
Alberta exports agricultural and food products to over 150 countries. These are some of the companies making it in Alberta.
Alberta has a reputation for high-quality, safe food and beverage products. The food processing industry is highly regulated, ensuring common standards of quality and safety. Alberta is known for its ag commodities including grain, pulses and livestock but also produces key products including ready-to-eat packaged food and beverages, food products and ingredients, and some emerging niche and premium products.
Food manufacturing is the largest manufacturing sector in Alberta. With expertise in value-added food processing, multinationals, medium-sized and niche food and beverage processing and manufacturing companies are choosing to locate in Calgary.
Calgary-based Botaneco Inc. was the first company to receive funding from Protein Industries Canada to further commercialize its technology and research applications in the food, personal care and animal feed markets.
The Meatless Farms Co. is a UK-based producer of meat-based alternatives that currently supplies over 450 Whole Foods Stores in the U.S. and has partnered with Loblaws in Canada to provide meatless, gluten-free food products.
Sleeman Breweries, Canada’s third-largest brewery and a subsidiary of the Japanese multinational beer giant Sapporo Breweries, acquired Calgary-based Wild Rose Brewery, setting the stage for them to accelerate growth in the province.
Sofina Foods is moving into a new 304,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility. They choose to grow in Calgary due to its proximity to farmers that supply them, access to major transportation networks, the large personnel pool in the city, utility infrastructure and a municipal government that offers strong support for the ag sector.
Calgary, Alberta and Western Canada are leading the way in research and innovation for food processing, agri-tech and production.