FoodTech Innovators Podcast ft. Canadian Food Innovation Network
From global challenges like climate change to the personal choices of nutrition, Canadian manufacturers and foodtech companies are producing more than the food that sustains us – they are making the solutions for the biggest problems out there. For the first episode of the FoodTech Innovators podcast, we teamed up with the Canadian Food Innovation Network to deliver a wide-ranging conversation on the transformative impact of technology in the food industry.
A New Podcast to Explore FoodTech Innovations in Canada and Around the World
Each episode of the new podcast will cover a specific aspect of innovation and technology adoption, examining the implications for food safety, profitability, and sustainability. To start us off, Lavina Gully, Regional Innovation Director for Western Canada at the Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN), provides a succinct overview of Canadian foodtech innovators and the latest exciting technologies that drive positive change.
Coming from the food manufacturing sector as a product developer here in Vancouver, BC, Gully’s role at CFIN is to stimulate innovation and facilitate collaboration in Canada’s food industry. CFIN provides grant funding for R&D products and also launched the online platform YODL, which helps forge connections among the largest food innovation community in the country with over 5000 members.
In this wide-ranging conversation, Burton and Gully covered innovations in:
- Automation and robotics such as Cibotica’s pilot technology to automate handling of delicate food products like salads
- Lab-grown meats, cellular agriculture, alternative ingredients, including prominent Canadian players like Ardra, Liven Proteins, Harvest Moon (whose microbial fermentation processes present an alternative to traditional dairy farms)
- Regenerative agriculture and upcycling, like BC company Crush Dynamics, which upcycles waste from the wine industry in the Okanagen Valley to produce (via patented biomechanical process) a unique product that can enhance flavour, nutrition, and shelf life for other products.
- Health and wellness via AI-enabled technologies from Cronometer and Fresh Prep that personalize meal planning and nutrition management for consumers, especially those on specialty diets
- Traceability solutions that take track and trace to the next level with new technologies like the microscopic barcodes developed by Index Biosystems
- Novel food products and ingredients that really show the advantages of clean tech and precision fermentation processes, such as the textured mycelium (mushroom) proteins developed by Maia Farms
Episode #1: Innovation Trends in Canada with Lavina Gully (CFIN)
Watch the first episode on YouTube below and subscribe to hear more great conversations about FoodTech Innovations in Canada and around the world.
Don’t miss future episodes – check back for new episodes on YouTube and podcast platforms like PodBean.
Join the Canadian Food Innovation Network
CFIN brings together the most robust, active, and collaborative food business community in Canada. Their membership spans across the food value chain, bringing food professionals together to connect, collaborate, and position Canada as a global leader in food innovation. Join CFIN at https://www.cfin-rcia.ca/
About Steven Burton, Icicle Founder and CEO
Steven Burton is a Vancouver-based software architect with over two decades of experience implementing innovative technologies for businesses, nonprofits, and government institutions. In 2015, he launched Icicle, an award-winning food production management system that uses the latest tools in process automation and generative AI to unify and optimize manufacturing operations. Built with food safety and traceability at its core, Icicle is a complete solution for smart automation, improving quality standards and production efficiency, and expanding growth opportunities for all types of food businesses.
