In this episode, we sit down with Mehnaz Tabassum, CEO of NL Eats and Food Forward Summit, to talk about the journey from building an online food community to launching a nonprofit and creating a national platform bringing together people across Canada's food system.

Mehnaz shares how NL Eats evolved from a grassroots community into an organization focused on food access, connection and systems-level change, and how that work ultimately shaped the vision for the Food Forward Summit.

This vision is now growing into a three-stop 2026 circuit, beginning with Food Forward Atlantic in St. John's on September 23, followed by Food Forward on the Hill in Ottawa on October 6, and culminating in the Food Forward Summit at The International Centre in Mississauga on October 8.

We talk about what it takes to grow an idea from community conversation into a national event, the importance of creating spaces where different parts of the food system can actually meet, and why meaningful change requires bringing more voices to the same table.

Mehnaz also previews what attendees can expect on October 8, including three theatres focused on Leadership, Innovation and Community, alongside keynotes, workshops and exhibitors. The program brings together producers, innovators, investors, policymakers, CPG companies, buyers, distributors and international partners, with conversations spanning food systems innovation, AI, global trade, food policy, food security and Indigenous food sovereignty.

A particularly interesting part of the Summit is the Innovation Challenge. Participants can choose between two streams, Blue Food Systems or Sustainable Agrifood, with finalists receiving mentorship, scale-up support and the opportunity to pitch live at the Summit.

As Mehnaz explains, the bigger exercise goes beyond simply finding the winning solution.

It is about learning how to approach a complex food-system problem through the lens of innovation. How do you define the problem? Who needs to be part of the conversation? What assumptions need to be challenged? And how do you move from an interesting idea toward something that can actually create impact?

That mindset runs through the broader Food Forward vision: bringing different perspectives together, asking better questions and creating the conditions for ideas to move into action.

If you want to continue the conversation in person, the Food Forward Summit takes place October 8, 2026 at The International Centre in Mississauga.

Resources

https://www.foodforwardsummit.com/agenda

IG: @foodforwardsummit

We are on site in Coquitlam, BC with Shaun Ashworth, Co-Founder, Owner, and President of Associated Labels and Packaging. Shaun takes us behind the scenes of their packaging operations and shares why great packaging is about so much more than what we see on the shelf.

Associated Labels and Packaging began in 1980 when Shaun’s father took a chance on a printing company, starting with letterpress printing before moving into flexographic labels through a surprising connection to Mary Kay address labels. Since then, the company has grown from four employees to a team of 180, expanding across flexo labels, digital printing, flexible packaging, pouches, lidding films, stick packs, and more.

As Shaun explains, packaging may seem simple from the outside, but it plays a critical role in product success. The right package has to protect the product, support shelf life, run properly on equipment, communicate clearly to consumers, and hold up through distribution. For food and beverage brands, getting packaging right early can make all the difference.

In this episode, we chat about:

• The story behind Associated Labels and Packaging
  
• The difference between flexo, digital, and wide web printing
  
• Why packaging should be designed around the product first
  
• Moisture barriers, oxygen barriers, seal integrity, and shelf life
  
• How packaging impacts co-packing, equipment, and downstream operations
  
• Why the cheapest packaging option is not always the lowest total cost
  
• Designing for the consumer, the shelf, and the real-world supply chain
  
• Five practical tips for CPG brands thinking about packaging
  
• Sustainability, compostable films, plastic reduction, and packaging education
  
• The importance of culture, team, and long-term relationships in business

Tune in to hear Shaun Ashworth’s insights on packaging innovation, product protection, sustainability, and why the smallest details can have a big impact on how food products move from production to shelf to consumer.

Resources:
Associated Labels and Packaging: https://www.associated-labels.com

Learn more about IFS PACsecure: https://www.ifs-certification.com/en/food/ifs-pacsecure

One Step Closer: https://www.osc2.org

Grinta began on the sidelines. As parents of four active children competing across multiple sports, Sonia and Jaspaul saw firsthand how long games, tournaments, travel, heat, and physical exertion could affect young athletes. They recognized a gap in the market: parents were looking for hydration products they could feel confident giving their active children.

Named after the Italian word for “grit,” Grinta reflects the determination of young athletes, the families supporting them, and the founders building a new brand while balancing full-time careers and family life.

Sonia brings extensive experience in regulatory affairs and the natural health products industry, while Jaspaul has a background in government, IT, operations, and project management. Their combined expertise has shaped every part of the business, from formulation and compliance to logistics and community activation.

The product was also developed with direct input from young athletes. Soccer teams helped test five initial flavours, narrowing the lineup to Peach Mango, Strawberry Splash, and Blue Raspberry. The formulations include electrolytes, 10 grams of sugar, and a small amount of stevia to support taste and carbohydrate replenishment while avoiding front-of-package warnings for high sugar and sodium.

We also explore what it means to build a brand at the grassroots level. From sampling at soccer, volleyball, and ultimate frisbee tournaments to listening directly to parents and athletes, Sonia and Jaspaul are growing Grinta through education, trust, and community involvement.

In this episode, we chat about:
 -Developing a hydration product with young athletes
 -Balancing electrolytes, carbohydrates, sweetness, and taste
 -Regulatory considerations for products intended for youth
 -The realities of entrepreneurship, family life, and founder resilience
- Giving back to the volunteers, coaches, clubs, and families powering youth sports

Tune in to hear Sonia and Jaspaul’s insights on building Grinta, developing a sports drink for young athletes, navigating the founder journey, and why grit matters both on the field and behind the scenes.

Resources:
Grinta: https://grinta.ca
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grinta.ca

Dr. Jason Bush, Chief Scientific Officer and Jason Leibert, Chief Growth Officer, from Solnul®  join us to explore the science and commercialization behind an upcycled prebiotic fibre made from potatoes.

Solnul®  is a resistant starch ingredient produced in Carberry, Manitoba using a co-product from potato processing. Through a proprietary process, Solnul®  converts this potato co-product into a resistant starch ingredient designed to support the gut microbiome.

With Jason Bush bringing a background in genetics, microbiome research, and clinical science, and Jason Leibert bringing experience in life sciences, biotech, business building, and growth, this conversation combines the science and business strategy behind launching a new functional ingredient.

We discuss what makes resistant starch different from regular starch, why clinical trials are so important for ingredient credibility, and how Solnul® ’s low-dose research helped demonstrate changes in key microbiome markers, including beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium and Akkermansia.

We also explore Solnul® ’s upcycled story, the importance of reframing “byproduct” as “co-product,” and what it takes to move an ingredient from research to real-world applications across powdered supplements, bars, and emerging formats.

In this episode, we chat about:

• What Solnul®  is 
• The microbiome as a modifiable system
• The role of clinical trials in ingredient credibility
• Resistant starch, prebiotics, and rethinking fibre
• Upcycling and elevating co-products
• Product development opportunities for functional ingredients
• Building adoption through efficacy, storytelling, and collaboration

Tune in to hear Jason Bush and Jason Leibert’s insights on Solnul® , resistant starch, upcycled ingredient innovation, and why our microbiome is one of the most exciting opportunities in food and health.

Resources:
Solnul® : https://www.solnul.com

Upcycled Food Association: https://www.upcycledfood.org

Chef Connor Flynn, also known as The Preserving Chef, shares with us the world of food preservation and why it’s about so much more than extending shelf life.

Connor’s journey started close to home, cooking alongside his grandmothers and building an early appreciation for food, family, and tradition. From there, his path took him through professional kitchens, Red Seal certification, teaching, sobriety, career pivots, and eventually the creation of a family-led business focused on making food preservation education more accessible. 

As one of only a few Master Food Preservers in Canada, Connor shares how this work is opening doors in schools, hospitals, conferences, and communities across the country. Through fermentation, canning, and other traditional preservation methods, he helps people reconnect with seasonal ingredients, practical food skills, community, and the land. 

In this episode, we chat about:

• The power of food preservation
  
• Fermentation (especially kimchi), microbiology, and consumer curiosity
  
• Food literacy as a life skill
  
• Preserving knowledge, culture, and connection
  
• Teaching preservation across communities
  
• A chef’s journey through purpose and reinvention
  

Tune in to hear Chef Connor Flynn’s insights on preserving seasonal ingredients, teaching practical food skills, and inspiring the next generation to value craftsmanship, community, and care.

Resources:

The Preserving Chef: https://www.thepreservingchef.com

Instagram: @thepreservingchef

Hear Connor speak at the Fermentation Summit, Sept 15 -17, 2026: https://www.makesauerkraut.com/fermentation-summit/

Growing Chefs, Ontario: https://growingchefsontario.ca

Canadian Fermented Foods Initiative: https://fermentedfoods.ca

Janet Helou is the CSO and Wine Scientist at Glimmer Wine, a BC-based, women-owned non-alcoholic sparkling wine brand. 

With a background spanning science, R&D, sales, food science, and wine, Janet helps lead Glimmer from both sides of the business: developing the product and supporting commercial sales. As a Certified Food Scientist and WSET Level 3, she brings a rare blend of technical expertise, sensory curiosity, and market insight to a category that continues to evolve quickly.

Glimmer's origin story started with a familiar but underserved moment: being at a wedding, dinner, conference, or celebration and wanting something special in your glass, without alcohol. Instead of settling for sparkling water with a garnish, three wine-loving women set out to create a non-alcoholic option that could feel just as celebratory and sophisticated as the occasion itself.

What makes Glimmer distinct is that it starts with real wine. The alcohol is removed through reverse osmosis, a membrane technology that selectively strips alcohol while helping preserve the aromas, structure, and character that give wine its personality. That distinction, between de-alcoholized wine and a wine-adjacent beverage, matters more than most consumers realize. Alcohol contributes to body, mouthfeel, aroma carry, and the perception of balance. When it is removed, the formulation has to account for all of it. 

We also chat about Glimmer’s newest release: a sparkling rosé designed for summer sipping, celebration, and inclusion. With expressive, lively notes and the same thoughtful positioning behind the brand’s Blanc de Blanc, the Rosé marks an exciting next step for Glimmer’s growing portfolio.

In this episode, we get into:

• The origin story behind Glimmer Wine
• What makes de-alcoholized wine different from wine alternatives, and how reverse osmosis fits in
• The sensory balancing act of formulating without alcohol
• Why the sparkling format is a smart entry point for this category
• The realities of scaling a glass-bottled beverage across Canadian distribution channels

For anyone working in beverage innovation, CPG, sales, or non-alcoholic product development, this conversation is a thoughtful look at what it takes to create a product that feels intentional, elegant, and celebratory.

Resources:
Glimmer Wine: https://www.drinkglimmerwine.com/
Instagram: @drinkglimmerwine
Taste Glimmer at the Rose Disco Vancouver, July 26, 2026: https://www.rosedisco.com/vancouver

We talk with Gord Sterritt, CEO of Authentic Indigenous Seafood and Executive Director of the Upper Fraser Fisheries Conservation Alliance, to explore the deep connection between fisheries, food security, sustainability, and Indigenous-led food systems.

As a member of the Gitxsan First Nation, Gord brings a rich perspective shaped by community, culture, conservation, and years of experience working in fisheries. In this episode, he shares how Authentic Indigenous Seafood is helping tell the stories behind Indigenous fisheries while creating value for harvesters, communities, and consumers across Canada.

We chat about:

• Gord’s lifelong connection to fishing and food
• The story behind Authentic Indigenous Seafood
• Why Traceability matters
• Supporting cooperative members and small-scale fisheries
• Storytelling through product and process
• Sustainability, seasonality, and fisheries planning
• Looking ahead to trade, policy, and collaboration

This episode offers a powerful look at how seafood products can carry culture, responsibility, and community impact.

Resources: 

Authentic Indigenous Seafood: https://authenticindigenousseafood.ca/

Upper Fraser Fisheries Conservation Alliance: https://upperfraser.ca/

What does it take to build a contract manufacturing operations capable of serving CPG brands on both sides of the border and scaling with them all the way to Costco?

We sit down with Preet Bhullar, COO and Co-Founder of Blue Ocean Group. The conversation was recorded on-site at their brand-new innovation hub in Blaine, Washington. What began in 2012 as a 2,000-square-foot tea operation in Surrey, BC has evolved into a GFSI-certified, multi-facility manufacturing partner for CPG and wellness brands across Canada and the United States. We also visited Blue Ocean's Surrey facility just weeks prior and between both locations, the impressive scope of what this team has built is hard to miss.

Preet leverages her background in quality assurance and microbiology to lead the business she co-founded. This technical foundation shapes Blue Ocean Group’s rigorous approach to ingredient sourcing, regulatory compliance, and operational standards. This clearly shows in the certifications they have earned, the high-caliber brands they have chosen to work with, and the operational standards they hold across both facilities. 

We chat through:

• The Evolution of Blue Ocean Group: The journey from a small leased facility focused on tea bags and loose-leaf tins to a 14-machine operation in Surrey and an expanding U.S. presence.
• Cross-Border Certification: Navigating the complexities of manufacturing standards in both Canada and the U.S..
• Direct Sourcing: Why sourcing ingredients directly from their origin is critical for protecting brand margins and enabling long-term growth.
• The Partnership Process: How Blue Ocean collaborates with brands from the initial brief through scale-up, and why they prioritize partners they genuinely believe in.
•  Market Trends: Insights into the Canadian and U.S. wellness markets, including innovation in electrolytes, protein, creatine, and the shift toward clean, minimally processed ingredients.
• Regulatory Landscapes: Understanding the differences in manufacturing dietary supplements between Canada and the U.S. to avoid compliance hurdles.

This episode is part manufacturing deep-dive and part cross-border business education. It serves as a reminder that the most successful contract manufacturing relationships are built on shared values and long-term strategy, rather than mere transactions.

Resources

Blue Ocean Group: https://blueoceantea.com/

Join us as Dr. William Yan shares his extensive experience in food safety, nutrition, and regulation in Canada. He brings a thoughtful perspective on the importance of science-based frameworks alongside industry collaboration to protect consumers while also creating space for innovation. 

In this episode, we dig into:

• Health Canada’s regulatory framework 
• Pre-market assessment vs post-market compliance
• The history and evolution of the Supplemented Foods Regulations
• How Supplemented Foods differ from Natural Health Products (NHPs)
• The role of collaboration in food regulation
• University of Ottawa Graduate Diploma Program, Food Policy and Regulatory Affairs

Tune in to hear Dr. William Yan’s insights on Canada’s regulatory landscape, and how science-driven collaboration plays a role in maintaining Canada’s reputation for high-quality, safe products on a global scale.

Resources: 

University of Ottawa's Graduate Diploma: https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-health-sciences/nutrition/graduate-studies/graduate-diploma-food-policy-regulatory-affairs

Dr. William Yan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-yan-7239332aa/

[email protected]

Angela Santiago is the CEO and Co-Founder of Little Potato Company, a business she started alongside her father 30 years ago. 

The Little Potato Company's origin story is one of those rare ones that feels almost too good to be true. Angela's father, drawing on nostalgia for the small potatoes he had grown up eating in the Netherlands, had a simple idea: what if Canadians could fall in love with them too? The duo took a chance, washing and testing their first small potatoes in a bathtub before bringing them to market. There was skepticism. The industry wasn't convinced. They found their niche by leaning into exactly what made the potatoes different.

Today, The Little Potato Company employs more than 500 employees, three state-of-the-art facilities, producing over 280 million pounds of potatoes annually. The company is one of the most recognizable names in Canadian produce, built on a foundation of natural potato breeding, vertical integration, and a genuine belief that innovation, passion, and commitment to quality separates enduring brands.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How The Little Potato Company created an entirely new value-added category in produce.

• The natural breeding process behind their small potato varieties, and why developing a new variety takes eight to nine years.

• The company's approach to sustainable crop utilization and the goal of reaching 100% crop use with zero waste.

• Leadership lessons from building a business over thirty years, and what has shaped Angela's approach to running a company.

• The role of communities like YPO and EO in supporting founders through the journey.

Angela's story is a reminder that the most durable brands often start with asking a simple question and had the patience, creativity and conviction to see it through. 

Resources: 

Little Potato Company: https://www.littlepotatoes.com 

Angela Santiago on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelasantiago