Food + Beverage
Fuel growth with a recipe
for agri-food innovation
Brampton’s Food + Beverage sector thrives on skilled labour, top processors, and strong links to Ontario’s agri-food corridor.
by Brampton's industry
in Brampton's industry
annual exports
and Grocery value
Discover Brampton
Nourishing local communities and beyond
- Brampton’s food and beverage sector employs over 8,500 workers across processing, packaging, and logistics – making it a core driver of the city’s economy. The city is home to major producers like Maple Lodge Farms and Italpasta, supported by a growing network of food-tech startups and logistics hubs.
- Ontario supports this workforce with more than 25 institutions offering agri-food programs, including George Brown’s FIRSt studio, Conestoga’s food processing training, and the University of Guelph’s world-class Food Institute. With over 200,000 skilled professionals in the sector, the province leads Canada in agri-food innovation and commercialization.
- Brampton’s food industry is evolving with sustainability at its core. Local businesses are investing in greener packaging, waste reduction, and locally sourced ingredients to meet consumer demand for environmentally responsible products.
- Across Ontario, automation, AI, and smart food tech are reshaping the future of processing and packaging. Trends like plant-based innovation, healthier alternatives, and supply chain transparency will continue to shape how Brampton and Ontario lead Canada’s shift toward a more sustainable, tech-driven food economy.
- Brampton’s food industry is evolving with sustainability at its core. Local businesses are investing in greener packaging, waste reduction, and locally sourced ingredients to meet consumer demand for environmentally responsible products.
- Across Ontario, automation, AI, and smart food tech are reshaping the future of processing and packaging. Trends like plant-based innovation, healthier alternatives, and supply chain transparency will continue to shape how Brampton and Ontario lead Canada’s shift toward a more sustainable, tech-driven food economy.
How we help
BHive’s Food + Beverage Cohort offers a number of key benefits for international start-ups, including:
Access to
Funding
Matching applicants with suitable investors and funding opportunities.
Skilled
Talent
Access to a skilled local workforce of manufacturing professionals as well as thousands of students enrolled at the 21 post-secondary institutions located near Brampton.
Mentorship Opportunities
Introductions to leaders in the Food and Beverage space to provide mentorship, guidance and support.
Research Facilities
+ Lab Space Access
Leveraging resources from one of the 21 post-secondary institutions located within an hour’s drive of Brampton, including top-rated research universities in North America like McMaster University & University of Toronto.
Dedicated Sector Manager
Access to a dedicated Sector Manager specializing in Food and Beverage to provide industry-specific advice for the Canadian and North American markets.
Who should apply
Our Advanced Manufacturing cohort is suited to future-thinking, coachable founders running commercial start-ups focused on solving important issues in the manufacturing sector. This may include building proprietary software to automate processes or systems or solving problems that will significantly advance the field of traditional manufacturing.
This cohort is aimed toward early-stage companies (pre-seed, seed, or Series), whether they have raised little to no investment or even projects (pre-incorporation); however, start-ups at all levels of the company life cycle will be considered.
Companies with any or all of the following are preferred:
- IP
- Patent
- Pilot Customers
- Food Production, Processing and Packaging
- Alternative Protein, Seafood and Beverages
- Plant-based Meat
- Cloud Kitchen
