Happy Belly poised to reach $100 million in sales

Sean Black joined Happy Belly about four years ago with a clear goal in mind. “When I joined, we’re at about a million dollars a year business. And now we’re certainly approaching $100 million a year in business.”

Appetronix pizza-machines set to boost robot power

Appetronix, a London, Ont.-based company that made a splash with the launch of its fully automated Donatos Pizza restaurant at Columbus International Airport, has purchased Vancouver food robotics firm Cibotica. Its next-generation robotic arms make kitchens more efficient.

Pitch to expand northern farming sparks questions

Ontario is pitching its plan to expand agriculture in the north and restrict foreign ownership of farmland as a way to strengthen food security and protect farmers. But some say the proposed legislation leaves unanswered questions.

Parliament urges reversal of research centre closures

A new report warns that closures of federal agricultural research centres could weaken Canada’s food security, climate resilience, and long-term innovation capacity. A new report is urging the government to reverse planned closures of several research centres and experimental farms.

FoodHero expands into independent food retailers

FoodHero is expanding to independent grocers, bakeries, produce shops, cafés and restaurants, giving a second life to surplus food. About 40 per cent of food waste is avoidable, worth an estimated $58 billion in annual losses.

Food waste is complex but it’s important

Many food companies are “talking the talk” on food waste, new research from nonprofit ReFED shows, but are they walking the walk? When looking by sector, ReFED found gaps between discussion and action.

Barista is human but AI agent runs Swedish cafe

The coffee might be poured by a human but behind the counter something far less traditional is calling the shots at an experimental cafe in Stockholm. San Francisco-based Andon Labs has put an AI agent in charge at Andon Café.

Rockwell deploys AI to cut refrigeration energy use

Rockwell is making energy-intensive frozen food manufacturing systems more efficient, with a new AI-application that continuously selects energy‑efficient configurations for industrial refrigeration. To date, increased energy efficiency reached 17 per cent, or an estimated $130,000 savings per site.

New approach helps growers produce corn more efficiently

In a recent study, scientists from University of Missouri found sweet corn can be grown using less water without sacrificing flavour. To determine the most effective irrigation strategy, researchers compared three different ways of watering sweet corn.

Giant Tiger store in Ottawa has 65th anniversary

The first ever Giant Tiger store celebrated it’s 65th anniversary. The retailer opened its first Ottawa store in 1961 and is best known for discount prices. Last weekend, a crowd of shoppers lined up for the anniversary party.

Food Basics opens 154th store in Ontario

Metro Inc.-owned discount grocer FreshCo welcomed shoppers to its Grand Bend, Ont. location recently. Spanning 32,000 square feet, the supermarket is the third to open in 2026 and will employ 90 people.

Canada kicking U.S. booze habit as trade tensions persist

Canadians are pulling back on U.S. travel and boycotting U.S. goods. But the example of one sector in particular, U.S. alcohol, shows how quickly access to an important market can disappear and how difficult it can be to regain.

Food Industry Financial Reports

Rogers Sugar Inc. (RSI-T) TMX Money

Nutrien Ltd (NTR-T) Financial Post

Maple Leaf Foods (MFI-T) FoodNX

Canada Packers Inc. (CPKR-T) FoodNX

Researchers uncover food use for sargassum

As sargassum seaweed drift toward Florida’s shores, researchers at Florida International University are exploring how the nuisance could become a valuable ingredient in foods. New findings show that sargassum can serve as a promising source of alginate, a food additive.

3 SVPs exit in 7-Eleven reorganization

Three senior vice-presidents are among top leaders no longer with 7-Eleven as a result of a company-wide reorganization. The three executives were no longer listed on 7-Eleven’s leadership page. 7-Eleven initiated its reorganization about two weeks ago.

DoorDash to spend more than US$50 million on gas relief

DoorDash expects to spend more than US$50 million in the second quarter on relief for its drivers. The company said it would offer extra compensation to drivers as part of a program to offset a gas price increase.