News

Partnership Strengthens and Supports Beverage and Fermentation Innovation

Sep 16, 2025

SASKATOON, SK – 9 Mile Legacy Brewing Co.’s LGCY Innovation Hub and the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre (Food Centre) are pleased to announce a new strategic partnership that will strengthen and support beverage and fermentation innovation.

Following the launch of 9 Mile Legacy’s LGCY: Innovation Hub in May 2024, the Food Centre and 9 Mile seized the opportunity to align their strengths within the agri-food sector. Keeping Saskatchewan growers, entrepreneurs, and researchers in mind, this partnership will provide expanded access to applied R&D, fermentation expertise, and small-scale manufacturing to accelerate beverage and specialty ingredient development and commercialization.

LGCY: Innovation Hub is a fermentation-forward facility embedded in 9 Mile Legacy’s commercial brewing operation. It serves as a collaborative platform designed to de-risk innovation and bridge the gap between small-scale experimentation and commercial-scale production. LGCY focuses on applied R&D and functional ingredient development, specializing in projects that connect agricultural inputs, fermentation performance, and commercial viability.

“Saskatchewan is a place where neighbours step up for one another,” remarks Shawn Moen, CEO and Co-Founder of 9 Mile Legacy Brewing. “Our partnership with the Food Centre builds on that same spirit. Together, we are building an ecosystem where ideas get tested, supported, and scaled to give them the best chance to grow into something real.”

The Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre (Food Centre) is a not-for-profit organization that provides unique expertise to agri-food companies from ideation to commercialization. The Food Centre supports clients in product development, ingredient evaluation, co-manufacturing, extrusion, fermentation, food safety training, education, and small business development.

“We are very excited to announce our new partnership with 9 Mile Legacy Brewing Co.’s LGCY Innovation Hub” says Mehmet Tulbek, President of the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre. “This collaboration will help our clients commercialize their beverage products and develop manufacturing solutions that support the growing Canadian agri-food ecosystem. With significant growth in the non-alcoholic and functional beverage segment, the Food Centre has been assisting numerous clients through beverage ideation, research, and prototype development. This partnership is very timely, allowing our clients to scale, manufacture, and commercialize locally in Saskatoon thanks to 9 Mile Legacy and the LGCY Innovation Hub’s capabilities.”

By combining the Food Centre’s long-standing leadership in food innovation with LGCY’s beverage-focused expertise, this partnership offers clients an integrated approach to scaling new ideas into market-ready solutions. 

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For more information, please contact:

Emily Nickel  | Business Development Specialist | Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre Inc.
enickel@foodcentre.sk.ca | 306-964-8710

Cassy Appelt | Director of LGCY Innovation Hub | 9 Mile Legacy Brewing Co.
c.appelt@9milelegacy.com  | 306-233-7598