The Background
Food upcycling innovation in Canada has been growing rapidly across individual companies, but sector-wide progress was being slowed by fragmentation, limited coordination, and a lack of national leadership. Research led by Vineland Research and Innovation Centre found that while scientific innovation was strong, the food upcycling ecosystem needed stronger connections, shared standards, and a unifying platform to enable national scale and long-term impact.
To address these challenges, Vineland convened industry leaders, innovators, and ecosystem partners in June 2025 to explore how Canada could move from isolated successes toward a coordinated, national approach to food upcycling.
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The Result
The June 2025 Upcycled Food Networking Meeting served as a catalyst for sector-wide collaboration. Building on insights from Vineland’s research and strong industry engagement, the initiative led to the establishment of a Canadian hub of the Upcycled Food Association (UFA). Under this model, UFA will provide formal leadership for a national food upcycling network, supported by Vineland’s foundational research and convening role.
This transition ensures that momentum generated through the forum is sustained through a recognized, durable national structure aligned with global definitions and standards for upcycled food.