Food in Canada anniversary: 85 years of advancement

The Canadian food and beverage processing industry has undergone major transformations over the last 85 years. From wartime necessities and post-war innovations to today’s emphasis on sustainability, health, and modern technology, the sector has continually adapted to meet the changing demands of consumers and global markets.

As Food in Canada marks its 85^th anniversary, let’s look at the key milestones that have defined the industry in the past years.

1940-1950

A postage stamp printed by Canada during World War II. Photo © Rook76 via Adobe Stock

In 1939, when Canada officially entered World War II, the food and beverage processing sector underwent major changes, and food manufacturers adapted to wartime constraints. For instance, George Weston faced shortages of basic ingredients like sugar and redirected much of its biscuit production to supply the armed forces. The company informed customers through advertisements that their products might be unavailable due to these commitments.

The war prompted a significant shift in the Canadian labour force, with many women entering the workforce to fill roles left vacant by men who had enlisted. The number of women holding permanent jobs doubled from approximately 600,000 to 1.2 million during this period.

In 1942, the Canadian Dairy Farmers’ Federation was renamed Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) when the federation merged with the producers’ section of the National Dairy Council. DFC’s mandate evolved to pursue market stability policies and ensure fairer prices for producers.

The post-war period also saw significant corporate activities, including mergers and acquisitions. In 1944, Canadian Breweries opened Victory Mills to address a wartime shortage of vegetable oil, processing soybeans to produce the needed oil. In 1947, George Weston expanded operations through the acquisition of William Neilson, expanding into chocolate and ice cream.

1951-1960

Frito Lay production facility in Cambridge, Ont. Photo © Jhvephoto via Adobe Stock

In 1951, the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST) was founded. CIFST’s creation marked the formal recognition of food science as a distinct discipline in Canada, offering a means to connect professionals, promote food safety, and advance industry standards.

In 1954, Dare Foods introduced resealable ‘tin tie’ packaging for cookies. In 1956, Shirriff-Horsey was estimated to have one-third of the marmalade, extracts and jelly powder market in Canada. It merged with Salada Tea in 1957 to create a multinational food company.

During the 1950s, frozen foods became popular. McCain Foods, founded in 1957, started to grow rapidly and became one of the largest manufacturers of frozen potato products.

Frito Lay Canada’s early years were not nearly as prosperous as the 1950s when newer technology and a growing interest in snack foods led to greater success. Hostess expanded under the new ownership of E.W. Vanstone and was sold to General Foods in 1958.

1961-1970

Plastic milk packaging. Photo © Bonnontawat via Adobe Stock

Canadian food producers began to expand their reach internationally during this time, increasing exports to other countries. From 1960 to 1976, the volume of exports of food increased by 111 per cent.

In 1965, Frito-Lay merged with Pepsi-Cola to form PepsiCo.

DuPont introduced the plastic milk bag in 1967 as a cost-effective alternative to traditional glass bottles, changing milk packaging forever.

While the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) itself would be officially formed in the late 1990s, the foundations of what would become Canada’s food inspection system were laid in this period. The government began centralizing food safety oversight under the Department of Agriculture and the Department of National Health and Welfare (now Health Canada). The Food and Drugs Act was updated to include new rules for ingredient labelling. The government also began developing maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides in food.

1971-1980

No Name brand products. Photo © Julia via Adobe Stock

This decade saw the introduction of supply management systems for dairy and poultry products. An Interim Comprehensive Milk Marketing Plan was developed in 1970, and the establishment of the Canadian Milk Supply Management Committee (CMSMC) followed. Ontario, Quebec, and the federal government were the original parties to this plan. All the remaining provinces except Newfoundland and Labrador entered the plan by the end of 1974.

The year 1977 witnessed Canada’s Food Guide’s new look with colourful pictures and graphics. This guide was revised, introducing the metric system. More than 30 textual changes occurred with this revision.

In 1978, Loblaw launched the No Name private label brand for generic products. These basic items were sold at low cost in Don Watt’s black and yellow packaging.

As the price of packaging increased in 1979, SunRype found a cheaper option, marking the transition to 250 ml and 1-L tetra pak cartons for juices. SunRype’s apple juice can still be found in this type of packaging today.

In 1980, Irving Group purchased C.M. Mclean potato and vegetable processing facility in P.E.I. and renamed it Cavendish Farms.

1981-1990

Aspartame is made by the bonding together of the amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Photo © Jun Li via Adobe Stock

The year 1981 saw the introduction of aspartame in Canada.

Canada implemented the National Milk Marketing Plan in 1983. The new plan was initially one document but later got separated into two parts: the Plan itself and a Memorandum of Agreement, with an appendix setting out how to calculate the provincial Market Sharing Quota (MSQ).

To appeal to customers who wanted higher-quality products at affordable prices, the President’s Choice line was introduced by Loblaw in 1984. This division created new products, and the most successful item was the President’s Choice Decadent Chocolate Chip Cookie. Introduced in 1988, it became the best-selling cookie in Canada by 1991.

In 1987, Canada signed the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. Key elements of the agreement included elimination of tariffs and reduction of many non-tariff barriers, and it was among the first trade agreements to address trade in services. It also included a dispute settlement mechanism for the fair and expeditious resolution of trade disputes.

In 1989, Carling O’Keefe and Molson Coors merged operations to take control of 53 per cent of the Canadian beer market.

1991-2000

The WTO agreements cover various aspects of international trade, including trade in goods, services, intellectual property, and dispute settlement. Photo © Ketsara via Adobe Stock

Maple Leaf Mills joined Canada Packers to create Maple Leaf Foods in 1991. Shortly after, in 1995, McCain Capital and the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board acquired a controlling interest in this new company.

Dairyworld Foods was formed in 1992 with the merger of three dairy co-operatives: Fraser Valley Milk Producers, Northern Alberta Dairy Pool and Central Alberta Dairy Pool. In 1993, Dairyworld was restructured with Dufferin Employment as the Manitoba operation of Dairyworld, with 3000 employees. In 1996, the Dairy Producers Co-operative of Saskatchewan was brought into the merger. After that, the company’s name was changed to Agrifoods International.

The 1994 WTO Agreement established the World Trade Organization (WTO), impacting Canada’s food and beverage manufacturing industry. By reducing tariffs and agricultural subsidies under the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA), Canada gained greater access to international markets, particularly for processed foods, dairy, and meat products. The agreement also aligned Canadian trade policies with global standards, requiring compliance with WTO rules on food safety, labelling, and sanitary measures, which affected industry regulations.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) was established in 1997 by an Act of Parliament that merged all federal food safety, plant health and animal health regulatory programs into one organization. The consecutive years saw the creation of the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health and the creation of the Office of Food Safety and Recall (OFSR) in 1999.

2001-2010

These regulations were made to help Canadians make appropriate food choices. Photo © Lee via Adobe Stock

In 2000, Saputo acquired Cayer-JCB Group, a Quebec-based producer of European-style cheeses. Next year, Saputo acquired Dairyworld Foods. In 2003, Saputo became the leader in blue cheese production for the U.S. retail segment through the acquisition of operations related to the Treasure Cave and Nauvoo blue cheese brands.

In 2001, General Mills acquired Pillsbury, which included the Green Giant brand as part of the acquisition. However, in 2015, General Mills sold the Green Giant brand to B&G Foods.

Starting in 2003, Canada started introducing amendments to Food and Drug Regulations. Nutrition labelling became mandatory for most prepackaged foods. In 2007, the government expanded and clarified nutrient content claims regulations. The Nutrition Facts table became mandatory and gave consumers standardized information on calorie content and 13 core nutrients.

In 2008, Maple Leaf Foods had an outbreak caused by Listeria contamination at one of its prepared meats facilities. It resulted in 23 deaths and hundreds of people falling ill. The affected facility was shut down, and CFIA increased inspections of food processing plants, particularly those producing ready-to-eat meats. More stringent testing protocols were implemented to detect Listeria earlier in the production process.

In 2010, George Weston expanded its bakery segment by acquiring Keystone Bakery and ACE Bakery to help expand sales of bread and rolls in the rest of Canada and into the U.S. Kraft Foods bought Cadbury for US$19 billion, and Nestle acquired Kraft’s frozen pizza business for US$3.7 billion.

2011-2020

The E. coli outbreak began after an animal heavily contaminated with E. coli entered the XL Foods plant. Photo © Arif Biswas via Adobe Stock

For several months in 2011 and 2012, thieves stole nearly 3,000 tonnes of maple syrup, valued at $18.7 million, from a storage facility in Quebec. This transformed Quebec’s Strategic Reserve’s security protocols with frequent barrel inspections and inventory tracking.

In 2012, XL Foods faced Canada’s largest meat recall due to an E. coli contamination outbreak. The recall affected more than a million pounds of beef products. The contamination highlighted the importance of food safety practices, quality control, and the need for stricter regulatory oversight. This event contributed to changes in Canada’s food safety policies and practices, such as the introduction of the Safe Food for Canadians Act.

In 2014, Grupo Bimbo acquired Canada Bread from Maple Leaf Foods for $1.83 billion, marking a major expansion into the Canadian market. The acquisition strengthened Grupo Bimbo’s North American presence, integrating Canada Bread brands like Dempster’s and Villaggio into its global portfolio.

In 2018, Maple Leaf Foods announced a $660 million investment to build a 640,000-sf poultry processing plant in London, Ont., while simultaneously planning to close three older facilities in St. Marys, Brampton, and Toronto.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, major outbreaks at meat processing facilities in Canada, including Cargill (High River, Alta.), JBS (Brooks, Alta.), and Olymel (various locations in Quebec and Alberta), led to temporary closures and reduced operations in 2020. The Cargill outbreak was one of the largest workplace outbreaks in Canada, with over 950 workers infected and linked to several deaths. JBS and Olymel also faced significant case surges, forcing shutdowns and disrupting production.

2021-2025

Other companies named in the lawsuits include Canada Bread, Sobeys, Metro, Walmart Canada, and Giant Tiger. Photo © Pascal Huot via Adobe Stock

George Weston sells its Weston Foods consumer goods bakery business. The business had been the foundation for the Weston Group since its establishment in 1882. The sale of the business was completed at the end of 2021, and George Weston now focuses on retail and real estate businesses

In 2021, Hershey acquired Lily’s confectionery products for US$425 million. The acquisition aligned with Hershey’s strategy to expand into the better-for-you snacking category.

In 2023, Unilever launched its first global AI lab, Horizon3 Labs, in Toronto, to accelerate the generation of new AI concepts, designs, and projects that can be scaled and shared across its business globally.

Maple Leaf Foods separated into two independent companies in 2025, restructuring its operations to enhance focus and efficiency. One company continues to specialise in value-added meat and plant-based protein products under the Maple Leaf Foods brand, while Canada Packers will operate as a distinct entity and focus on pork processing and exports.

In 2025, Loblaw and its parent company George Weston agreed to pay $500 million to settle a pair of class-action lawsuits regarding their involvement in an alleged bread price-fixing scheme.

The Canadian F&B processing industry has adapted to changing consumer preferences, technological advancements, and global market shifts. From wartime production and corporate expansions to food safety regulations and sustainability initiatives, the industry has grown and transformed to meet new challenges.

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