Libra Beverage Co.

Head Office: Nova Scotia

Sector: Food & Beverage

Using a brewing process that has been used for centuries, Libra Bev Co. is taking the non-alcoholic beverage category to new heights. They launched their flagship Pale Ale in 2020, and since then have expanded to include 5 flagship styles of craft beer. They have won 5 World Beer Awards, 2 New York International Beer Competition awards, and were named the best Canadian Non-Alcoholic Brewery of the Year in 2022. As a certified B Corp, Libra is always finding ways to minimize their impact on the planet by following sustainable business practices while giving back to the community. They have distribution across the country, including Sobeys, the LCBO and Costco. They also partnered with Juno-award-winning Canadian folk-rocker Serena Ryder in 2021 to help normalize socializing without alcohol. In 2023, they are focused on making non-alcoholic drinks accessible at restaurants, bars and music festivals.

Lita's Mexican Foods Inc.

Head Office: British Columbia

Sector: Food & Beverage

Lita’s Mexican Foods is Canada’s first and only 100% vegan Mexican frozen food manufacturer. What started as a home-based business has grown into a multi-line selection of clean label products that incorporate the authentic flavours of traditional Mexican dishes in options like vegan taquitos, flour tortillas and taco kits. Lita’s aims to reduce their plastic footprint as a Certified Plastic Negative Company. As they await an eco-plastic alternative that meets food safety demands, they have partnered with rePurpose Global, which has enabled Lita’s to remove over 300,000 single use plastic bags from nature. Today, their products can be found in over 200 natural, independent, and conventional retailers across Canada.

Lite-1

Head Office: British Columbia

Sector: Bioproducts

Lite-1 partners with nature to transform the dye industry from one of the preeminent polluters to a regenerative and more humane industry. Using microorganisms as factories of the future, Lite-1 grows 100% sustainable and high-performance dyes in a closed circular system. Their unique platform biotechnology allows industry to prototype different variations of microbial dyes that meet their needs in a plug and play solution. Their dyes reduce water pollution, are safe for workers and ecosystems, and eliminate dependence on non-renewable resources. Lite-1 recently won a space in MaRS Women in Cleantech accelerator program, was awarded IAC’s women in cleantech grant, and have started two international brand partnerships to pilot test their dyes and technology in packaging and bio-leather materials.

Liven Proteins Corp.

Head Office: Ontario

Sector: Agri/Food Tech & Ingredients

Liven is the first company in Canada to produce functional protein ingredients for food and beverages using precision fermentation. A B2B startup, Liven is disrupting the ingredients industry by reducing its dependence on animals. Their innovative protein selection and design to target functionality and biomanufacturing processes produce sustainable and superior ingredients, such as animal-free collagen, a highly sought-after ingredient that is currently only produced from animals. Since starting operations just two years ago, Liven has expanded their team, established an R&D facility at the University of Toronto, developed several prototypes for collagen ingredients and filed a provisional patent application. They are currently raising a seed fund to support their growth, which includes scale up production and an additional facility for bioprocessing.

Living Tree Foods

Head Office: British Columbia

Sector: Food & Beverage

Living Tree Foods is changing the perception of vegan foods, one delicious meal at a time. Breaking down barriers to taste and access, Living Tree has developed a line of convenient and delicious vegan versions of traditional favourites that are just as delicious as their animal-based originals. Their current options include award-winning cheese spreads, ravioli, and a carrot based “smoked salmon”. The company is moving quickly with a new facility, distributor, and retail partnerships leading to a 43% sales increase in 2022. In 2023, they will expand their focus into food services, allowing more opportunities for them to entice people to incorporate plant-based foods into their lives.

Made with Local

Head Office: Nova Scotia

Sector: Food & Beverage

Made with Local have been creating snack and breakfast foods that are good for people and the planet for over 10 years. They’re best known for their soft-baked, gluten-free Real Food Bars made with 100% locally sourced, whole-food ingredients. In 2022 they added new manufacturing facilities to increase production capacity by 4X, and added 1500 new retail locations across Canada. In 2023 they are focused on launching several new product lines, including a hot cereal line and a long-awaited school-safe kids’ bar, made to be the best-tasting, functional kids snack on the market. They are also transitioning their supply chain, making them the first snack bar brand in North America to use regenerative organic grown ingredients.

Maison LeGrand

Head Office: Québec

Sector: Food & Beverage

Maison LeGrand is on a mission to make plant-based food products that are just as delicious as they are healthy. Using only the most elevated ingredients, they are leading the way in pioneering new tastes and techniques that appeal to the plant-conscious and plant-curious alike. Their unique process of fermentation allows them to achieve a longer shelf life without the addition of gums, preservatives or other unhealthy, unwanted ingredients. Maison LeGrand has onboarded several large retailers including Walmart Quebec, Costco.ca and expanded distribution in natural food stores across Canada and the US.

Maple Organics®

Head Office: British Columbia

Sector: Household, Beauty & Personal Care

Maple Organics are disrupting the pharmaceutical industry with organic, naturally-derived remedies for joint inflammation, muscle pain, wound healing, and cold and flu congestion. Their effective Organic Pharmacy line of products are free from toxins, steroids and synthetic ingredients. They use 100% recyclable packaging, and source all materials and ingredients locally, minimizing their carbon footprint. In 2022, Maple Organics expanded operations into a new facility and secured retail support across Canada, including Whole Foods Canada, Choices, Metro, and Sobeys. They continue to respond to the high demand, and are set for further expansion into the US in 2023.

Marlow

Head Office: Ontario

Sector: Household, Beauty & Personal Care

Marlow is tackling discomfort and environmental impact associated with menstruation. It has created the first lubricated tampon for smoother and more comfortable insertion. Marlow’s groundbreaking products are made of 100% organic cotton, with a bio-based applicator, and compostable wrapper. Marlow is leading the modern menstrual movement by sparking conversations and providing education about these traditionally taboo topics. In addition to selling direct-to-consumer, Marlow products can be found on well.ca, Canada’s leading online health and wellness retailer, and several gyms and spas across Canada.

Millennia TEA Inc.

Head Office: New Brunswick

Sector: Food & Beverage

Millennia TEA is flipping the conventional tea-making model on its head. Instead of drying tea leaves, they wash and flash freeze them. The result is the first frozen edible raw tea, and the cleanest, greenest source of energy and antioxidants on the market. Working with organic, regenerative farming practices, these teas strip away the tea bags and leave consumers with a clean and naturally-powerful better-for-you source of green tea that can be consumed as a hot beverage or thrown into smoothies. The company is currently exploring new ways to leverage their patented production methods to expand into new products, including Tea Purees and Tea Extracts.

MINDFUL INNOVATIONS Limited

Head Office: British Columbia

Sector: Bioproducts

MINDFUL INNOVATIONS is on a mission to meaningfully address climate change through Regenerative Design. Their patented living wall system, VERTISCAPE, creates new opportunities for the re-integration of bio-diversity in the built environment to restore a healthy relationship with our planet. MINDFUL INNOVATIONS also orchestrates unexpected circular economies by up-cycling materials bound for the landfill into innovative products, reducing both waste and the need for new raw materials. One of their latest initiatives, MEDULLA Regenerative Insulation, has the potential to divert 36 metric tons of waste from the landfill and sequester 43 metric tons of CO2 in the first year of operation.

More Eats Inc.

Head Office: Ontario

Sector: Food & Beverage

More Eats, the parent company of More Granola, produces Canada’s first and only brand of snackable granola chunks in mouth-watering flavours like Pecan Pie, Hot Chocolate, Nutty Crumble and Salted Caramel. Their minimal processing and all-natural ingredients creates a product as close as possible to the homemade goodness consumers would make in their own kitchen. More Granola sources Canadian ingredients that are non-GMO, and partners exclusively with Ontario-based suppliers to build and boost their local economy. They have moved quickly since they started in their kitchen in 2020; they’re now available in over 230 retailers across Canada and online via their website. They plan to expand their product line and distribution channels in 2023.

MycoFutures

Head Office: Newfoundland and Labrador

Sector: Bioproducts

MycoFutures is creating sustainable alternatives to leather and other materials using mycelium, the root system of fungi. By adapting mushroom cultivation techniques and vertical farming, combined with novel tanning methods, they are creating an innovative textile without the use of animal products or plastics. The first of its kind in Canada, the company’s intensive R&D is leading the way in durable and luxurious materials and will have a sustainable impact on the fashion, textiles and other industries. Since pivoting from farming gourmet mushrooms to starting MycoFutures, the company has created their first materials prototypes in collaboration with a leather artisan, and been recognized for their ingenuity at such notable events as Collision Conference and MaRS Climate Impact conference.

Myni

Head Office: Québec

Sector: Household, Beauty & Personal Care

Myni helps consumers have a zero waste, plastic-free home with their wide range of cleaners, hair, and body care products. Their effective products, including those for laundry, dishwasher, degreasing and more, are available in tablet or powder form, and contain non-toxic ingredients made entirely from renewable sources. By removing water from their products, Myni has reduced their carbon footprint and decreased their greenhouse gas emissions by 90%. Myni currently holds two patents and has more than 700 points of sale in Canada and the US. In 2023, they plan to expand their product offerings and grow their points of sale in retail and online.

MySteM Biotechnologies Inc. (MySteMBiotech)

Head Office: Alberta

Sector: Pet & Animal Products

MySteMBiotech is addressing the global issue of antibiotic use in livestock. It has developed a product using livestock colostrum stem cells that delivers significant antimicrobial properties against pathogens. This is welcome news to farmers as both FDA and Health Canada have restricted the use of antibiotics in farm animals, and there are few effective alternatives available. MySteMBiotech’s single-use technology provides this alternative to antibiotics, and delivers a natural, effective and environmentally friendly product. The startup has been actively building its network through various incubators, and has filed a patent for its technology, with prototype testing and product development planned for 2023.