NEWS BITES
Editor's Note Keeping up with the waves of change caused by COVID-19 could be a full-time job – but one that few people would want. The impact of the virus has been eye-opening, especially for those who rarely considered the issue of food security. Typical concerns such as extreme weather and crop disease usually occur on a regional or sometimes national scale; instead, the entire world was forced to confront its collective vulnerabilities, especially as essential services and the international supply Popi Bowman chain were strained by the sudden halt of life as we knew it. The reality hit home in mid-March as MANAGING EDITOR grocery stores in Canada, and throughout the world, showed that public awareness had shifted to a sense of panic. Staples such as flour, pasta and beans were sold out. Many people were surprised to discover how quickly our way of life could be disrupted. Now, hopefully the worst is behind us, but what COVID-19 has taught many people (among many things) is they should never take food for granted. The upside is a new wave of interest in community gardens and other food security programs that will ensure we can weather the next storm, virus or otherwise. Watch for our next issue, with an expanded Canadian Food Business section that will look into the current state of the industry, and how it is rapidly changing with our changing world.
Plant protein production gets a big boost A recent survey of 1,505 Canadians by Angus Reid and Dalhousie University reveals that, during the pandemic lockdown:
83%
ordered food from their favourite restaurant: 64 percent ordered food at least every two weeks, and about 29 percent ordered from restaurants at least once a week
CANADIAN FOOD BUSINESS SPRING 2020
34
In June, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced almost $100 million of funding towards the new Winnipeg facility for Merit Functional Foods, a company that was established last year in a joint venture by Burcon NutraScience and three veteran food industry executives. The new company’s high-tech, 94,000-sq.ft. facility is expected to be functional by the end of 2020, becoming the first and only commercial operation that is capable of producing food-grade canola and pea protein. Merit Functional Foods and Burcon NutraScience announced an agreement with Nestlé in January this year, indicating that Merit would supply novel proteins for use in plant-based foods and beverages. Burcon uses a proprietary, patented extraction and purification technology to produce plant protein, backed by more than two decades of development; the company holds more than 270 patents. For more information about these companies, visit meritfoods.com and burcon.ca.
81%
of respondents between the ages of 18 to 34 years old ordered from restaurants, the highest rate among age groups Depending on the province, a range of
37% 56% (Saskatchewan) to
(B.C.) percent of respondents intend to avoid restaurants due to public health concerns
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Featured in the recent Canadian Food Business enewsletter (visit the website to sign up) Heart & Stroke predicts that over the next 25 years, sugary drink consumption in Canada will be responsible for: • More than four million cases of overweight and obesity • Up to 1 million cases of type 2 diabetes • 300,000 Canadians with ischemic heart disease • 100,000 cases of cancer • Almost 40,000 strokes • Over 63,000 deaths
