Canadian foodtech startups awarded CAD $2.35M boost

The Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) will provide funding to five food technology startups across Canada to support the validation and potential scale-up of new tools in automation, packaging, food rescue, restaurant technology, and digital manufacturing.

Through its Foodtech Next Program, the CFIN is awarding a total of CAD $1,177,496 to selected startups. With matched contributions from industry partners, the total investment in these projects will reach CAD $2,354,992. The Foodtech Next Program is intended to enable companies to test new technologies in operational environments, demonstrating their real-world performance and opportunities for broader adoption and commercialisation across the Canadian food sector.

The five companies awarded funding represent diverse regions and reflect a broad spectrum of applications within food technology.

From Alberta, Knead Technologies has partnered with the Leftovers Foundation, BluPlanet Recycling Inc. and Metro Food Rescue for its pilot project, receiving CAD $248,675. The company aims to make food rescue more efficient through its Matching Modules, incorporating live route optimisation, AI-powered matching of donors and recipients, and a food rescue marketplace for immediate donations.

"We're creating practical solutions for our partners on the ground. This project is an important step toward reducing food waste and ensuring more food makes it to the people who need it most," said Lourdes Juan, CEO & Co-Founder, Knead Technologies.

UDP Software Inc., based in British Columbia, will receive CAD $249,999 to pilot its FoodPM platform, an AI-powered software system designed to optimise food processing operations. Its pilot partner, The Fritter House, will implement FoodPM to improve inventory management, scheduling, workforce training, and regulatory compliance, with the goal of enhancing productivity and reducing food waste.

Ontario-based Gastronomous Technologies Inc. has been allocated CAD $249,706 to pilot its Ghost Beta Test in partnership with a major quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain. The project will demonstrate advances in mechanical design and materials within an autonomous beverage makeline, validating machine reliability as a metric for readiness for commercial deployment.

"Gastronomous is proud to partner with CFIN again to bring another innovative automation solution to the QSR space. We are helping our customers provide consistent quality with improved speed of service while reducing repetitive tasks for staff so they can focus on improving guest experience," said Kevork Sevadjian, CEO, Gastronomous Technologies.

Nova Scotia's Freshr Sustainable Technologies will use its allocation of CAD $232,861 to collaborate with seafood processor Cooke Aquaculture. The company will test the integration of its antibacterial coating, FreshrPack, into salmon packaging operations with the goal of extending protein shelf life, minimising spoilage and reducing waste.

Finally, Ontario's uDesign Solutions Inc. will receive CAD $196,254 to develop and pilot a crate packing system for the dairy industry with Laiterie de l'Outaouais as its partner. The system integrates advanced sensors, AI-driven software, and modular mechanical components to optimise the bottling line's final stage by automating packaging for bottles of various sizes.

CFIN reports that, since its launch, it has funded over 108 food technology projects in Canada, contributing CAD $22,656,999 in funding, matched by CAD $25,884,111 from industry partners. According to the organisation, projects supported through CFIN have generated CAD $90 million in economic impact and created more than 355 jobs and cooperative placements, while attracting an additional CAD $82 million in investment to recipient companies.

"These five projects demonstrate Food 4.0 in action - industry-led innovation that is reshaping how food is processed, packaged, and shared. Whether through AI-driven automation, compostable packaging, or digital food waste mitigation platforms, each solution tackles real-world challenges with tremendous potential to scale," said Dana McCauley, CEO, CFIN.