Superior Foods latest recipient of Sustainable CAP grant

Thunder Bay’s own Superior Foods is taking advantage of the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) to expand its ability to process local foods.

The Sustainable CAP is a joint venture between Canada’s federal and provincial governments to help support investments in the country’s agriculture and food (agri-food) industries.

Luis Alves, owner of Superior Foods, was joined by Ontario Associate Minister Kevin Holland on Friday at the business to announce the partnership.

The Sustainable CAP’s Food Safety and Growth Initiative is a $4.4 million investment that will cover 50% of a small business investment in food safety, traceability, and general growth of the Agri-food industry up to $75,000.

Mr. Alves of Superior Foods has used the partnership to invest in new meat packaging and labelling machinery, which he hopes will allow the facility to do more business with locals.

“The big opportunity, I think, is in the meat industry,” says Alves. “Thunder Bay is well set with the farmland that’s here, that’s perfect for raising cattle. That’s being underutilized.”

Alves says for the local farmers, the bottleneck to growth is in the city’s processing facilities. He hopes that the new upgrades to Superior Foods allow for more local meat processing.

The Sustainable CAP was created long before Canada’s trade war with the United States, but it takes on new importance in the current context.

“It’s all about growing our local agri-business here: you know, grow-local-buy-local type things,” says Associate Minister Holland.

He adds, “If we’re growing and selling and consuming local foods, it’s not subject to tariffs. So this is just great to support the Agri-food business in Northwest Ontario and provide them another opportunity to get that beef and pork processed, packaged, and distributed to our stores for consumers.”