Welcome to YODL! In addition to daily original content, YODL helps CFIN Members find new partners, resources, and funding opportunities to grow their food business. Learn more about this growing community and become a CFIN Member (for free!) today.
Canada has an extensive range of research centres, food incubators, accelerators and labs supporting food and beverage innovation through the research they do and/or the services they offer. Each week throughout 2023, we’ll be highlighting an organization that’s supporting food innovation in Canada.
Location: Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
Mission: The FBIC works with businesses and the community to provide real-world solutions through innovation activities.
Focus: The centre offers services to support industry innovation and commercialization of new products and processes for food, beverages and cannabis edibles.
Services: FBIC offers expertise in developing new food and beverages, cannabis edibles and food science, including research for improving existing products, entering new product categories, increasing product quality and ease of operations, and assisting with ingredient sourcing, co-packing sourcing and packaging. Other R&D services include: providing guidance on food safety and regulatory standards; a small batch beverage processing pilot plant to support R&D and innovation; sensory analysis and consumer acceptance testing; hops analysis; and beverage analytical services to support commercialization of new products and processes for beer, cider, mead, kombucha, distillery and wine.
Commercial services offered at FBIC include help with: market information, competitive analysis, prospect lists, advertising/marketing plan, exporting, and e-commerce and web design and development.
What you need to know: FBIC offers an array of facilities, including: an R&D kitchen, beverage analytical labs; a beverage pilot processing plant; cannabis edibles R&D labs; chemistry lab; a shelf-life and packaging lab; artisanal distillery; brewery and hopyard; winery and vineyard; and industrial culinary kitchens. The centre’s staff includes faculty and student researchers from several programs at Niagara College, including Culinary Innovation and Food Technology, Culinary Management, Brewmaster, Brewery Operations Management, Artisan Distilling, Beverage Business Management, Winery and Viticulture Technician, and Wine Business Management.
Get Involved: Contact Krystle Grimaldi, director, Research & Innovation, Daniel J. Patterson Campus, at 905 641-2252 ext. 4277 or research@niagaracollege.ca, or reach out to our Regional Innovation Director for Ontario, Linda Fox.