TORONTO – With attendees hailing from countries ranging from Sri Lanka to Spain – and seemingly all points between – SIAL Canada featured some of the most unique products the food and beverage industry has to offer.
Earlier this week, the show floor at Toronto’s Enercare Centre displayed imaginative items like cassava snack mix, GMO-free couscous, black truffle potato chips, and even freeze-dried dog treats.
Let’s closely examine a few of the most innovative products unveiled at SIAL’s industry gathering:
Superseeds Seize the Moment
Multiple products featuring “superseeds” were on display in Toronto. The term “superseed” typically refers to seeds like flax or chia, which are high in fiber, antioxidants, and omega-3 nutrients.
Goldy’s, for example, displayed Superseed Cereal in flavors like Salted Cocoa, Strawberry Lavender, and Coconut Lime. The brand also sells instant oatmeal featuring superseeds, sweetened by date powder.
Goldy’s Instant Superseed Oatmeal
Superseeds “have a ton of nutritional benefits, whether it’s natural proteins (or) natural fibers that keep you full but not bloated,” said Daniel Carson, co-founder of Goldy’s. “They have a lot of really great benefits. So, bringing those into our recipes has been a really exciting part of our journey.”
Snack Segment Heats up With Freeze-Dried Desserts
While snacks like Soy Stix and plantain chips intrigued attendees in Toronto, Coco Fro’s freeze-dried ice cream truly opened eyes.
The plant-based, artisanal ice cream is vegan, organic, soy free, gluten free, and dairy free. The product is sweetened using maple and dates.
“We use coconut cream-based ice cream. We turn it like you would a typical ice cream, and then we put it into molds, freeze it, and then put it in a freeze dryer, which removes all the moisture,” said Katye Freelon, co-founder of the North Carolina-based brand. “That (process) makes it … shelf stable for two years.”
Mocktails Prevail
Canada’s MOX brand was an especially popular booth in SIAL Canada’s dedicated beverage space. The Canadian-based brand offers 100% natural mocktails that are both fragrant and boldly flavored.
The fledgling brand’s drinks come in varieties like Spiced Rum Mango Lavender, Tequila Pineapple Sage Pink Salt, and Gin Blueberry Elderberry Flower Ginger. Many of MOX’s drinks are less than 100 calories.
MOX hopes to expand distribution beyond Canada in the not-too-distant future, according to brand president Dominic Tougas.
MOX Brand’s Ready-to-Drink Mocktails
The Food Institute Podcast
It’s tariff time, and companies the world over are working to better understand how their operations will be impacted. Jodi Ader from RSM US LLP joined The Food Institute Podcast to discuss which products and inputs are currently subject to tariffs, and how to best mitigate supply chain risks.
