George Brown College in Toronto has launched a world-class applied research and industry facility with the goal of helping the food and beverage industry produce nutritious and innovative products for Canadian consumers. 

Toronto's food and beverage sector is dominated by small businesses, the backbone of Canadian industry. These small businesses often lack the resources to invest in capital equipment and the expertise necessary to innovate. To address this critical gap, the multifunctional facility, housed within George Brown's Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts, will provide access to advanced learning and applied research spaces as well as much-needed opportunities for product development, including prototyping and commercialization support.

"This facility represents why we are one of Canada's foremost leaders in food and beverage research, innovation, and education for industry," says Robert Luke, Vice-President, Research and Innovation, George Brown College. "Not only does this expansion create the conditions for companies to succeed, it also enriches the learning of students and prepares them to become the highly qualified and skilled leaders the growing food and beverage sector needs."

Supported by a $7-million investment from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) and matching George Brown College, donor and industry contributions, the facility will support a diverse group of customers, including restaurants of all types, wine and alcoholic beverage companies, food and beverage processing and manufacturing organizations, foodservice companies, hospitals and other research facilities including universities.