News

New Strategic Partnership to Benefit the Food and Beverage Sector

Nov 13, 2024

Saskatoon, SK and Toronto, ON – The Food Innovation and Research Studio (FIRSt) at George Brown College and the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre (Food Centre) are pleased to announce a strategic partnership aimed at driving growth and innovation in Canada’s food and beverage sector.

This collaboration between the two leading Canadian organizations will provide agri-food companies of all sizes with enhanced, value-added support to navigate complex innovation challenges, bringing fresh ideas and products to market.

FIRSt is a Technology Access Centre that is strategically located within Toronto, Ontario that supports the food and beverage sector with scientific R&D services. The organization works with clients to troubleshoot product development challenges to help bring new ideas to market. FIRSt contributes unique expertise in product development and product optimization, consumer research, focus groups, and sensory evaluations.

The Food Centre is a not-for-profit that provides unique expertise to agri-food companies from ideation to commercialization. The Food Centre focuses on product development, ingredient evaluation, technical innovation, co-manufacturing, interim processing, extrusion, fermentation and bioengineering, food safety training, education, and small business development.

The two organizations are excited to announce this partnership and look forward to contributing to the continued growth and success of the food and beverage sector together.

“The partnership with the Food Innovation Research Studio at George Brown College will provide joint innovation opportunities and access in contract manufacturing, processing and commercialization services for the start-up and SMEs in Canadian food and beverage manufacturing ecosystem. Our partnership will assist agri-food companies in developing affordable and sustainable product solutions for the marketplace.”  – Mehmet Tulbek, President, Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre Inc.

“Food and beverage manufacturing has far-reaching economic and social impacts. As a Technology Access Centre, our mission is to help make it easier for growth-oriented food and beverage companies to engage in R&D and innovation. We’ve seen that many businesses struggle to bring new ideas to market in ways that work for both their company and the industry at large.  This partnership with the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre shows our commitment to collaborating across Canada and will increase our ability to serve clients with R&D services and achieve meaningful outcomes for their long-term success.”  – Dan Reilly, Director, Food Innovation and Research Studio

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For more information, contact:
Emily Nickel, Business Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre Inc.
enickel@foodcentre.sk.ca / 306-964-8710

Dan Reilly, Director
Food Innovation & Research Studio
dreilly@georgebrown.ca / 416-415-5000 ext. 6962