Canada: Vegan, Plant-based & Cell-Cultured News

Hershey Canada Debuts ‘Hershey’s Oat Made’ Bar Created with Oat Flour

September 26, 2023

Hershey Canada, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Hershey Company, has officially introduced its first plant-based chocolate bar: Hershey’s Oat Made. Carly Cowman, brand manager at Hershey Canada, states, “Hershey’s Oat Made bars are everything you love about milk chocolate… except the milk. Our product development team did an unbelievable job delivering the smooth and creamy texture that we know Canadians love and expect from HERSHEY’S in our first-ever plant-based bar.” This new chocolate bar is available in two flavors – Creamy and Almond & Sea Salt, and offers the classic smooth and creamy taste that Hershey’s is known for with a fully vegan formulation. The core ingredient of these plant-based bars is oat flour, and they are Non-GMO Project verified and free from artificial flavors. …

Organisations and brands:

Hershey's

©Impossible Foods

Market & Trends

Ernst & Young Study Defies Plant-Based Market Decline, Anticipates Global Growth to Soar from $16.5 to $139 Billion by 2035

September 21, 2023

A recent study conducted by Ernst & Young projects substantial, global growth in plant-based protein sales by 2035. According to the report, global plant-based meat sales are anticipated to soar from $16.5 billion in 2021 to $139.4 billion by 2035, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.5 percent. Funded by Protein Industries Canada, the study leverages data from the Food and Agriculture Organization, Good Food Institute, and other third-party sources to examine factors impacting the plant-based protein market, including increased price sensitivity, tight labor markets, higher preference for healthy foods and rapid growth in emerging markets. Despite the short-term economic challenges, Bill Greuel, CEO of Protein Industries Canada, remains optimistic about the long-term prospects of the plant-based meat sector. He comments, “It’s been challenging …

Organisations and brands:

Ernst & Young

Protein Industries Canada

Shoes

Grounded People Apparel launches Vegan, Ethical Winter Boot Collection

September 22, 2023September 21, 2023

Grounded People Apparel Inc (CSE: SHOE), a Canadian ethical footwear company, presents the new All SZN Boot Collection. Grounded states this strategic move is also expected to strengthen customer loyalty and brand reputation, as it plans to make a name for itself in the multi-billion dollar winter footwear market and fill a niche for fashionable and sustainable winter footwear alternatives. With the goal of minimizing the fashion industry’s environmental footprint, Grounded’s 100% PETA APPROVED “All SZN Boot Collection” uses natural rubber and a vegan microfibre called OnMirco, an eco-friendly vegan leather microfiber. The launch comes after two notable, sustainable vegan footwear releases this year, following Grounded’s $2.5M raise this January. In March, the brand released a line of shoes crafted from recycled materials such as …

Organisations and brands:

Grounded People

Canadian University Surpasses 40% Plant-Based Menu Goal

September 18, 2023

Western University in Ontario, Canada, has exceeded its initial commitment to introduce plant-based meal options in its residence dining halls. The institution, which had originally pledged in May to make 40 percent of its dining hall menus plant-based by January 2024, has surpassed this goal ahead of schedule. As of September 2023, 43 percent of the meals offered in Western University’s dining halls are plant-based, according to Colin Porter, the university’s director of hospitality services. This achievement comes as a result of Western University’s collaboration with the Humane Society International, making it the first institution in Canada to commit to a plant-based goal through an audit process. The collaboration also involved a professor from the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto. This …

Food & Beverage

4 Top Canadian Vegan Brands Driving Innovation

August 25, 2023August 23, 2023

The US plant-based market has often cast a shadow on its Canadian counterparts, but several vegan brands are not only thriving in Canada, but innovating in the plant-based and alt-protein space. Vegans and vegetarians make up almost 10% of the Canadian population, and although there are many plant-based options available in retailers across the country, Canadian consumers say supporting home-grown businesses is important to them. From established household names to emerging players, these companies are redefining the possibilities of Canadian vegan cuisine. 1. Daiya The trailblazer of the Canadian plant-based industry is, of course, Daiya, who pretty much pioneered dairy alternatives in Canada back in 2009 with its cheddar and mozzarella-style shreds. Many pizza chains across Canada and the United States use Daiya as their …

Organisations and brands:

Canadian Consumers Show Growing Interest in Cultivated Meat, Report Finds

August 18, 2023

Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) and Fiddlehead Technologies have collaborated on a new report that offers insights into the potential acceptance of cultivated meat in Canada. The study compares the progress of the cultivated meat industry in Canada to its US counterpart and shares findings on consumers’ interests. Canadian consumers show growing interest The report has revealed that Canadian consumers’ interest in cultivated meat has jumped dramatically since 2000. According to the report, Canadian consumers increasingly searched for “lab-grown meat”, including its production process and availability for purchase. In contrast, US consumers primarily searched for information about its safety and the FDA’s approval approvals for cultivated chicken. The report highlights that curiosity does not mean adoption and explains that historically in the US novel foods are adopted …

Organisations and brands:

Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN)

Fashion, Design & Beauty

Luxury E-Commerce Store ALLTRUEIST Launches “Industry First” Vegan Fashion Collection

August 14, 2023

ALLTRUEIST, a global luxury e-commerce store based in Canada, has launched a vegan fashion collection described as “groundbreaking” and an “industry first”. The collection, which features shoes, belts, and knitwear, is said to emphasize slow fashion, responsible manufacturing, and personalized style. For the shoes, customers can choose from the styles showcased online or design their own pair, using 3D design software with the help of one-on-one appointments. Size, style, color, and detailing can all be customized, in an approach described as “a first in the vegan industry”. Meanwhile, the belts are individually made by artisans in Spain using locally-sourced vegan leather. The products aim to address the difficulty faced by vegan consumers in finding high-quality belts, while avoiding overproduction and waste. Finally, the knitwear is …

Organisations and brands:

ALLTRUEIST

Canadian company Seed to Surf crafts seafood alternatives using whole vegetables.

Image credit: Seed to Surf

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Seafood with Roots: Seed to Surf Crafts Unique Seafood Alternatives from Whole Vegetables

August 11, 2023

Seed to Surf is a Canadian plant-based seafood company tapping into the nutritional, health, and sustainability benefits of whole vegetables to create ocean delicacies. Launched in 2022, this vegetable-forward company is introducing a creative and unique approach to crafting alternatives: it prepares and preserves high-quality vegetables into canned seafood products. With help from culinary experts and food scientists, Seed to Surf has developed and launched two products: Mushroom Snow Crab, made from enoki mushrooms, and Celery Root Smoked Whitefish, made from celeriac root, described as tender, salty, and sweet. These vegan options for seafood boast a clean label formulation that leverages seaweeds such as kelp and kombu for seasoning and flavoring. Moreover, the vegetables are cooked using retort technology, which helps maintain their texture during …

Organisations and brands:

Seed to Surf

©Mind Blown Seafood Co.

Retail & E-Commerce

PlantX Adds Mind Blown Plant-Based Seafood to E-Commerce Platform

August 1, 2023

Vancouver-based online supermarket PlantX announces today that it has added Mind Blown™ vegan products from The Plant Based Seafood Co. to its popular ecommerce platform. The Plant Based Seafood Co., a female-founded and family-owned enterprise, is the creator of The Mind Blown™ range, which entered retail in early 2021. The range includes Dusted Shrimp, Coconut Shrimp, Dusted Scallops, and Crab Cakes which have attracted notable investors such as TV host and celebrity chef Tom Colicchio as well as chef Spike Mendelsohn of PLNT Burger. Award-winning innovations The Mind Blown range has received multiple awards and is available in food service through several major distributors including Sysco, US Foods, Fancy Foods Inc., and Webstaurant, and in retail at Sprouts. The most recent innovation, Mind Blown™ Shelf-Stable …

Organisations and brands:

Mind Blown

The Plant Based Seafood Co

Konscious Foods raises millions to expand into retail and food service

Investments & Finance

Konscious Foods’ $26 Million Raise Highlights Growing Demand for Plant-Based Seafood

August 1, 2023August 1, 2023

Canadian alt seafood brand Konscious Foods announces it has raised $26 million in a seed financing round to make its plant-based seafood food widely accessible. Participant investors include Protein Industries Canada, Zynik Capital, and Walter Group. The raised funds will propel the company’s retail and food service expansion, support its manufacturing operations, and the necessary marketing initiatives for its next nationwide retail launches. Konscious Foods says it expects to launch in over 4,500 stores across North America by the end of the year. “Konscious Foods has created true alternatives to some of the world’s most important seafood products and without sacrificing quality, which is a feat unmatched by others in the plant-based food space,” said Iqbal Kassam, Chairman of Zynik Capital. Transforming the seafood industry Yves Potvin, who previously …

Organisations and brands:

Konscious Foods

©Plant Up

Retail & E-Commerce

Canada: Plant Up Debuts Globally-Inspired Plant-Based Frozen Meals at Major Retailers

July 29, 2023July 28, 2023

Food startup Plant Up announces its globally-inspired plant-based frozen meals are now on sale at Sobeys, Foodland and Safeway locations across Canada. Co-founded by Aamir Malkani, Plant Up states it is bringing a “taste revolution” to the plant-based category by sourcing unique flavors and ingredients from around the world. In contrast to what it deems “boring, repetitive burgers and nuggets”, Plant Up says it is on a mission to answer consumer demand for convenient, better-tasting meals with cleaner ingredients. To create its first products – Asian Dumplings and Thai Basil Chik’n – the company’s team reportedly traveled around the world to sample authentic tastings of these dishes in their countries of origin. Plant Up also partnered with a diverse group of chefs and spent over …

Organisations and brands:

Plant Up

vegane Gummibärchen stehen auf weißer Fläche

Ingredients

Canadian Researchers Receive Funding to Disrupt Gelatin Market with Pea-Based Alternative

July 28, 2023July 28, 2023

Nonprofit organization Natural Products Canada (NPC) is contributing $78,430 to support a novel plant-based gelatin project that could disrupt the gelatin market with a substitute for the growing vegan and halal demand. In 2022, Dr. Lingyun Chen and her team at the Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science at the University of Alberta found a process to create a plant-based gelatin substitute from pea protein. Described as a “powerful” alternative, the novel gelatin changes easily from liquid to gel state and vice versa — a feature that could optimize industrial applications. Additionally, it contains more proteins than existing plant-based substitutes. The product is patent pending. Huge market for plant-based gelatin The project aims to evaluate how this new pea-protein-based gelatin performs in real food applications such …

Organisations and brands:

Natural Products Canada

©Daiya Foods

Products & Launches

Daiya Launches Innovative Goat Cheeze and Feta Cheeze Crumbles

July 27, 2023July 26, 2023

Plant-based foods company Daiya Foods announces it has launched two new dairy products for the Canadian market: Goat Cheeze Flavour Crumbles and Feta Cheeze Flavour Crumbles. The Goat Cheeze marks Daiya’s first plant-based goat cheese offering, while both products are said to be the first dairy-free cheese crumbles to feature oat flour. According to Daiya, the Goat Cheeze and Feta Cheeze varieties come fully pre-crumbled, making them a convenient topping for salads, pizza, pasta and other dishes. The crumbles are also packed in resealable, recyclable tubs and retail for an SRP of $6.49. The company states the new cheeses are the first to utilize oat flour, which it says gives the crumbles a richer and creamier taste. Green building and more Daiya’s latest rollout builds on …

Organisations and brands:

Daiya Foods

©Sensible Hot Dogs

Company News

Canada’s Sensible Hot Dogs Announces Top Level Staff Changes

July 19, 2023

Canada’s Sensible Hot Dogs, on a mission to replace 4 billion hot dogs with sensible hot dogs by 2032, announces a new CFO and directors as well as one company departure. Sensible Hot Dogs is a plant-based startup that aims to provide a healthier, more sustainable, and more humane food option for consumers. The brand’s offerings include the Classic Hot Dog and Cheesy Hot Dog, which are made with ingredients like mushrooms, bean protein, wheat protein, root vegetables, and natural smoke. The company is listed on the Canadian NEO Exchange and recently raised nearly $12 million to disrupt the American hot dog market. New CFO Christopher P. Cherry is appointed as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Company, effective immediately. Furthermore, the Company has …

Organisations and brands:

Sensible Hot Dogs

Milk- and Dairy Alternatives

Sonic Milling & Federated Co-operatives Introduce Gold PURE Oat Beverages in Ecolean Packaging

July 19, 2023

Canadian company Pacific Ridge (PACRIDGE), which owns Sonic Milling, is introducing a new, more sustainable and nutritious way to process oats for plant-based beverages. The new Gold PURE oat beverages will be available in Canadian Co-op grocery stores as a result of a partnership between Sonic Milling and Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL). The two organizations said they came together through their shared mission to develop community-focused and sustainable food. The technology introduced by Sonic Milling for processing oats is intended to guarantee a sustainable and nutritious drink. “Our goal is to increase access to better quality, more nutritious and more sustainable plant-based products,” said PACRIDGE Chief Executive Officer Ken Grenier. “The strong synergies with FCL have resulted in a perfect partnership to trial our Sonic …

Organisations and brands:

Sonic Milling

©StrEATS Kitchen

Food Service

Wamame’s Waygu Plant-Based Beef Now Available at All StrEATS Kitchens in Canada

July 13, 2023

Wamame Foods announces it is partnering with Canadian fast-casual chain StrEATS Kitchens to launch plant-based Waygu beef strips at all locations. Customers across British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan can now order Wamame’s premium plant-based beef in any dish, including tacos, burritos, bowls and sandwiches. Operating 21 locations across Western Canada, StrEATS Kitchens serves a diverse menu of globally inspired street cuisine that focuses on healthy ingredients. The chain is known for its innovative options and regularly rotates its menu based on current street food trends. The collaboration is the latest restaurant partnership for Wamame, which also recently launched Waygu beef at one of Canada’s largest pizza chains, Panago Pizza. At Panago, the beef strips are featured on two specialty pizzas – the Kansas BBQ Pizza …

Organisations and brands:

StrEATS Kitchens

Wamame Foods

Sustainability / Environment

Daiya’s State-of-the-Art Plant-Based Food Facility Earns Coveted LEED Certification

July 12, 2023

Plant-based cheese leader Daiya announces it has received LEED certification for its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and offices in Burnaby, British Columbia. In doing so, Daiya states the Canadian site is the largest plant-based food facility in North America to receive the coveted environmental certification. According to Daiya, obtaining LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) recognition has been critical to its mission of producing high-quality dairy-free alternatives with minimal impact on the planet. The company’s Burnaby plant is said to be the largest stand-alone plant-based food facility in North America, and Daiya went “beyond what is expected of brands” to earn the distinction. Some of the programs and processes it implemented include: Designing both office and production facilities to use less energy with high-efficiency LEED …

Organisations and brands:

Daiya

LEED

Startups, Accelerators & Incubators

Protein Industries Canada Launches $10M Fund to Increase Use of AI in Plant-Based Food Sector

July 11, 2023July 10, 2023

Protein Industries Canada (PIC) announces it is offering $10M CAD for food tech projects that use artificial intelligence to improve plant-based food production. The funds are aimed at accelerating the commercialization of new foods and ingredients while making Canada’s plant-based sector more efficient and sustainable. According to PIC, an industry-led nonprofit organization, AI has the potential to transform how food ingredient processors and manufacturers operate, especially by increasing the speed of recipe and ingredient formulation. AI also has a strong potential to improve food safety and quality assurance, says PIC. Wide scope of projects From now until March 31, 2026, PIC plans to invest $30 million into AI projects that wil benefit the plant-based and agrifood sectors. The amount invested in each project will depend on …

Organisations and brands:

Protein Industries Canada

Prairie Pulse facility in Vanscoy, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Image credit: Prairie Pulse LinkedIn

Investments & Acquisitions

ADM Acquires Canada’s Processor Prairie Pulse to Meet Growing Plant Protein Demand

July 7, 2023

Agribusiness leader ADM (NYSE: ADM) announces it has acquired Prairie Pulse Inc.,a locally operated lentil and pulse crop processor in Vanscoy, Saskatchewan, Canada, that works purchasing directly from Canadian farmers. ADM is expanding its North American footprint to supply the growing demand for pulse products by further enhancing its capability. Prairie Pulse’s operations involve 12,000 MT of bulk storage, cleaning, milling, sorting, sizing, and bagging. It doubles ADM’s supplying offer to produce shelf and alt protein products for domestic and international markets. “This addition also expands our capabilities to meet the needs of our downstream customers, who are increasingly looking at pulses as protein sources for both human and animal nutrition products,” comments Aaron Brown, commercial manager at ADM. Increasing demand The key factor driving the …

Organisations and brands:

ADM

Startups, Accelerators & Incubators

From Honey Bee Conservation to Plant-Based Salmon: Natural Products Canada Awards $1M to Bio-Based Companies

June 29, 2023

Natural Products Canada (NPC) announces it has awarded over CAD $1M in grants to ten Canadian companies creating bio-based innovations. Representing a range of startups and universities, the innovators are creating solutions that address everything from saving honey bee colonies and upcycling industrial waste to making plant-based salmon, natural food additives and non-toxic cleaning supplies. To receive funding, which was administered through NPC’s Commercialization Programs, each applicant had to provide “a compelling case” for their innovation and detail the challenge the program funds would address. “We continue to be inspired by the innovators we work with on a daily basis,” says Shelley King, CEO of Natural Products Canada. “The solutions have the potential to address challenges as diverse as protecting our bee populations to ensure our farmers …

Organisations and brands:

Atlantick Repellant

InnuScience

Natural Products Canada