Future of Food
Chef José Andrés to Engage & Empower the Canadian Foodservice Industry at RC Show
Restaurants are more than places to eat — they are the fabric that connects and strengthens communities. They serve as gathering places, economic drivers, and cultural touchstones. Behind every dish and drink is a network of skilled professionals — chefs, bartenders, servers, dishwashers, suppliers — who embody resilience, generosity, and ingenuity.
Chef José Andrés exemplifies these values. As the founder of World Central Kitchen (WCK), he has led disaster relief efforts in crisis zones worldwide, from Houston to Puerto Rico, Ukraine to Gaza. In 2024
alone, WCK provided over 109 million meals in 20 countries. His humanitarian leadership was recognized this year with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Welcoming Chef Andrés to speak at the 80th RC Show this April is momentous for our industry. His work doesn’t reinvent hospitality—it amplifies it. He has taken its core mission and applied it globally, proving this industry’s power to change lives.
WCK’s work extends beyond crisis relief — it rebuilds communities, strengthens economies, and fortifies food systems for long-term resilience. This mirrors what restaurants do daily: uplifting people and
transforming communities. Chef Andrés has shown the world what this industry can achieve at scale, proving that hospitality isn’t just about service — it’s about leadership.
Chef José Andrés speaks Monday, April 7, at RC Show, Canada’s Leading Hospitality and Foodservice Trade Event, at the Enercare Centre in Toronto.
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Nutritious Breakfast is a Lever for Success
The future of food isn’t just about innovation — it’s about access. Yet, every morning, too many children across Canada face their school day with an empty stomach or without the nutrients they need to learn, grow, play, and thrive. From food insecurity to busy routines to living in remote areas, barriers to proper nutrition are diverse and exist at all income levels. And the cost of inaction is too great to ignore — lower academic performance, absenteeism, and long-term health challenges.
School breakfast programs are a gamechanger, as they are a cost-effective, simple, and proven solution. Research shows that students who start their day with a nutritious meal focus better, participate more, and develop lifelong healthy habits. These programs not only fuel young minds but also help prevent diet-related illnesses like obesity and diabetes, reducing long-term healthcare costs.
A better start for every child
For 30 years, Breakfast Club of Canada and its partners have seen firsthand how breakfast
programs do more than feed children — they bring communities together. Schools, volunteers, and students build strong connections around the breakfast table, creating a foundation for better well-being and brighter futures.
As families continue to face rising costs of living, breakfast initiatives help ease the pressure while ensuring that every child begins their day nourished and ready to succeed. Together, we can ignite a movement that goes far beyond breakfast, investing in a future where every child has an equal chance to reach their full potential.
Help us put breakfast at the forefront and support school breakfast from coast to coast to coast. Because when we invest in school nutrition, we invest in a more promising tomorrow — for them and for us all.
Agribusinesses face rising complexity — Managed Services offer seamless tech integration, AI-driven insights, and compliance support for long-term success. Farmers
The agriculture industry is undergoing a technological transformation, with Managed Services emerging as the next major shift in how agribusinesses operate. From carbon programs to compliance, crop insurance, and supply chain traceability, businesses are facing growing complexity. Many are turning to technology providers like Farmers Edge to manage data, integrate systems, and streamline operations.
Farmers Edge, a premier agricultural technology provider, is at the forefront of this change. By offering end-to-end technology
solutions, the company enables large-scale agribusinesses and insurers to leverage AI-driven analytics, precision ag data, and automated reporting from the field — without the need for costly in-house infrastructure and talent.
Future of agribusiness
The demand for Managed Services in agriculture is increasing as businesses seek to improve efficiency, reduce risk, and meet evolving regulatory frameworks, like 45Z tax credits, with accurate, verifiable data. Farmers Edge enables agribusinesses to integrate field-level insights into enterprise systems
through technology consulting, white-labeling, and custom development. Whether businesses need expert guidance, a fully branded solution, or a tailored technology platform, Farmers Edge ensures seamless integration and adoption.
For agribusiness leaders, the shift toward Managed Services is not just about adopting new technology—it’s about ensuring long-term competitiveness in an industry increasingly driven by data.
As digital transformation accelerates, Farmers Edge continues to lead the way, making technology scalable, accessible, and tailored to the needs of modern agriculture.
Kelly Higginson, Restaurants Canada President & CEO
Tommy Kulczyk
Tommy Kulczyk President & Chief Executive Officer, Breakfast Club of Canada
Chef José Andrés
Progress and Prosperity Starts with Innovative Canadian Ingredients
Canada’s agrifood sector is primed for growth, and strategic investment in ingredient manufacturing and food processing can unlock a $25-billion opportunity.
Tania Amardeil
Canada has long been recognized as a global leader in agriculture and agrifood production. With our abundant natural resources, strong R&D, stellar global reputation for safety and quality, and celebrated excellence in sustainable practices and environmental stewardship, it’s no surprise that Canada is a top exporter of grains, oilseeds, pulses, and more.
Despite this impressive history, we must push to realize the industry’s fullest potential. That means investing in sectors of the future, including ingredient manufacturing and food processing. And with its ambitious Road to $25 Billion initiative underway, Protein Industries Canada is leading the way.
Expanding on our success
In 2023, Canada’s agriculture and agrifood sector contributed $150 billion in GDP and employed 2.3 million people. That accounts for around seven per cent of our country’s GDP and one in nine jobs.
The growing demand for diverse protein options and sustainable food — both here in Canada and globally — presents an exciting opportunity for our agrifood sector.
The global plant-based food market is expected to surpass $162 billion by 2030, and Canada is already a world leader in producing high-quality and sustainably grown crops like pulses (lentils, chickpeas, fava beans, and other beans and peas), which are key ingredients in plant-based foods.
Ingredient manufacturing and food processing provide the opportunity to add even more value — boosting Canada’s economic prosperity and strengthening our food supply chain.
The importance agricultural investment
Rather than selling commodities, value-added processing allows companies to manufacture, market, and sell components of the seed — like starch, oil, fibre, and protein — independently, thereby creating higher-value products and exports, while also bringing benefit to farmers. This evolution unlocks a $25-billion opportunity in food processing, ingredient manufacturing, and bioproducts for Canada. That’s the goal of The Road to $25 Billion, a roadmap led by Protein Industries Canada.
The Road to $25 Billion emphasizes investing in agrifood innovation — a critical step to reaching Canada’s potential. This crucial investment and its results — processing Canadian crops into ingredients and food domestically — can help create a Canadian food system worth billions, helping Canada keep its edge in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.
Planting the seeds of growth
A prime example of Protein Industries Canada’s investment in food innovation is its support of Plant Up, a Canadian plant-based food company specializing in high-protein snacks and frozen appetizers.
“When I moved to Canada from India, I was surprised by the lack of diversity in the plant-based space,” says Aamir Malkani, Plant Up’s founder and CEO. “Plant Up was started to bring more global flavours to the plant-based space.”
With products ranging from frozen dumplings and butter chicken bites to high-protein snacks like Maple Masala and Memphis BBQ puffs, Plant Up is making plant-based foods more diverse, accessible, and delicious. Just two years after launching, its products are already in over 1,500 grocery stores nationwide.
“We have a strong farm-to-fork Canadian supply chain,” says Malkani. “Our primary proteins —fava and pea — are 100 per cent grown and processed in Canada.”
With Protein Industries Canada’s support in R&D, functional ingredients, and scaling production, Plant Up continues to push boundaries in the plant-based space.
Unlocking the power of pulses
Working alongside Plant Up in their ingredient R&D work, as well as leading other successful Protein Industries Canada projects, is Prairie Fava, a Canadian farmer and ingredient processor focused on fava beans.
“Fava beans are a standout ingredient for plant-based food innovation,” says Hailey Jefferies, Prairie Fava’s co-founder and president. “From an agronomic side, they’re one of the highest nitrogen-fixing crops, making them a great choice for farmers for crop rotation. From a food-maker side, they’re high in protein and fibre and have a clean flavour profile.”
Prairie Fava processes fava beans into whole, split, and flour forms — expanding options for food makers and growers alike.
“[Protein Industries Canada] has been an amazing support system,” says Jefferies. “They support R&D and facilitate collaboration in the food sector. In bringing companies at each step of the value chain together, they’re not just enabling successful business relationships but also supporting the bigger picture, which is having a great Canadian supply chain from farmer to food maker.”
We have a strong farm-to-fork Canadian supply chain.
Aamir Malkani Founder & CEO, Plant Up
Hailey Jefferies Co-founder & President, Prairie Fava
In recent years, the food industry has undergone a significant transformation driven by an increasing emphasis on health and wellness. Consumers are now prioritizing nourishing ingredients, sustainability factors, and brand reliability more than ever before. According to the Canadian Health Food Association, an impressive 92 per cent of Canadians value healthy eating habits. This shift in consumer priorities is giving rise to new trends that are set to shape the industry for years to come.
A commitment to bringing health through food and consumer needs
One notable trend is the growing awareness among Canadians about gut health's crucial role in maintaining overall well-being.
As reported by Canadian Grocer, yogurt consumption in households surged to 88.6 per cent in 2024 and ACTIVIA emerged as a category leader due to its alignment with consumers' pursuit of healthier diets through probiotic foods and its pioneering science in this space.
As the yogurt’s parent company, Danone poured decades of research into creating ACTIVIA’s pioneering probiotic formula. It contains a unique strain that’s designed to reach the intestine effectively — contributing to a healthy gut flora.
In an era filled with misinformation, buyers are also looking for reliable, fact-based information sources. Research gathered by ACTIVIA in lead up to its Gut Health Tracker launch found that 57 per cent of Canadians want to improve their gut health but aren’t sure how to begin.1
"We’re on a mission to educate Canadians about their health, backed by decades of science and innovation," says Geneviève Bolduc, Head of Yogurt at Danone Canada. They’ve also established the ACTIVIA Gut Health Board, made up of world-leading experts that provide consumers with trustworthy information about how to better manage their digestive wellness.
Meeting market shifts with innovation
Another emerging trend sees more Canadians actively choosing domestic products; recent surveys conducted across Canada show nearly four out of five respondents (79 per cent) prefer locally made goods supporting both local economies while reducing environmental impact simultaneously.
Danone embraces this shift working closely alongside regional partners whenever possible, particularly when sourcing high-quality ingredients. “We want to build sustainable, local food systems,” says Geneviève Bolduc, Head of Yogurt at Danone. All our yogurts are proudly prepared in Canada with 100 per cent Canadian dairy milk. Protein-rich foods are also in demand. Nourish Food Marketing’s 2025 Trend Report recently revealed that 71 per cent of Canadians want to eat more protein, and that the number of people who consider protein to be the most important nutritional factor in their diet has risen 112 per cent since 2015. 2 Ahead of the curve, Danone developed Oikos PRO yogurt, offering 18 to 24 grams of protein per serving—the highest available in Canada’s yogurt market.
Embracing the plant-based movement
The plant-based sector's momentum in Canada is undeniable, with 40 per cent of Canadians actively incorporating more plantbased foods into their diets. 3 In 2023, 61 per cent reported reducing meat consumption, and 42 per cent opted for dairy alternatives.4 As interest in plant-based foods grows, so does the demand for dietary flexibility and versatility.
"We enable Canadians to meet their nutritional goals without sacrificing taste or quality," says Alexandra Latendresse, Head of Beverages and Plant-Based at Danone
THE FUTURE OF FOOD IS THROUGH HEALTH. Keep an Eye on These Trends
Healthy and mindful food options continue to grow in Canada, and leading brands are meeting these trends.
Katherine Cappellacci
Canada. Silk beverages have revolutionized the non-dairy sector with nutrient-rich alternatives.
These trends highlight a growing consumer demand for sustainable, healthy food options from transparent and caring companies. "Our research shows that Canadians want nutritionally dense offerings that contribute to a sustainable planet and are part of their everyday diets," says Latendresse. This shift reflects a broader movement towards conscientious consumption, where individuals are increasingly aware of the impact their food choices have on their health and the planet.
Consumers are also increasingly supporting socially conscious corporations. Businesses today are expected to give back and align with ethical values, which is evident through their social efforts. This commitment to the public good has made Danone the largest consumer-facing certified B-Corp in Canada, and they continue to advocate for the highest standards in social, and environmental practices.
“At Danone, we are driven by a profound sense of responsibility and purpose, which extends far beyond our factory doors, intertwining economic success with social good to bring health through food to as many people as possible,” adds Latendresse.
A mindful and nourishing selection
Industry leaders must prioritize products grounded in science, research, and responsibility. By doing so, they can meet the evolving needs of consumers while also contributing to a more sustainable and equitable food system. The future of the food industry lies in its ability to innovate and provide nourishing options that align with the values of today's informed and conscientious consumers as well as their health needs.
In recent years, we have seen remarkable advancements in foods, both in terms of taste and nutritional value. Danone has been a pioneer in this regard, leading the way with innovative products that not only satisfy the palate but also support a healthier lifestyle. As we continue to push the boundaries of food innovation, it is essential that we build on this progress to create a future where delicious, nutritious, and sustainable food options are accessible to all.
This article was sponsored by Danone.
Geneviève Bolduc Head of Yogurt, Danone Canada
Alexandra Latendresse Head of Beverages and Plant-Based, Danone Canada
