Following a period of time in which nearly every province reported a new daily record for confirmed COVID-19 cases, it comes as no surprise that revised restrictions continue to be implemented across the country.
Not surprisingly, the landscape of Canadian hospitality has been greatly impacted by the seemingly ever-changing restrictions, but the pandemic has led to the rise of creative innovations like the McEwan Don Mills’ 3D virtual shopping experience and Charlottetown’s online food asset map, as well as the resurgence of convenience-driven apparatuses like the automat.
Finally, six years after moving operations exclusively to the U.S., Heinz Ketchup announced this week that they will be moving production to their Mont Royal plant in Montreal next summer.
Here are five interesting Canadian food news stories you might have missed this past week.
Updated COVID-19 restrictions implemented across Canada
Revised COVID-19 restrictions are now being implemented across the country after nearly every province reported single-day records in recent weeks. While each province seems to be taking a somewhat different approach to the rapidly rising numbers, it seems clear that limited socialization and the use of masks in public spaces will be a primary focus heading into the holidays.
Head to Huffington Post for a more in depth look at each province’s revised restrictions.
Canada’s first 3D virtual shopping experience
This week, Canadian on-demand grocery delivery service Inabuggy and Toronto’s McEwan Fine Foods Don Mills launched Canada’s first-ever 3D virtual grocery portal. Available through the Inabuggy app or website, the virtual shopping experience allows customers to visually browse through curated aisles to shop and select items from home.
Visit Restobiz for the whole story.
The resurgence of automats in Canada
Despite a significant decline in demand in recent years, several Canadian cities are beginning to see a resurgence in the popularity of automats as a result of the pandemic. From Dark Horse Coffee to PizzaForno, to Paramount Fine Foods, food writer Amy Rosen takes a look at the automat’s recent return to prominence, and posits how the post-pandemic world could potentially look as a result.
Find the full story at The Globe and Mail.
Heinz Ketchup announces return to Canada
Following a joint $17 million investment from Kraft Heinz Canada and the government of Quebec, Kraft Heinz announced this week that after six years of operating in the U.S., they will be returning production to Canada next summer.
The project, which will see the ketchup company move production to its Mont Royal facility in Montreal, is expected to create 30 new jobs and help maintain roughly 750 existing positions.
Get the full breakdown from The Star.
Charlottetown set to launch city-wide food asset map
The Charlottetown Food Council announced on Thursday that they will give residents their first look at the city's newly developed food asset map next week. Although still in preliminary stages, the food asset map will provide citizens with an interactive tool to find locally-produced foods, emergency food programs, community gardens, farmers markets, and more.
Find out more about the food asset map from CBC News.
