Future of Food

Future Food of

What key trends are shaping Canada’s restaurant industry?

Off-premise dining is here to stay. With restaurants heading back to pre-pandemic norms, guests are returning to restaurant dining rooms, but the use of off-premise dining is expected to remain strong in the coming years as the convenience has become a convention in the way we dine.

Virtual kitchens continue to grow in popularity. While this was a trend we initially saw gaining popularity before 2020, the pandemic led businesses to reconsider moving to a smaller footprint to offset costs and use space more effectively.

Green packaging is becoming a must-have. The move towards greener ways of business has been on the rise for many years, but new environmental Extended Producer Responsibility and Single-Use and Takeaway Item regulations aimed at reducing plastic takeout packaging are applying pressure to the shift.

As we emerge from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, what challenges does the foodservice industry still face?

Aside from the obvious being debt, with approximately 8 out of 10 restaurants having taken on debt due to COVID-19 and at least two-thirds of these businesses needing at least a year and a half to recover, we asked our members what they see as the top challenges currently facing the foodservice industry; food costs rank first (94 percent); labour costs were next at 80 percent; followed by labour shortages (75 percent), with debt placing seventh (50 percent) right behind utility costs.

Adding further fuel to the fire as businesses try to rebuild after two years of lockdowns and restrictions — inflation is skyrocketing. In terms of food prices, consumers paid significantly more

for proteins and other food products at retail stores in March 2022 compared to March 2021. As a result, restaurant operators are expecting to raise their menu prices by an average of 7.1 percent over the next 12 months to offset costs. Even during the best of times, the average foodservice establishment keeps less than 50 cents of every $10 spent on a restaurant meal, the rest goes back into the economy.

For international travellers or Canadians looking to explore their own backyard this summer, what makes Canada a unique culinary destination?

We live in a country truly unique to any other, in that we have so many different cultures coming together to bring our society to life, each culture bringing with it a unique style of cooking, unparalleled flavours and ingredients, and dishes that tell stories from around the world. Many creative world-class chefs also call Canada home, creating new menu items fusing various ethnic cuisines into creative new ones. We're also known for our regionally influenced foods like local seafood, beef, cheeses, wild game and traditional Indigenous dishes, which tell the story of our land’s original heritage and culture.

All of these different cuisines coming together with some of the best locally grown food and ingredients in the world, along with exceptional service, make for an experience any traveller, both international, and domestic will savour.

Chef Roger Mooking on Finding Inspiration & the Future of Food

How has culture played a role in your culinary journey?

Culture, history, art, and necessity have informed my culinary journey. Everything is connected to food, and my curiosities are vast. My family is extremely diverse culturally and my travels and exploration have continued to inform my cooking style. What's an absolute "no-no" in one culture is a master technique in another. I'm always learning, exploring, and sharing.

Where do you see the future of food headed?

Firstly, convenience will continue to be of growing interest in the food and beverage space, especially with both restaurants and consumers finding new ways of engaging with one another in new and meaningful ways. Also, I believe we'll return to hyper-localized ingredients in the short- to mid-term, as the global climate crisis devastates farming and global supply chains continue to be a growing issue, not to mention unprecedented inflation. We’ll return to basics and we’ll be seeing a lot of home-grown gardening and bartering for food resources. Also, look to carbon-neutral farming that’s vertical and greenhouse-based. Simultaneously, the global population will continue to mix and diversity will drive new food ways, culinary traditions, and dishes and increase demand for access to global ingredients. Strap on your seatbelts, because it's going to be a wild one.

Can you tell us about your meal kits being released this summer?

I’m working with Chefdrop to deliver summer-friendly dishes directly to your doorstep, anywhere across Southern Ontario. These recipes are close to my heart, drawing from my adventures and my heritage. This new partnership will give people access to some of my favourite dishes right at home. I'm excited to bring new offerings to the platform, to Mooking fans, and to anyone who cares to go on the adventure with us!

We chatted with Chef Roger Mooking, judge on Food Network Canada’s Wall of Chefs and Fire Masters, about what inspires his cooking, his latest initiatives, and where he sees the future of food headed. Restaurants

PHOTO CREDIT: JESSE BERTRAND

Canadian Companies Are Leading the Way in Plant-Based Proteins

Innovation in Canada’s plant-based food and ingredients sector opens the door to the next generation of healthy and flavourful protein options for Canadians.

Protein is essential to human health, but consuming animal products isn’t the only way to get it into our diets. Thanks to Canada’s abundance of high-protein crops, increased ingredient manufacturing, and innovations in the plant-based food sector, there are more ways to enjoy non-animal protein than ever before.

“A number of fundamentals are underpinning the growth in this sector,” says Bill Greuel, CEO at Protein Industries Canada, an industry-led, not-for-profit organization created to position Canada as a global source of high-quality plant protein and plantbased co-products, and one of Canada’s five Global Innovation Clusters. “A significant one is that many of today’s consumers are making food choices with their values in mind, whether that be environmental sustainability, animal welfare, or health and nutrition, and are choosing alternative meats or alternative dairy from plant-based sources.”

While values are important to these consumers, so are good taste and affordability. “This is why innovation is so important, and I think what we’re seeing now is really the next generation of products like plant-based cheeses that have the taste, feel, texture, and functionality of traditional cheese,” says Greuel.

The work of multiple partners is accelerating innovation and time to market

Through funding from the Government of Canada and co-investment from private-sector partners, Protein Industries Canada is helping Canadian companies in the plant-based food sector de-risk their innovation investment and reduce the time from concept to market. “We help with everything from advanced breeding technology to increase protein content and functionality, to digital agriculture to improve on-farm efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint, to fostering collaborative R&D to help solve some of their technical challenges,” says Greuel.

to be processed or importing highvalue ingredients to Canada from elsewhere,” says Greuel.

Trailblazing companies are driving change, new products, and economic growth

Vancouver-based Lumi Foods (formerly Blue Heron Creamery) is a case in point. The pioneering vegan cheese manufacturer recently formed a consortium with Protein Industries Canada, Crush Dynamics (formerly Winecrush Technology), and Save-On-Foods to create and distribute a new line of vegan cheeses using traditional cultured cheese-making methods.

“This consortium is allowing us to accelerate some of the work we’re doing to transition away from reliance on tropical ingredients to more Canadian-grown ingredients like oats, pulses, and legumes,” says Karen McAthy, Co-Founder of Lumi Foods. “Being within the Protein Industries Canada framework is also allowing us access to collaborative research and the opportunity to develop more internal relationships that would have taken much longer to do otherwise.”

A significant one is that many of today’s consumers are making food choices with their values in mind, whether that be environmental sustainability, animal welfare, or health and nutrition, and are choosing alternative meats or alternative dairy from plantbased sources.

This partnership is an example of the many private-sector industry partners that Protein Industries Canada intends to work with to create co-investment projects that have the potential to transform the agriculture and food production sector and allow Canada to secure its position as a global leader in the production of plant-based products and co-products.

This public-private collaboration between entrepreneurs and researchers also enables the plant-based food sector to better utilize the diverse selection of Canadian-grown crops in new plant-based ingredients, foods, and beverages. “All the work we’re doing around the support and development of high-value ingredients for products is increasing the processing capacity here in Canada, which creates jobs and reduces the carbon footprint because you’re no longer shipping raw commodities to other markets

Positioning Canada as a global leader in plant-based food production That’s good news not only for the industry but for Canada’s economy. “We believe that by increasing our crop processing and plantbased food production from where it is today, we can grow the market to $25 billion by 2035, which is about a 12 to 13 percent compound annual growth rate. There are very few industries in Canada that are primed for that rate of growth,” says Greuel.

More good news for the plant-based food sector is on the horizon. In the latest federal budget, the Government of Canada announced a re-capitalization of the program through which Protein Industries Canada derives its funding. “We’re looking forward to another five-year mandate and are thankful to the Government of Canada for its reinvestment in the plant-based food sector,” says Greuel. ”This is an important growth sector for Canada’s economy, so it’s great to see the government recognizing that.”

This article was sponsored by Protein Industries Canada.

Learn more about the growth of Canada's plant-based food and ingredients sector by visiting proteinindustries canada.ca/ opportunity

Anne Papmehl

Bill Greuel

CEO, Protein Industries Canada

Karen McAthy Co-Founder, Lumi Foods

Canada Steps Up to the Plate as a Global Leader in Sustainable Food Production

Where do you see the future of the agriculture and agri-food sector headed?

The COVID-19 crisis and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine have both underscored just how essential the sector and its workforce are to our way of life and our economy — supplying communities and families with safe and high-quality food; creating jobs in every part of the country; driving innovation and developing new technologies; and strengthening global food security.

This is Canada’s unique moment to feed Canadians and the world through global leadership and vision, collaboration, and support for the sector. We’re talking about an economic engine that already drives $135 billion of our GDP, one-in-eight jobs, and over $82 billion of our exports. Canada’s agriculture and agri-food industry is poised to lead our nation on the road to economic recovery.

Post-COVID-19, the sector will have a more vital role to play than ever.

As the global market for agri-food products continues to expand, why is Canada uniquely positioned to seize opportunities within the industry? Global demand for food is growing. Canada

enjoys a number of competitive advantages to help us meet that demand. We have a highly-productive and skilled sector, and our producers are dedicated to innovation. We also have an ambitious trade agenda through agreements that give Canadian farmers a competitive edge in over 60 percent of the global economy.

That’s a winning combination, and it’s why our agriculture and food exports keep hitting new records every year. To keep that growth curve strong, our Government is making historic investments in innovation and sustainability — for example, new crop varieties that are resilient to climate change, and new technologies to help Canada continue to be global leaders in sustainable agriculture.

What challenges does Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector face and what are we doing to tackle them?

Over the past two years, a global pandemic, extreme drought and flooding in Western Canada, Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, and avian influenza — have all caused pressures on Canadian farmers. While delivering the urgent financial assistance they need, our Government continues to make strategic investments to help Canadian farmers be sus-

tainable for the long term — economically, environmentally, and socially.

We’re investing $1.5 billion to help farmers and processors reduce their environmental footprint and strengthen their resilience to climate change through sustainable practices and technologies such as biomass energy, precision agriculture, and cover cropping. We’re also improving the Temporary Foreign Worker program to help farm and food employers get the labour they need and keep our food supply strong, while increasing protections for workers. We're also developing an Agricultural Labour Strategy with government partners and industry to put us in a better position to address short-term pressures and advance long-term solutions to help farmers and food processors get the labour and skills they need.

To secure Canada’s future as a global leader in sustainable food production, I'm working with my provincial and territorial colleagues as well as industry to finalize the next five-year policy framework for agriculture, which begins this coming April.

As we head into summer, how can Canadians enjoy and support their local food systems? The pandemic has highlighted the importance of having a reliable, high-quality domestic food supply and more Canadians than ever turned to local foods.

Our Government launched Canada’s first-ever food policy, to help build a healthier, more sustainable — and local — food system for Canada. The AgriCommunication Program was created as part of this Policy to support activities which recognize the contributions of farmers and the food industry, which are helping to strengthen public trust and inform Canadians about the origin of the foods they eat.

Canada’s food systems, including Indigenous food systems, are integral to the well-being of communities across the country. Collaboration was a key theme highlighted throughout Canada’s participation in the UN Food Systems Summit, and is central to the Food Policy for Canada’s vision and priority outcomes.

When consumers choose to eat local, they are supporting specialty markets and local supply chains for small and medium-sized farms and businesses. So, when you’re planning your picnics and family get-togethers this summer, remember to support local!

Michele Sponagle

he topic of food security is very much in the headlines these days. Inflation and supply chain issues have further contributed to the food accessibility issues faced by many Canadians.

Food for Life is committed to providing fresh, nutritious food to people who may not be able to afford it. This leading food charity recovers more than five million pounds of food each year from all parts of the supply chain. With a focus on healthy food, this includes fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and protein sources.

Food for Life is built on a unique supply chain model that has sustainability at its core. This is evident as it has the only in-vessel composter at a food charity in Canada and diverts inedible food that’s recovered back to the earth, savings millions of kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions each year, not to mention the diversion of all that packaging into the right waste streams.

Working together to create change Food for Life is supported by a network of individuals, corporations, and foundations.

One such partner is Becel, part of the Upfield family of brands. Last fall, it joined forces with Food for Life, which aligned with its good food and good deeds focus.

This is all made possible by a committed team and thousands of volunteers, including those from caring companies that join together with Food for Life in what are called Team Experiences. “These half- or full-day sessions allow companies to bring their teams together and to be social again in a safe and meaningful way,” says Laura Hickerson, who leads this part of Food for Life.

Aligning and partnering with Food for Life and its expertise also helps to drive companies like Upfield and the Becel team to further their work for the cause.

“From the initial event, the Becel team at Upfield was inspired to do more through this amazing partnership,” says Shoshana Price, Head of Marketing at Upfield Canada. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with Food for Life and making a difference in the lives of Canadians with good food and a healthy meal.”

This is Canada’s unique moment to feed Canadians and the world through global leadership and vision, collaboration, and support for the sector.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD CANADA

The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau discusses the future of the agriculture and agri-food sector — and how Canada is uniquely positioned to meet the ever-growing global demand for food.

Ontario’s Greenhouse Sector Heralds a New Era of Sustainability, Innovation, and Food Security

emember the jingle, “Good things grow in Ontario”?and light greenhouses to summer conditions 365 days per year.

Good things are indeed still growing in Ontario, and today more good things are being grown locally in Ontario than ever before thanks to new innovations in the province’s greenhouse sector. Greenhouse-grown produce supports Ontario’s transition to a low-carbon economy, promotes food security in Canada, and is playing a critical role in the future of sustainable food. It’s time we give this growing and pioneering sector the recognition and support it deserves.

The benefits of carbon recapture

The greenhouse industry in Ontario is constantly innovating in order to improve its carbon footprint and to support Ontario’s shift to a new low-carbon economy.

Technological innovations in the sector are increasing efficiency as well as sustainability. Sbrocchi points to algorithms that are able to forecast harvest times and yields, robotics being trialed throughout multiple areas of greenhouses, new cooling/ dehumidification systems, alternative crops (including new greenhouse-grown berries, lettuces, beans, melons to name just a few), and the use of renewable fuels — including hydrogen and wind energy solutions — as some of the latest innovations in the field.

“What demarcates our growers is their endless quest to be more efficient. To truly seek to be the global leaders in greenhouse growing,” he says.

Improving food security

We’ll never be totally selfdependent, but to have some semblance of a strong local food supply is prudent for everybody.

“Growing in an enclosed, controlled environment offers us many opportunities to quantifiably capture carbon,” says Joseph Sbrocchi, Executive Director and General Manager of the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG), a notfor-profit organization formed in 1967 that represents approximately 220 members who grow greenhouse produce on over 3,000 acres in Ontario. “For instance, on a normal day within an hour of daylight, greenhouse-grown plants will have already assimilated all the CO2 that’s in a greenhouse. We literally must feed the plants the CO2, to assist them in the photosynthesis process.” So, while all agriculture absorbs CO2, plants grown in greenhouse environments require more CO2, making greenhouses carbon sequestration machines, and with the supplemental lighting that is now in all the latest builds we give these plants the longest day of sunlight, 365 days of the year!

Greenhouse growing is highly sustainable not only due to its carbon sequestration, but also thanks to many other key features of the controlled environment, including less water usage, natural pollination, supplemental lighting/heating and simply, overall increased efficiency.

A sustainable and efficient solution

A benefit of hydroponic growing in greenhouses is that water can be recirculated, which prevents chemicals or nutrients from fertilizers leaching into groundwater.

And of course, greenhouse farming is naturally highly efficient. Greenhouses are able to grow up to 25 times more produce per square meter than crops grown via conventional farming thanks to the ability to heat

The greenhouse sector also benefits Canadians by providing food security. “Solidifying the Canadian food supply system is incredibly important,” says Sbrocchi, also noting the ongoing Supply-chain disruptions and how these are not likely to resemble their former selves perhaps ever again. As weather patterns change and climate change accelerates, crops are increasingly threatened. And as the world’s population steadily rises, the need to significantly increase the global supply of crops to feed our burgeoning population is imminent.

Greenhouses provide consistent growing and therefore a consistent food supply, positively impacting Canada’s long-term food security equation both domestically and for export markets all year round. They can meet this need all while preserving valuable farmland and using less water and fewer chemicals.

“We’ll never be totally self-dependent, but to have some semblance of a strong local food supply is prudent for everybody,” says Sbrocchi.

Supporting the sector’s long-term viability is a must Greenhouse-grown produce is essential for our future, and we must support the Ontario greenhouse sector as it continues to grow and innovate. Private-public sector partnerships are key to ongoing innovation, and Sbrocchi notes the need for collaboration between private sector businesses, government, and academia. “I think of it as a three-legged stool that supports and advances the projects and the sector,” he says.

In particular, government support of greenhouse farming not only contributes to the creation of a sustainable, fresh food source, but also helps to curb costs and food inflation. As farmers are increasingly getting hit with unprecedented costs — including higher costs on fertilizer, labour, carbon taxes, and other inputs — it’s more important than ever for all levels of government to support high-tech agriculture the way we’ve supported other sectors to remain competitive in the global economy. The future of food is sustainable and local, and Ontario’s greenhouse growers are leading the way — but they need our support in that journey.

PHOTOS

Ontario’s greenhouse industry is an important part of the future of sustainable food in Canada, and it needs our support.

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Food security has captured the attention of both Canadians and those around the world in a way it hasn’t for generations. First, it was the global pandemic that put our food supply chain to the test like never before. It was the first time many Canadians had ever witnessed empty shelves at the grocery store, and despite the fact that food was mostly still accessible, it put a much sharper focus on food security.

In the midst of the pandemic and all of the ensuing supply chain challenges, we also witnessed devastating droughts and flooding in key agricultural growing regions here in Canada, which impacted the amount of food and feed farmers could produce. Now we’re faced with the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the enormous pressure it’s putting on the global food supply. And in addition to food shortages, inflation is making the food that is available more expensive than ever.

Highlighting Canadian agriculture

Amidst all this chaos, Canadian agriculture is a bright spot. We have so many advantages that position us to be a global leader in food production. We have a large, arable land base coupled with a relatively small population. We have access to vast natural resources and we have growers who are quick to adopt new technologies and who are second to none in protecting and improving their environment. We’ve built a strong global reputation as a provider of safe, high-quality food. And we have strong research and development capabilities as well as access to a solid talent pool in areas like biotechnology, chemistry, engineering, and artificial intelligence.

Not only can Canada produce safe, sustainable, and affordable food for Canadians, we can and must do the same for others around the world who cannot do it for themselves. With the United Nations’ World Food Programme estimating that the number of people around the world facing acute food insecurity has more than

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doubled since 2019, it is in fact our moral responsibility.

Prior to the pandemic, there were several reports from both the government and the private sector in Canada that identified agriculture as one of a handful of sectors with significant growth potential for which bold and aggressive action should be taken. While there wasn’t a lot of action to support the hype, this crisis should be a compelling reminder to government of the importance of fuelling the growth of Canadian agriculture.

growth isn’t easy. So many of the challenges that come with growing food are outside of anyone’s control — whether it’s severe weather events or global conflict. That means we need an even sharper focus on the things that are within our control.

As a starting point, we need:

• Reliable transportation infrastructure and supply chain investments that build resilience, ensuring agricultural commodities get to market;

• Government policy that prioritizes agricultural productivity, which includes supporting farmers’ access to tools and technologies like pesticides, fertilizers, and improved seeds that help them sustainably grow more food using the same amount of land;

• Support for stewardship programs like 4R Nutrient Stewardship that help achieve both productivity growth and sustainability objectives;

• More free trade agreements with key markets around the world — and a staunch defence against non-tariff trade barriers that limit the trade of agricultural goods;

• Greater access to high-speed internet in rural Canada to support the adoption of innovative new technologies on farms;

• Reliable access to on-farm labour; and

• Modern, agile regulatory systems that serve to both protect people and the environment while also enabling innovation and growth in the sector.

Creating the conditions for growth Today, the call for action is clear: we need to produce more food. Given that there isn’t more arable land available to increase production, we need to grow more on existing agricultural land. And we need to do this while at the same time working toward our sustainability goals. Fortunately, productivity and sustainability can be complementary rather than competing priorities. Creating the conditions for this kind of

Food security isn’t just an agricultural issue, it’s a societal issue and the government must treat it as such. If we make every effort possible to address the issues that are within our control, it positions Canadian agriculture to be more resilient in the face of all of those unpredictable factors. And this resilience is critical to our ability to grow more food, more efficiently and sustainably, for Canada and the world.

Now is the time to unleash the full potential of Canadian agriculture.

Canadian agriculture has never been more important than it is today.

there was ever a time to prioritize agriculture and food production in this country, it’s now, in the face of this global food security crisis.

This article was sponsored by CropLife Canada.

In the Wake of the Food Security Crisis, We Must Unleash the Full Potential of Canadian Agriculture

Not only can Canada produce safe, sustainable, and affordable food for Canadians, we can and must do the same for others around the world who cannot do it for themselves.

The Importance of a Food Policy Based on Science

Canada is in the enviable position of being able to produce enough food to largely feed our citizens and export our surplus, but less than one percent of the population is involved in primary production — 250,000 people create food for 38 million people. The only way we manage to do that is through a sound food policy based on science that supports diversity within our food system. We must remain cognizant of any changes government makes to our national food policy because their effects will ultimately be felt by every Canadian.

Food security means having dependable access to an adequate supply of safe and nutritious food at a reasonable cost. Food sovereignty is the ability of a country to provide a substantial amount of the food required by its citizens. We have both and we cannot take either for granted. We’ve seen how climate change and the war in Ukraine have impacted food security and sovereignty.

The best way to support both is to make the best use of the technologies that are available to us and to maintain diversity in our food system: small producers, medium-sized farmers, large farms, a variety of crops and livestock, and different modes of production, including a mix of conventional and organic farms. That diversity helps protect us against catastrophe because it allows us to adapt while producing a variety of products for ourselves and for export.

In Canada’s climate plan, the government proposes to reduce emissions from synthetic fertilizers to 30 percent below 2020 levels. We must ensure that the plan has input from stakeholders, is science-based, and takes food security and sovereignty into consideration.

There are lessons we can all learn from the failed recent Sri Lankan food policy. In 2020, the Sri Lankan government made a decision to move immediately to organic food production, banning synthetic fertilizers. Within a year, crop yield plummeted, Sri Lanka was forced to import hundreds of millions of dollars worth of their former national crop, rice, and the country lost an entire middle class to poverty. Theirs was not a failure of organic production, but a failure to plan and recognize how policies can impact people, and that’s what we need to be conscious of in Canada.

A good food policy is based on credible information. We’re reliant on the top 12 inches of Canadian soil to produce food for ourselves and for people around the world. The world’s population is nearing eight billion and growing. We need to think about how we can balance sustainability with the ability to produce as much food as possible on an acre of land. Being efficient allows that much more land left for wildlife habitats and recreational and residential uses.

A country like Canada that’s rich in the diversity of its agriculture has a moral authority to not only feed itself but to help feed the world. We’re on the right path to improved sustainability and we’ll stay on course if everyone is cognizant of what we want to achieve, and that is the diversity that supports food security and food sovereignty.

Good Canada is an initiative of the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity. It highlights the work of everyone involved in Canada’s food system and shows that our food system is designed to ensure that good-quality food makes its way to the plates of all Canadians and families around the world. It’s Good Canada encourages a dialogue about our food system between Canadians and food producers and doesn’t advocate for any specific solution.

John Jamieson

Canada’s food security depends on a sound food policy that supports diversity within our food system.

John Jamieson President & CEO,