TORONTO'S FOOD & BEVERAGE

INDUSTRY

CLUSTER INFORMATIVE

Tony Middleton

A Valuable ClusterThe Food & Beverage cluster is

Canada’s third largest sector

In 2004, this cluster had annual sales exceeding $17 billion

A Valuable Cluster Continued

There are over 2,000 established food and manufacturing establishments

Toronto accounts for more than 50% of all food processing in Ontario

A Valuable Cluster Continued

Within the next 10 years, employment rates are expected to double

In 2002, there were 50,000 people employed in the Toronto Food &

Beverage industry

This cluster is the second largest that operates in Canada

Food Cluster Leaders in the GTA

Campbell Soup Company

Cadbury Schweppes Cargill Limited

Weston Bakeries

Wrigley’s

Nestle

Unilever

Maple Leaf Foods

Fiera Foods Kraft

Helping the Industry Grow

The Guelph Food Technology Centre (GFTC) is a not-for-profit research and consultation centre that helps food businesses develop new products and processes to remain competitive within the GTA.

Activities include newsletters, job opportunity postings and workshops.

Further AidCurrently, Toronto does not have an innovation

centre; however, a proposed template is currently in development. As it is a market leader in North

America and is in close proximity to major markets, an innovation centre will be influential in raising

Ontario’s food industry sales

IncubationThe Toronto Food Business Incubator is an

independent non-profit organization that aids entrepreneurs and small enterprises. Its

goals are to assist companies in becoming established to help foster the economic growth, creativity, and vitality of the food manufacturing industry. The incubator provides members with access to a production space, a fully equipped

commercial kitchen, mentoring/training, and industry contacts

Competing Cluster - IllinoisDue to its vast and fertile farmland, the food processing and agriculture industries are well developed within Illinois. The industry generates more than $8 billion annually. It is the number one manufacturing activity in the State, with an annual value of $14 billion. Illinois also plays host to the largest food trade fairs in the United States, such as the Food Marketing Institute and National Restaurant Association.

Chicago is home to a business centre located at the University Technology Park at IIT. It offers 126,000 square feet of office space to be used by high-tech companies, including those operating within the food industry

Competing Cluster - California

California is the top agricultural state in America and has been for 50 years. As a correlated result, it is also the largest food-processing employer. With a large variety of crops, excellent growing conditions, and increasing demand for prepared food products, California is the centre for food processing, shipping $50 billion worth of food products. California provides the nation's consumers with premium quality fruits, juices, sauces, cheeses, snacks, nuts, seasonings, and many other foods

The California League of Food Processing (CLFP) represents the business interests of California's dynamic food processing industry. It is a valuable resource, allowing members to obtain additional information on the industry

THANK YOU

I hope you found this presentation on the Food and Beverage cluster informative