Francesco Sorbara
Francesco Sorbara
Member of Parliament for Vaughan—Woodbridge
FedDev Ontario Supports Organic Food Manufacturer Expansion in Vaughan
April 26, 2019

April 26, 2019 – Vaughan, Ontario

Canadian manufacturers must continue to innovate, automate and invest in new technologies to remain competitive, which results in good jobs and economic growth.

Today, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced an investment of $575,000 for Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. (Riverside), a leading manufacturer of healthy nutritional snack foods that are allergen friendly and safe for school. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario.

Through this investment, Riverside’s Vaughan facility has undergone a 45,000-square-foot expansion and renovation, enabling the company to meet growing consumer demand for their organic, allergen friendly food products. The expansion included the installation of a fully automated, high-speed, energy-efficient production line to increase capacity to produce their popular cookie and light granola MadeGood products. This investment also created 15 jobs in the region and has positioned the company to better reach new U.S. and international markets.

This project supports the Agri-FoodAdvanced Manufacturing and Clean Technology Economic Strategy Tables and aligns with the Government’s Innovation and Skills Plan priority of investing in scale-up firms and assisting businesses to become more competitive and innovative, to create jobs and to pursue export markets.

Quotes

“This FedDev Ontario investment reinforces the Government of Canada’s commitment to being a trusted, competitive and reliable supplier of safe, sustainable, high-quality agri-food products. By modernizing processes, expanding its product offerings and reinforcing its commitment to sustainable business practices, Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. continues to establish itself as a strong competitor in the global food processing industry.”
- The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

“Our Government is laying the foundation for Canadians to become more competitive and succeed in the global economy. This investment has positioned Riverside as one of the largest dedicated allergen-free automated facilities in North America. It is investments like this one that build on our competitive advantages, boost economic growth and create good, middle-class jobs for Canadians.”
- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

"In York region alone, there are 270 food and beverage companies, a testament to the voracious agri-food industry. This FedDev investment is a great opportunity for family owned Riverside Natural Foods, and displays to other companies in the region the federal funding options when looking to scale-up and drive innovation."
- Francesco Sorbara, Member of Parliament for Vaughan-Woodbridge

“We are very grateful for the help and support from FedDev Ontario. The Agency’s involvement has helped us to invest in equipment that will ensure we are competitive on an international scale and can meet the capacity demands of our growing business.”
- Nima Fotovat, President, Riverside Natural Foods Ltd.

Quick facts

  • Established in 2013, Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. is a family-owned and operated food manufacturer with a client portfolio that includes Loblaws, Shoppers Drug Mart, Costco, Sobeys, Metro, Whole Foods, Longo’s, Air Canada, WestJet, Amazon and Walmart
  • In addition to FedDev Ontario’s contribution, this project will leverage an additional $1.72 million from private sector investment
  • The York region is home to over 270 food and beverage processing manufacturers and distributors, making it one of Canada’s largest clusters
  • This year marks 10 years of FedDev Ontario delivering funding and business services to support innovation and growth in southern Ontario. Since inception in 2009, FedDev Ontario has invested almost $2 billion in the region’s economy, with more than 31,000 jobs created and maintained over the past five years

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