Bioenterprise Canada Announces Round One FoodShift Program Recipients


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Guelph, ON (March 9th, 2023) – Bioenterprise Canada Corporation is pleased to announce successful first-round applicants for the FoodShift program! Seven southern Ontario food and beverage processors have been selected to receive funding for the adoption of clean technologies into their operations in support of the transition toward a net-zero future.

The Government of Canada, funded through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), is supporting Bioenterprise with an investment of nearly $2 million to deliver the FoodShift program. The FoodShift program provides successful applicants with up to $50,000 in non-repayable, project-based, matching funding to lead their clean technology adoption projects.

“With an increasing focus on sustainability and climate change, food and agriculture businesses are among the earliest adopters of new and innovative technologies to enhance efficiency and meet global demand for net zero carbon impact,” says Dave Smardon, CEO at Bioenterprise. “To encourage the adoption process we have partnered with FedDev Ontario, whose support is critical to these companies as they scale up and advance the integration of innovative products and technologies into Canada’s food and beverage processing sector. I applaud and congratulate each of our successful applicants!”

As Bioenterprise Canada expands its national membership program, Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine, key regional targeted matchmaking initiatives like the FoodShift program enhance ties between industry and funding. In southern Ontario, the FoodShift program connects clean technology organizations with industrial end-users in food and beverage processing. Ultimate recipients are employing funds to embrace greater automation and integrate technologies that reduce waste and energy while improving process efficiencies throughout the agri-food value chain. FoodShift is intended to act as a catalyst for the transition to a green economy and reduce the sector’s carbon footprint.

“Ontario’s agri-business and food processing industry is important to Canada. They feed Canadians and people around the world while creating good jobs,” said the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. “The Government of Canada is happy to support these businesses to enable them to adopt clean, made-in-Canada technologies and practices to help reduce their carbon footprint for a cleaner greener future.”

“Bioenterprise is helping to ensure a strong local economy in Guelph and across southern Ontario by supporting our food and agricultural entrepreneurs. The FoodShift program through Bioenterprise is providing essential support, tools and resources that businesses need to adopt clean technologies that will help modernize their processes while creating good jobs and boosting our economy,” said Lloyd Longfield, Member of Parliament for Guelph.

We would like to congratulate the following program recipients:

Burnbrae Farms (Lyn, ON)

Giraffe Foods (Mississauga, ON)

Labatt Brewing (Toronto, ON)

Pefferlaw Creek Farms (Uxbridge, ON)

Spring Creek Quail Farms (Saint Anns, ON)

Sunny Crunch Foods (Markham, ON)

Sweets from the Earth (Toronto, ON)

Join our mailing list for updates on the FoodShift program or contact Bioenterprise Canada today to explore the other programs and commercialization support services being offered nationally.

Media Contacts

Liza Knill, Program Coordinator, Bioenterprise Canada, liza.knill@bioenterprise.ca

Edward Hutchinson, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, edward.hutchinson@feddevontario.gc.ca

About Bioenterprise Canada

Bioenterprise is Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine. As the country’s national agri-technology focused commercialization accelerator, Bioenterprise uses its 20 years of industry experience and its national and international network of experts, mentors, funders, advisors, researchers, government and industry partners to help small and medium-sized agri-food businesses connect, innovate and grow.

Since its inception in 2003, Bioenterprise has supported over 2,500 innovative ag-tech companies, helped launch 2,000 technologies, generated $285 million in follow-on investment in Canadian agriculture and agri-food, and yielded a 200:1 return on invested dollars. The organization has six locations across Canada and more than 350 members and partners nationwide.

About FedDev Ontario

For 13 years, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth, and job creation in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impacts the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our pivotal projects, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontario’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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