Developing a healthier, more profitable food industry in Quebec

As the cost of living continues to rise, our need for affordable, local, and nutritious foods has never been greater. Quebec’s food producers want to meet that demand — but how can they innovate and stay competitive in a challenging economy?

Finding answers is the mission of the Consortium for Research, Innovation and the Transformation of Agri-food (Consortium RITA) at McGill University.

Led by Salwa Karboune, Associate Professor in the Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, the group brings businesses and researchers together to devise new ways of producing foods that are cost-effective, sustainable, and healthy for consumers.

More than 250 agri-food businesses and 23 research institutions across Quebec have joined the Consortium RITA since its launch in 2017.

“Our main objective is to be a catalyst for collaboration between research institutions and the agri-food industry in order to advance the sector,” Karboune explains. “It’s a sector that is very important for Quebec. It’s also a sector facing challenges that offer opportunities for growth and innovation.”