How We’re Supporting Operators with Canadian-Made Innovations
Article written for MENU Magazine by Philman George, Corporate Chef and Co-founder of The Re-Seasoning Coalition
“Where is this product made?” This is the first question asked by restaurant owners, suppliers, distributors, chefs, and anyone interested in food innovation.
Previously the first question was, “How much does it cost?”. As Canada continues to reshape its trade policies, food products made domestically will play a vital role in the sector’s growth.
We have the most diverse Black population outside of the continent of Africa and the biggest gap in Black foodservice product innovation. Alongside the South Asian community, the Black community is leading Canadian immigration trends, meaning that smart operators should be paying attention to opportunities to meet the needs of a population from over 50 countries of origin.
Citizens and newcomers from these regions bring unique food traditions with them which retailers and suppliers currently don’t have an answer for. Take, for example, the island of Jamaica who many associate with the complex taste of jerk marinades. If a restaurant owner wanted to take advantage of the growing popularity of jerk flavours with an authentic recipe, how would they go about doing this? Currently, only one foodservice distributor carries a Black-owned jerk marinade produced in Canada. That’s not enough. More investment is needed to make Black-owned products accessible at scale.
The Re-Seasoning Coalition’s Black Experience Pavilion debuted at the 2024 RC Show and won the Best New Booth award for connecting the industry with Black products, entrepreneurs and job seekers. In 2025, we expanded due to high demand and welcomed more restaurateurs and suppliers keen on menu and product innovation. Visitors to our Pavilion sampled products, watched live demos, and made direct connections with 30+ Black-owned brands. Next March, we’ll do the same thing, ensuring operators have access to relevant products that keep guests excited.
While food innovation continues to play a key role in restaurant success, we cannot forget that restaurants are fueled by people.
Our industry is struggling with labour shortages, yet Canada has one of the highest youth unemployment rates in recent history. Why aren’t young people looking at our industry for employment?
In a national study conducted this spring, we asked foodservice employees what type of actions indicate that a restaurant or foodservice business will not be a safe space to work. Forty-three percent of racialized respondents shared that a workplace lacking a code of conduct was not a good indicator, followed by few or no employees looking like them (38%), and rushed or impersonal interviews (38%). Over the last five years, independent restaurateurs have acknowledged that they are keen to become more inclusive, but don’t have the resources to accomplish the task – these are good places to start.
To further support operators, we’ve developed a sector specific e-learning program that allows leaders to develop and strengthen their employee belonging initiatives. Created with support from the federal government, the goal of our Equity & Empowerment in Foodservice e-learning program is to help managers attract and retain diverse talent by combining asynchronous learning and virtual group sessions to fill gaps in their recruitment policies. With special rebates available to independent restaurants, there has never been a better time to invest in your people and create environments where new and old consumers feel welcome even before they order.
These are just two of the ways that The Re-Seasoning Coalition is saving operators time and making them money. Consider us your partner in innovation from FOH operations to BOH success. For more information about our Black Experience Pavilion and our e-learning program, visit thereseasoning.org.
