Innovation in the Food Industry

A Q+A with SIAL Innovation President & Innovation Expert, Jo-Ann McArthur.

By: Frank Yeo
Jo-Ann McArthur
  1. How critical is innovation to a thriving food industry?

    Innovation took a break during COVID when the focus shifted to keeping supply lines moving and shelves stocked. Now innovation is back stronger than ever as consumers demand it, and we need it to feed a growing population more sustainably. This will require solutions we have yet to see. Status quo is not an option! And SIAL celebrates innovation across the agri-food chain, including packaging and technology solutions.

    Canada is an agricultural leader and food exporter. We also have an opportunity to lead on the innovation front across the food value chain.

    2. Can you give specific examples of where we are seeing innovation today?

    Not every innovation is a quantum leap. For broadscale consumer adoption, you need to be leading rather than bleeding edge. Innovation doesn’t have to be lofty, but it does have to be insightful and add value for the consumer. For example, one of last year’s most successful new products was Smuckers’ Jif Squeeze Peanut Butter. It’s not earth-shattering innovation, but it does solve a consumer problem. (Have you ever tried to get the last bits of peanut butter from the sides of the jar or just below the rim with a knife?) And while the squeezable bottle is nothing new, using it with a substance like peanut butter was a real packaging challenge involving finding a suitable non-stick inner substrate.

    We also see a lot of innovation with upcycled materials being repurposed – essential both for sustainability and the bottom line. There’s also a lot of innovation within food tech, driven by both the pandemic and the ongoing labour shortages. And, of course, sustainability is becoming table stakes for any innovation to help us face the challenges of tomorrow. The future isn’t someplace we go; it’s something we create together. 


    3. What kind of “mindset” is necessary to bring innovation to the market?

    Curiosity, a beginner’s mind. As Einstein famously said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

    Keep asking yourself what the problem is you are solving. If you can’t answer that question, you will have a product searching in vain for a market. Henry Ford famously said, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” The automobile got people to where they wanted faster and more reliably. The Segway, while innovative, didn’t solve a consumer problem. Be a car, not a Segway.

    4. How will SIAL help to showcase and advance innovation in the market?

    SIAL Canada, as North America’s biggest food innovation tradeshow, gives innovative products and solutions a platform to shine upon and promote these both within Canada and internationally. The exposure you get is unparalleled to any other trade show you’ll find in Canada. New investments, partnerships, store listings, and great thought-starters for those walking the floor and thinking of “what’s next” in their companies.

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