hub
Editor's Note: This article was o riginally published in the Vancouver Tech Journal on March 13, 2026 The province has a diverse food processing industry, world-class research facilities, and a deep bench of tech talent — everything a foodtech ecosystem needs to thrive. Foodtech builds the software, automation, and applied science for how food gets processed, manufactured, packaged, distributed, and sold. The industry behind it is enormous — food and beverage processing alone is Canada's largest manufacturing sub-sector , bigger than automotive, bigger than aerospace. It's a serious market, and in British Columbia, it's growing fast. But if you work in the province's broader tech ecosystem, you might not even know that. Foodtech hasn't traditionally drawn the same attention as sectors like cleantech or enterprise SaaS despite being a comparable market in scale and complexity — and one where demand for new technology is accelerating fast. What BC brings to the table BC's food processing sector is substantial — over 3,200 companies producing roughly $12.6 billion in value-added products annually. And it's being treated as a strategic priority. The province has funded a network of shared food processing hubs, UBC just opened a Food and Beverage Innovation Centre with pilot-scale production labs that processors and startups previously had to leave BC to access, and SFU's BC Centre for Agritech Innovation is partnering directly with SMEs on cost-shared R&D. At the same time, much of what the food industry needs is already being built in BC for other thriving tech sectors. Process automation, energy management, supply chain software, safety and traceability systems, data-driven quality control — these are cleantech and software problems applied to production floors and distribution networks. The talent, research base, and trade infrastructure to support a serious foodtech cluster are all here. A different kind of tech sector Foodtech doesn't work like enterprise SaaS or consumer tech. Processors and manufacturers adopt slowly and carefully, because failure is expensive in ways that go beyond lost revenue — a food safety issue, a botched line integration, a regulatory problem. Sales cycles run in quarters. The investor community that understands food is small and specialized. And the industry's own networks run through trade associations, existing supply relationships, and sector-specific events that sit well outside the broader tech community's orbit. None of this means foodtech is closed off. It means that if you want in — as a founder, investor, developer, or potential partner — you need a way to access the conversations, the deal flow, and the operating knowledge that don't surface through the usual channels. The Canadian Food Innovation Network The Canadian Food Innovation Network is a national not-for-profit, established in 2021 that functions as the operating infrastructure for Canada's foodtech sector. CFIN runs cost-shared funding programs that help companies de-risk R&D and move technology into commercial settings. Since launch , the organization has awarded over $22 million to 122 Canadian foodtech projects, matched by $25 million in industry co-investment. Those funded companies have generated $90 million in economic impact, created over 355 jobs and co-op placements, and attracted more than $82 million in follow-on investment. The network's 8,000-plus members include food processors, technology companies, ingredient suppliers, retailers, researchers, and investors — connected through YODL, CFIN's member platform, and supported by Regional Innovation Directors embedded across the country, who work directly with members to broker introductions, navigate funding, and connect emerging technology with the processors and buyers who need it. CFIN also produces the sector's most detailed intelligence . The Foodtech in Canada 2025 Ecosystem Report mapped investment flows, identified sector strengths, and gave both companies and investors a clearer picture of where the Canadian foodtech market stands. And then there's Foodtech Frontier , CFIN's annual program identifying the country's highest-potential foodtech companies. The inaugural cohort of 35 winners included eight BC companies. For investors, it works as curated, vetted deal flow in a sector where sourcing is otherwise hard. For the companies, it's structured national visibility. Plug into Canada’s foodtech ecosystem If you work in technology or investment and you've been curious about the food sector, then signing up for a free CFIN membership is the best place to start. Members get access to funding programs, sector intelligence, a national innovation community, and regional team members that know the BC landscape specifically.
Community Manager-
Other Articles
What YODLers are Saying and Reading – The Top YODL Content for April 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 . YODL was the place to be last month to hear about industry events, trends, and networking opportunities. In case you missed them, here are the top five discussions and most read articles on YODL in April 2023. Top YODL Discussions in April 2023 Number 5 Funding for sustainable product dev! Terra Bioindustries is looking for food manufacturers to sample its upcycled plant-based protein ingredient for free. Number 4 CIFST Annual Conference: L ooking for Speakers The Canadian Institute of Food Science & Technology’s (CIFST) 2023 Food Summit takes place June 7 to 9 in London, ON and is looking for speakers to participate in its industry education track. Number 3 Food sensory evaluation equipment Many YODLers are either looking for or can supply food perception and evaluation equipment. Number 2 Looking for fruit an d veg purees Looking for fruit and vegetable purees? This posting has lots of suggestions for private-label manufacturers. Number 1 FREE 3 Day Passes to RC Show Toronto April 10th-12th! The Restaurants Canada trade show took place April 10 to 12, 2023, with more than 1,000 exhibitors displaying new products and services in the foodservice and hospitality sector. Most Read YODL Articles in April 2023 Number 5 In 30: Regulating C e llular Food Find out everything you need to know about cellular food in 30 minutes or less . Number 4 Company Spotlight – Relocalize Inc. Montreal, QC-based Relocalize Inc. hyper-localizes packaged food manufacturing with autonomous factories that eliminate middle mile logistics and CO 2 emissions, reduce product costs , and cut waste. Number 3 CFIN Staff Picks - Ja m il Karim This is the first in a series of articles highlighting what CFIN staff are reading, listening to, watching, and posting. First up is CFIN’s Director of Communications Jamil Karim. Number 2 One Year Check In: A Roundtable with CFIN's A c CELLerate-ON Fun d ing Recipients In May 2022 CFIN and Ontario Genomics announced the four winners of AcCELLerate-ON, Canada’s first regional cellular agriculture competition. We checked in with the companies to hear more about how their projects are progressing. Number 1 In 30: Precision Fermentation Discover more about one of the key techniques being used to produce cellular food, precision fermentation, in 30 minutes or less. What’s been your favourite article or discussion post from the past month? Let us know!
Community Manager-
Company Spotlight – Food Cycle Science Corporation
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 recei v e d funding . Ottawa, ON-based Food Cycle Science Corporation (FCS) is a Canadian cleantech company established in 2011, dedicated to revolutionizing food waste management, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting soil health and a circular economy. Its innovative FoodCycler technology processes food waste onsite, reducing its weight and volume by up to 90%, while converting it into valuable resources for enriching soil. This past year alone, FCS has diverted 15,000 metric tonnes of food waste and 27,000 metric tonnes of CO 2 emissions . This is the equivalent of taking over 6,000 gas-powered cars off the road for a year. This latest project will allow the company to create a “one-bin” system capable of processing food waste and bioplastics together, accelerating the adoption of bioplastics and contributing to elimination of single-use plastics (SUPs) . Each unit will be capable of reducing emissions by up to 52 metric tonnes of CO 2 emissions annually, that’s equivalent to 10 homes’ electricity use for a year . The company received $1,650,820. to develop enzyme- degradation to address plastic waste with project partner Weaving Baskets Group and Bridgehead Coffee . We spoke with FCS CEO Brad Crepeau to find out more about the project and the company’s plans. Q: What is your company’s mission? A: Our mission is to inspire individuals to take ownership of their food waste. Q: W h y did you apply for this funding and how will you use it? A: We applied for this funding because we saw an opportunity to help our customers and communities tackle the challenge of eliminating SUPs . As a company that focuses on food waste, we understand the difficulties, costs, and complexities our clients face when it comes to waste management. One of the main challenges they are facing now is distinguishing between compostable bio-based packages and their plastic counterparts, which can lead to contamination issues at commercial composting facilities. We believe that our onsite technology for food waste can be adapted to also process bioplastics onsite, which would help to eliminate many of the challenges our customers face. By processing food waste and bioplastics together onsite, we can reduce weight and volume of waste and the resulting costs, while enabling accelerated degradation of bioplastics. This will make it much easier for our clients, municipalities, and recycling and composting site operators to widely adopt and manage bioplastics. With the funding, we plan to invest in research and development to adapt our technology to process bioplastics. We will also work to educate our clients and stakeholders on the benefits of bioplastics and how our technology can help make the adoption of bioplastics easier and more cost effective. Ultimately, we hope that this project will contribute to the elimination of SUPs and a cleaner and more sustainable future for our planet. Q: What excites you most about working in this area of the food industry? A: What excites me most about working in this area of the food industry is the opportunity to work with partners and a team of passionate individuals who all share the same desire to make a difference. We are unified in our mission and dedicated to making a positive impact on the planet by tackling the issue of food waste and SUPs and their impact on the environment. Moreover, there is great potential for disruption in the waste industry. With FoodCycler technology , we can transform the way people think about waste . The ability to make a real impact is exciting and motivating. T he impact we can have on the planet is immense. Every day we are reminded of the urgency to address climate change, and working in the food industry provides us with a unique opportunity to contribute to the solution. I find it incredibly fulfilling to know that our work can make a tangible difference and lead to a more sustainable future. 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: C ollaboration is incredibly important for accelerating innovation in the food industry. The challenges we face in this industry are complex and multifaceted, and it will take many people with different backgrounds and perspectives to develop effective solutions. At Food Cycle Science, we recognize the value of collaborating with others and actively seek out partnerships with like-minded organizations and institutions. We have been fortunate to work with great partners such as Bridgehead, Weaving Baskets Group, Carleton University, and York University , among others . These collaborations have allowed us to leverage different areas of expertise and pool resources to develop innovative solutions. We need diverse partnerships to offer up new and divergent ways of thinking and promote innovation. Finding collaboration partners hasn’t been difficult for us, and I believe that is because teamwork is so much at the core of what we do. We have been fortunate to find ourselves aligned with organizations that share similar values and goals , which is why it works so well. Maintaining the partnerships is the tricky part – everyone is busy and has a million things on the go. We work hard to establish regular, clear , and open lines of communication from the outset . Ultimately, we believe that collaboration is the key to accelerating innovation and creating a more sustainable future. Q: Please comment on the importance of public funding to help companies clear innovation hurdles and access leveraged funds. A: P ublic funding is vital for companies like Food Cycle Science to drive innovation and bring new ideas to market. It allows us to take risks, invest in bolder R&D initiatives, accelerate research and commercialization, and access broader networks and aligned expertise. Ultimately, this funding helps us to create a positive impact and contribute to a more sustainable future. Q: Looking ahead, what’s on the horizon for your company? A: There are big things on the horizon for Food Cycle Science. We are not slowing down and have an aggressive product development roadmap that we are excited to execute. To achieve our goals, we are planning to hire more talented individuals who share our passion and desire to make a positive impact. We also plan to build more partnerships with organizations and institutions that share our values and goals. These collaborations will enable us to leverage diverse areas of expertise and resources to develop pioneering solutions. We will continue to innovate, take bigger risks, and push the boundaries of what is possible. Q: What are your passions or hobbies outside of work? A: My beautiful wife and I are preparing for our first child, so outside of work, it’s all hands on deck to prepare for that adventure! Q: If you had to pick one person to make you a meal, who would you choose? A: A s much as I love my M om’s cooking, it would be a once in a lifetime experience to have a meal made by someone like Massimo Bottura. Ready to access funding for your innovative initiative? Click here to find out more about CFIN’s funding programs.
Community Manager-
50 Canadian FoodTech Resources – RPC Science & Engineering
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: RPC Science & Engineering . Location: Fredericton and Moncton, NB Mission: RPC is New Brunswick’s provincial research organization and research and technology organization. Focus: Since 1962, RPC offers research and development and technical services to clients in New Brunswick and in 30 countries around the world. Services: RPC’s team includes more than 160 scientists, engineers and technologists. The centre offers analytical chemistry, air quality and material-testing laboratories, life science capabilities, applied research and engineering, a fish health lab, inspection services, product development, design, manufacturing and testing, and pilot facilities for development and improvement of industrial and environmental processes and products. What you need to know: The centre holds more than 100 accreditations and certifications from Standards Council of Canada, and is ISO 9001:2015 certified. Notable news: RPC offers services by sector, including food and aquaculture. Specific services for manufacturers include machine vision, robotics and automation, new product development, failure investigations, industrial air testing and more. Get involved: Contact Josh Perry, client services, at info@rpc.ca or at (506) 452-1212, or reach out to our Regional Innovation Director for Atlantic Canada Tyson M acInnis .
Community Manager-
IN 30: Commercializing Cellular Food
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 content and resources so you can become a master on the topic in 30 minutes (or less!). T his week, we’re looking at cellular food entering or currently on the market, and opportunities for commercialization in Canada and around the world. The Overview Forbes – Eat Just To Scale Up Cultured Meat Production On Gaining New Regulatory Approval In Singapore Eat Just Inc. is scaling up production of its cultivated chicken product in Singapore, and is set to reach price parity with conventional chicken by 2027. Foodnavigator – SCiFi Foods claims industry first for cultivated beef, says immediate future is hybrid for cell-cultured meat Sci-Fi Foods hopes to be the first company to launch cellular meat in the U.S. YODL – Funding for Cellular Food Research and Development There are several sourcing of funding for companies working to develop new products, technology, and services for the emerging cellular agriculture industry in Canada. The Canadian Connection YODL – One Year Check In: A Roundtable with CFIN and Ontario Genomics' AcCELLerate-ON Funding Recipients Last year CFIN and Ontario Genomics funded five companies working on cell food projects. We wanted to know how their projects were progressing one year later. YODL – Cultivating Success: Canada’s Big Biomanufacturing Opportunity On May 16, 2023 CFIN will host an immersive experience in the emerging world of cellular food. Sign up for the webinar here . Food in Canada – Cell-ag institute launching in Alberta university Canada will soon have its own cellular agriculture institute at the University of Alberta. Social Media Because Animals – (LinkedIn) Because Animals is commercializing cultured meat for pet food. @believermeats – (Twitter) Believer Meats is one of the first cultivated meat companies working to scale up production. @goodmeat – (Twitter) Good Meat, a division of Eat Just, Inc., produces cultivated chicken, and is currently for sale at select restaurants in Singapore. Overtime If you’ve got more than 30 minutes, these are for you: YouTube – Lab-grown meat moves closer to U.S. restaurants.
Community Manager-
Staff Picks – Jaleh Sasani, Programs Specialist
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 . A lot of material comes across our desks at CFIN, and we love to share new information with YODLers! This one in a series of articles highlighting what CFIN staff are reading, listening to, watching, and posting. Here’s CFIN’s program specialist, Jaleh Sasani . What are you reading ? I have truly enjoyed reading Dinner on Mars: The Te c hnologies That Will Feed the Red Planet and Transform Agriculture on Earth , written by Lenore Newman and Evan D.G. Fraser. Their expertise and flowing conversation throughout the book makes it hard to put down! I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in learning about technology advancements and innovations in the food sector. What are you listening to ? I love anything and everything TED Talks . I’ve been listening to TED Talks Daily podcasts and came across an interesting episode by Phnam Bagley called Gou r met food for the final frontier , which is on theme with the book I’m reading. What is the next generation of space food? How do we get to Mars (or deep space) while eating Michelin star food ? Who are you following ? I follow a variety of great newsletters including Food D i ve , Groc e ry Dive , MaRS News , and the Arrell Fo o d Institute . Lately, I’ve been interested in learning more about honey bee health and enjoy updates from the University of Guelph Honey Bee Research Centre . What are you watching ? My watching habits are guided by my three-year-old , who is currently into everything space related. We are enjoying all kinds of videos and cartoons about planets, galaxies, stars, and what it would be like if you were to try running on every planet. We also watch Octonauts and Numberblocks on repeat! What are you posting about ? I recently posted on YO D L about the federal government’s announcement of Canada’s next agricultural policy framework. The Sustainable Can a dian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP) is a new $3.5-billion, five-year agreement (April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2028), between the federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of the agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector.
Community Manager-
Company Spotlight – Copol International
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 . North Sydney, NS-based Copol International Ltd. manufacture s c ast p olypropylene film for the flexible packaging industry, mostly for food packaging and often for high heat applications such as sterilizing . This product extends the shelf life of most foods , improves food safety and reduce s food waste. I t also offers one of the most efficient packaging options , reducing weight, transportation and storage costs, resulting in minimizing GHCs in the food chain. At the same time the company is trying to find alternatives to fossil - based polymers that would also be compostable. This would improve the sustainability of supply and offer an end of life solution. Copol International received $858,959.55 in funding to develop m ultifunctional b iopolymer f ood p ackaging a pplications to i mprove the s ustainability of f ood p ackaging and extend the s helf life. The company’s project partners are The Verschuren Centre Inc., Farnell Packaging Ltd., and G N Thermoforming Equipment. We talked to Denis Lano ë vi ce- p resident of Operations and g eneral m anager of Copol International , to find out more about the project and the company’s plans. Q: Wh at is your company’s mission? A: Our mission is to provide a rewarding and safe environment for our employees, provide outstanding quality services and products to our customers, and support our community. Q: W h y did you apply for this funding and how will you use it? A: We applied for this funding to be able to develop a biopolymer that we would be able to process and use in our current applications. This requires specialized equipment and research and development to be able to stabilize the polymer and have it available in production. Q: What excites you most about working in this area of the food industry? A: This project is very exciting as it takes us into the future where the polymers we use are grown by bacteria and are fully compostable in nature. Being able to offer an alternative to fossil - based polymers in our applications is a huge step forward. 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 essential to embarking on such a project. We are lucky to have a biopolymer research facility here in Sydney, T he Verschuren Centre for Sustainability, wh ich will be crucial to the development of the biopolymer. As well we have two other partners that will help us convert our film for trials out in the industry, Farnell Packaging and G N Thermoforming, both from Nova Scotia. And lastly we would not be doing this without the support of CFIN. Q: Please comment on the importance of public funding to help companies clear innovation hurdles and access leveraged funds. A: Companies our size do not have the resources to embark on such a project on their own. Public funding and leveraged funds are needed to be able to take that step and foster the innovation that will allow us to break through to the next level. Q: Looking ahead, what’s on the horizon for your company? A: We are focused on being able to offer a viable biopolymer alternative to our customers, and to be able to develop and grow this industry based here in Nova Scotia. Q: What are your passions or hobbies outside of work? A: I am an avid long distance runner, and I love spending time with my family. Q: I f you had to pick one person to make you a meal, who would you choose? A: My Mom .
Community Manager-
50 Canadian FoodTech Resources - The BC Beverage Technology Access 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’ll be highlighting an organization that’s supporting food innovation in Canada. Name: The BC Beverage Technology Access Centre (BC BTAC) at Okanagan College. Location: Penticton, BC Mission: To work with the food and beverage industry toward sustained economic and intellectual growth. Focus: BC BTAC works with companies and organizations to exchange ideas and resources to create real-world solutions for the development of beverages, including fermented, brewed, distilled and non-alcoholic products. Services: The organization supports beverage innovation in Canada by offering a range of expert services and resources. Services include laboratory analysis such as testing for smoke taint, TCA, pesticides and herbicides; sensory services from descriptive tasting notes to fault identification and shelf-life testing analysis; commercial and business services such as market research and grant accessibility; research and development; analytical testing; education ; and networking. What you need to know: BC BTAC offers workshops on a wide variety of topics such as customer experience, sensory tastings and social media. The organization has partnered with Statera Academy to offer Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) courses and qualifications , and offers courses in cider production and qualifications through the Cider Institute of North America (CINA). Notable news: As of 2023, the BC BTAC team has almost 60 years of experience in laboratory work, and 40 years of beverage production experience. Get involved: Contact BC BTAC at 1-250-490-3952 ext 3360, or bcbtac@okanagan.bc.ca, or reach out to our Regional Innovation Director for BC and the Yukon Lavina Gully .
Community Manager-
Meet a Member – Mary Ellen Schaafsma
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 . Since launching in 2022, CFIN has grown to more than 2, 7 00 members, which includes professionals from every sector of the food industry. This series highlights the many different CFIN members across Canada who visit YODL to learn, make connections, find funding, and discover new ways to grow their businesses. Mary Ellen Schaafsma Purpose advisor and coach , Purpose Pathways Consulting Greater Vancouver, B C Tell us a bit about your job I am founder and principal of Purpose Pathways, a consultancy that exists to empower leaders to change the world through business. What I mean by this is that I help businesses find their societal p urpose and bring it to life, integrating it into the whole company and activating it with their business ecosystem – so that the business becomes an engine for good as it is doing its business. To add context, here’s how I talk about p urpose in business: p urpose in business is defining the reason your company exists as a societal reason (social or environmental) , where that unique p urpose becomes the decision lens on all that your company does, driving business growth as well as societal good. There is no trade-off by adopting a societal p urpose – it is not charity or an expense line. I t is good for society and good for business . With this fresh lens on everything it does, the company discovers new business solutions to the world’s problems, related to the company’s unique strengths and assets. I t is intentionally and strategically identifying how your business can have the most impact and focusing your resources on that to enable innovation and growth, attract and retain talent, resonate with more loyal customers, attract capital, and enhance financial performance. How is YODL helping you do your job ? I joined CFIN and YODL as a s ervice p rovider because I strongly believe that the f ood s ector has the capacity and ingenuity to work together to help end hunger and malnutrition in the world (we all know no one needs to go hungry, there is enough for everyone) and can solve the environmental issues associated with food production , packaging, and distribution . A powerful way to accelerate action and increase collaboration is to foster a critical mass of food companies with a societal p urpose , because that ensures companies start partnering up for the good of all (no single company can achieve its p urpose alone). I hoped to meet innovative and open companies (and have!) wh ich see the win-win of p urpose , but aren’t sure how to do it, so that I can offer my help to clarify their p urpose. I would also love to offer new insights, so people increase their understanding about p urpose as the next essential thing in business (think CSR 20 years ago!) and take the lead in this new field . How often do you visit YODL ? I open YODL a few times a week to look around a nd see what’s new, what’s being talked about, and who’s liking what. It’s a great window into the Canadian f ood s ector and I am really learning a lot of the ins and outs of it. I also get the daily d igest in my inbox so I can quickly see what I might want to dive into that day. What is your favourite aspect of YODL ? The discussion board – it’s a wealth of information and inspiration. Anything you’d like to see changed or added ? Maybe to add a m ember search field for p rovince, or type of food business to help people more easily find the partner they are looking for. Can you tell us something you’ve learned on YODL ? I have learned that I was right! The food sector is innovative. I see so many interesting new concepts, processes, and products being talked about and asked about. The food sector is generously collaborative. I see people in need of leads, advice, direction, partners, and suppliers – and all they need to do is ask and they get answers, just like that! The food sector is engaged. Many are already working to reduce negative impact s , upcycle what was once considered waste, and find new ways to feed people that are more accessible and easier on our environment. What type of connection partners are you looking for ? I am passionate about helping business es uncover their higher p urpose for people and the planet (along with profit) . I am looking for companies wh ich want to fully understand what they bring to the world so that they effortlessly attract aligned and committed employees, turn customers into a mbassadors of their brand, increase innovation and productivity with a new lens on their business, differentiate themselves in the market to increase their resilience , and have the most positive impact on society as they possibly can – leaving nothing on the table. I love to work with c ompanies until they : h ave a crystal-clear , inspirational societal reason for being (social or environmental) ; i ntegrate their p urpose into all that they do so it drives growth ; and a ctivate p urpose in new ways within their business ecosystem for greater innovation . What area of food innovation interests you the most ? All of it , and I love when I find p urpose food companies – it makes my heart sing! What is your f avourite food and/or beverage ? Cheese !
Community Manager-
50 Canadian FoodTech Resources – Master List
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 highlighted an organization that’s supporting food innovation in Canada. To help make it easier to find a resource, here’s a list of all the organizations we’ve highlighted to date: Ag-West Bio Alacrity Cleantech Biopterre BioFoodTech BC Food Hub Network BC Beverage Technology Access Centre BC Food & Beverage Association Caddle Canada's Advanced Manufacturing Cluster Canada’s Smartest Kitchen Canadian Centre for Cyber Security Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis Centre of Seafood Innovation at Vancouver Island University Cultivated B Canada Cyber Science Lab David Sobey Centre Emergence Enterprise Machine Intelligence and Learning Initiative (EMILI ) Fanshaw e College Centre for Research and Innovation Food and Agricultural Institute, University of the Fraser Valley Food and Beverage Innovation Centre at Niagara College Food Innovation & Research Studio (FIRSt), George Brown College Food Processing Development Centre Good to Grow GreenCentre Canada INAF Invitro Digestion Platform InBe NomadLab Innofibre Innovate BC Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC Kemitek Merinov Meat Science Lab at the University o f Guelph Mycélium National Center for Electrochemistry and Environmental Technologies, Shawinigan College NRC Marine Research Station Perennia Food and Agriculture Corporation Platform Calgary Prairie Research Kitchen Propel Richardson Centre for Food Technology and Research RPC Science & Engineering Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre T echnology Access Centre in Bio-Innovation at La Cit é College Technology Access Centre for Aerospace & Manufacturing (TACAM), Red River College TransBIOtech Venturepark Labs Verschuren Centre Walker Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre
Community Manager-
In 30: Regulating Cellular Food
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 content and resources so you can become a master on the topic in 30 minutes (or less!). This week, we’re looking at how emerging cellular food technology is being regulated around the world, and some of the debate around how products will be regulated as they hit the market. The Overview Good Food Institute - Cultivated meat is gaining momentum—and pathways for regulatory approval The article gives a comprehensive overview of the nations working toward regulatory approval of cellular food. CNBC – Singapore issues first regulatory approval for lab-grown meat to Eat Just Singapore is the first country to approve the sale of cellular food, in this case lab-grown chicken. FAO UN – Food Safety Aspects of Cell-based Food The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in collaboration with the World Health Organization recently published a document to identify food safety considerations of cellular food, including a view of current regulatory frameworks for cell-based food. USDA – Human Food Made with Cultured Animal Cells The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the F ood and D rug A dministration have a formal agreement on regulating foods containing cultured animal cells in the U.S. The Canadian Connection YODL - Cellular Food Opportunities in Canada YODL - Regulations Governing Cellular Food in Canada with Glenford Jameson
Community Manager-
Staff Picks – Hubba Khatoon
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 . A lot of material comes across our desks at CFIN, and we love to share new information with YODLers ! This one in a series of articles highlighting what CFIN staff are reading, listening to, watching, and posting. Here ’ s CFIN ’ s Regional Innovation Director for the Prairies, Hubba Khatoon . What are you reading? Similar to Jamil, I also received a signed copy of Dinner on Mars by Lenore Newman and Evan Fraser…and I’m obsessed! The book offers a fascinating perspective on the potential of biomanufacturing and cellular agriculture to support human settlements on Mars and beyond. Highly recommend checking it out! What are you listening to? Currently, I’m really into Turkish instrumental music! I’ve been exploring some new artists and discovering some amazing music that I never knew existed before – it’s so soothing and works really well during focus time. Have you listened to any Turkish instrumental music before? Right now, my favourite is the O riental G uitar album on Spotify . Who are you following? I ’ m currently keeping tabs on all the winners of the CFIN funding programs. It ’ s so great to see all these innovators pushing the boundaries of food technology. I ’ ll definitely be following along closely to see them in action! Check them out here . What are you watching? Oh man, re-watching The Office . I can’t get enough of it! I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched it all the way through. And recently, I checked out season 4 of Y ou , but I’ve got to say, it just didn’t do it for me. I was really let down after how much I enjoyed the first three seasons. Also, I can’t wait to watch John Wick: Chapter 4 (this movie series has my heart forever and ever!) What are you posting about? Of course, I’m posting about the upcoming premiere of our next CFIN Live Experience: Cultivating Success: Canada ’ s Big Biomanufacturing Opportunity . I’m really pumped for this event and I think it’s going to be super exciting. You should definitely check it out! Anything else to add? It’s great to see the CFIN membership growing! I think there’s so much potential for us to work together to advance food innovation in Canada. I’m really looking forward to collaborating with everyone in the Prairies and doing some exciting things that push the boundaries of what’s possible. There’s no doubt in my mind that Canada has what it takes to be a major player in the global food industry.
Community Manager-
Company Spotlight - CleanBands
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 rec e i v ed funding . Charlottetown, PE-based CleanBands is building handwashing compliance systems that help workers ensure they are following handwashing policies. The company’s wearables visually indicate handwashing status, and allow for every single hand hygiene event to be tracked. By tracking the status of handwashing, we can create compliance ratings that can be used by operators and processors to ensure standards are met. CleanBands received $244,977 in funding to develop and commercialize an enterprise-ready hand hygiene solution. The company is piloting the project with various quick-service restaurants in PEI. We spoke with CEO Dave Iwankow to learn more about the company and its p lans. Q: What is your company’s mission? A: Our mission is to i mproving food safety, by building tools to help with handwashing controls. Q: W h y did you apply for this funding and how will you use it? A: We applied for the FoodTech Next funding program to help us bring our product to an early commercialization stage. Going through all the product development phases is expensive, and the funding will help us bridge the gaps . The funding will primarily be used to build out our development and engineering teams that are responsible for the software and physical components of our system. Q: What excites you most about working in this area of the food industry? A: We believe we can have a significant and lasting impact on food safety by being the first company to digiti ze handwashing in the food industry! 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: It’s all well and good to invent something that works in a lab, but in order to bring that invention into use, it needs collaboration partners to test, to evaluate, and to help refine. Tools such as YODL and industry networking events are very helpful in making the connections that lead to collaborations. In this spirit, I’d love to talk to anyone reading this about collaboration, so please reach out! Q: Please comment on the importance of public funding to help companies clear innovation hurdles and access leveraged funds. A: All innovation is very expensive . As a start up , m any times we end up in chicken - before - the - egg conversations with prospective investors , i.e. “ Can’t fund until you have customers .” B ut it’s difficult to get customers without having the product developed to a point that can be shown to prospective customers. I have heard this called the “ i nnovation g ap” and we have certainly experienced it. Public funding has and will continue to help us bridge this gap in commercializing our innovation. Q: Looking ahead, what’s on the horizon for your company? A: We are working hard to bring our systems into public use in 2023 . We’ve got a lot planned, and lots of ways and ideas that will be added to our system for the food and other industries! We are also excited to be bringing the system for more industry feedback to the Restaurant s Canada Show . Q: What are your passions or hobbies outside of work? A: Running, c amping, tr ave l ling, landscaping and tinkering with new technologies .
