The Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) is a national, member based organization established in 2021 that’s stimulating transformative and transferrable innovation across the food sector. CFIN has three key strategic pillars: smart product and process development; food ecosystem sustainability; and agile and safe supply chains.
The organization connects the Canadian food ecosystem to collaborative opportunities, fresh insights, ideas, and technologies to elevate their business and increase their innovation capacity. CFIN staff and funding programs give innovators the support needed to build valuable innovations that improve the food sector’s ability to create economic impact.
MEMBERSHIP
CFIN has thousands of members and is adding more members every day from all regions of Canada and from across the food value chain. Members include manufacturers, processors, retailers, distributors, researchers, government, tech companies, funding agencies, students and other industry stakeholders.
CFIN members have free access to unique resources and benefits, including one-to-one support from five Regional Innovation Directors, exclusive funding opportunities to bring innovations to market, and YODL — an interactive online platform to find new partners, read daily original content, and access valuable resources.
YODL
YODL is a first-of-its-kind platform created by CFIN to help its growing membership base discuss industry challenges and opportunities, find collaborators such as co-packers and suppliers, and learn more about issues impacting the Canadian food sector.
Since launching in 2022, YODL has seen thousands of active discussion posts, new threads started daily, and dozens of new members each week. With new content posted daily, YODL is home to hundreds of original articles and videos on subjects affecting the industry, from food waste and plastics removal to cellular food, artificial intelligence, and personalized nutrition.
Other resources available on YODL include CFIN’s Funding Finder, an extensive list of federal, regional and provincial funding opportunities, and the Resource Finder, a list of more than 150,000 food-centric resources from across the country.
ABOUT HUBBA KHATOON
Hubba Khatoon is CFIN’s Regional Innovation Director for the Prairies. She has lived in Alberta for almost a decade, merging her love for technology and innovation through the support of the province’s entrepreneurial sector.
Determined to enter the world of innovation ecosystems, Khatoon pursued a Master’s Degree in Economic Policy from the University of Calgary, followed by a certification in Evidence in Public Policy from the University of Oxford. Armed with this newfound knowledge and knowing she could make a tangible impact on Canada’s innovation landscape, Khatoon joined Calgary Economic Development as an economist in Research and Strategy, later moving to Prairies Economic Development Canada as a business officer, Innovation Ecosystems.
Khatoon and her team at Calgary Economic Development initiated the award winning New Economy LIVE event series, bringing together brilliant minds, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders from diverse industries to showcase what Calgary had to offer.
“One of the most fulfilling moments in my journey was guiding the development of Calgary’s 10-year Economic Strategy,” she recalls. “Together with a team of dedicated visionaries, we crafted a roadmap for sustainable growth and prosperity. It was electric to see our collective efforts shaping a future where innovation thrives, businesses flourish, and communities come alive with possibilities.”
Internationally, Khatoon has been an active member of TCI Network and the North American Strategy for Competitiveness, both of which have allowed her to connect with like-minded trailblazers, share insights, and contribute to shaping the innovation landscape on a broader scale.
“Today, at CFIN, I find immense joy in transforming the food ecosystem,” says Khatoon, who joined CFIN in 2022. “I’m grateful for the chance to infuse my creative, open, and innovative personality into everything I do. Each morning, I wake up with a renewed sense of purpose, ready to unleash the potential of the innovation ecosystem and pave the way for a brighter future.
ALBERTA FUNDED PROJECTS
To date, CFIN has received more than a dozen project applications from its Alberta members and funded two foodtech projects.
The first is Earthware Reusables Inc., which is partnering with Southern Alberta Institute of Technology to design, develop and implement a durable and UV-resistant food takeout container that can be used as part of its return-for-reuse takeout container program.
The second project is Nutrimeals, which is developing a personalized nutrition platform that leverages AI to provide healthy, ready-to-eat meals that are customized to an individual’s specific dietary needs.
BECOME A MEMBER
Becoming a CFIN member is free, and registering takes less than five minutes.
